5 things Southgate has in common with a bad manager

The world of technology and football have their heroes and antiheroes. Today I decided to draw a parallel between a bad manager and Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England national football team. At first glance, it seems that they have nothing in common, but if you look closely, you can find many funny and instructive moments. Let's figure out what unites these two characters.

Point 1: Inappropriate decisions

Situation:

Bad manager: Suddenly decides that the solution needs to be implemented on a different technology stack, in which the team has no expertise.

Gareth Southgate: Throughout the European Championship, he has been putting right-wing players on the left flank, leaving his specialist left-wing players on the bench or out of the squad (Grelish was left out of the squad, and in the group stage he put Foden and Trippier on the right flank, who play right eight and right fullback respectively at the club).

Morality:

Unconventional solutions are good, but you always need to understand where they can be applied and where they cannot, and also think about the consequences.

Point 2: Ignoring feedback

Situation:

Bad manager: Doesn't listen to the team and ignores their suggestions for improving the process.

Gareth Southgate: Does not take into account criticism from fans and experts, continuing to insist on his erroneous decisions.

Morality:

Feedback is not just words, but a valuable resource for improving processes. Ignoring the team's opinion can lead to disastrous results.

Point 3: Incorrect distribution of resources

Situation:

Bad manager: Distributes tasks so that some employees are overloaded while others sit idle.

Gareth Southgate: He puts players on the pitch that are not based on their strengths (Declan Rice is the main passer and Harry Kane has 13 touches per game), which leads to failures.

Morality:

Proper resource allocation is the key to success. If you do not use your team to its full potential, you risk failure.

Point 4: Irrational use of team potential

Situation:

Bad manager: He gets highly qualified specialists into his team, but uses them only for routine tasks, not allowing them to reveal their potential.

Gareth Southgate: He got a “golden generation” of players, but instead of using their strengths and attacking potential, he just ties their hands.

Morality:

Having talented people on your team is only half the battle. It is important to be able to use their strengths and give them the opportunity to prove themselves. A leader must see the potential of his team and direct it in the right direction, rather than trying to make everyone equally average.

Point 5: Fear of risk and missed opportunities

Situation:

Bad manager: Afraid to make bold decisions and avoids any risks, which leads to project stagnation and missed opportunities for innovation.

Gareth Southgate: Prefers to play “according to the safe scenario”, rolling the ball in front of the opponent's goal and avoiding transitions (situations of changing possession when the teams have not changed between attacking and defensive formations).

Morality:

Risk is an integral part of any success. By avoiding risk, you also avoid opportunities for significant achievements. A leader must be able to weigh risks and make bold decisions when necessary. Without this, the team may remain in the comfort zone, but will never reach the heights.

Conclusion

So what do a bad project manager and Gareth Southgate have in common? The main thing they have in common is that they will both be sacked sooner or later.

Despite all the efforts and attempts, the team did not live up to expectations, and the responsibility for this always falls on the shoulders of the leader. But do not despair! By studying their mistakes, we can learn how to avoid the same mistakes in our work. In the end, even the most unsuccessful examples can become a great lesson for those who strive for excellence.

And most importantly: don't take everything seriously, the article was written under the indelible impression of the anti-football that was shown by the team with the best selection of players in the tournament.