Britain’s
bosses are adopting Sven-Goran Eriksson’s ultra-calm and thoughtful style of
management, according to research conducted by recruitment agency Pertemps.
The
survey questioned men and women at middle management level about 10 leading
national figures and asked which ones most influenced their workplace
managerial methods. The Swede was the most popular choice with almost 47 per
cent of respondents putting him in first place ahead of leaders such as
Virgin’s Richard Branson (24 per cent) and Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson
(23 per cent).
The
respondents who listed Eriksson were most impressed by his ice cool calmness in
the face of intense pressure. They also admired his ability to delegate
responsibilities to senior staff such as assistants Tord Grip and Steve
McClaren; his communication skills; his willingness to promote young but
talented players, and his ability to help players overcome mental obstacles.
Eriksson,
who speaks four languages, does not give a pep talk prior to a match but
instead talks individually to each player. He also uses a Norwegian sports
psychologist called Willy Railo in order to tackle the mental shortcomings of
his players.
Tim
Watts, Pertemps chairman, said; "Sven-Goran Eriksson has impressed a lot
of people in the business world over the past 18 months. He remains unruffled
in the most intense situations, but his biggest attribute is probably the way
in which he empowers his staff and players. He provides the strategic guidance
and then trusts people to go out and do their job.
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"We
can learn much from Sven’s management style. Anyone who can unlock the
potential of their staff will help their team be more successful. Being calm at
the helm is one thing, delivering results by encouraging others to excel at
their work is another – Sven seems to do both."
