There are two main ways to achieve coherence in action (and thus achieve the vision of action). Firstly, by establishing (strict) rules and monitoring that these rules are followed. Second, by a lot of communication to align views and beliefs among members, which in turn brings coherence in action.
First way places an expectation and a requirement on all followers to guide their behaviour within a set framework. Second way allows followers to act according to their convictions and to freely set their own goals within this internalized common direction. First way brings a quick result, but in a long term it brings criticism, doubts and contradictions that are not (systemically) resolved as a rule. Second way requires long-term investment, an established habit of communication and brings about a gradual and sustainable growth of the system. First is autocratic and leader-centred, second is democratic and community-centred.
Football IQ
At a time when Barcelona FC was performing really remarkably and almost unbeatably under Pep Guardiola‘s coaching, I saw a statement from player Eric Abidal. He said that Pep is the first coach in his career with a habit of having all the members of the team sit together in a room and imposing on them a task think about their game. From a management point of view, it’s about developing a shared understanding of football – developing a shared vision of the game of football. With this kind of result, players do not have to remember the rules, keep them in their heads and eventually follow them, but can internalise those rules, make such thinking natural to them and make their own decisions; free, but still aligned with the decisions of their teammates (and with the views of the management) because of a shared understanding.
Luis Enrique, another former coach at Barcelona, has a very similar mindset in this regard. His coaching approach or philosophy is presented in the Phase of Play as follows: he stresses the importance of allowing players the freedom to think, adapt and make decisions based on their own ideas and understanding of the game of football. It is an approach to coaching that develops players of the highest quality level. It is a democratic approach to management based on communication and trust, replacing (strict, precise) rules and control, and encouraging maximum motivation and involvement of all team members in the achievement of goals.
*”Another Way of Winning”, title of this post, is the title of Guillem Balague’s biographical book on Pep Guardiola.
Paradim 