Errol Gardner’s Post

Greece's Unbelievable EURO 2004 Triumph: A Lesson in Defying the Odds Story: In a stunning turn of events, Greece, a true underdog, captured the world's attention by winning EURO 2004. Defying all expectations, they defeated football giants like France and Portugal to claim their first major international title. Lesson: Believe in the Impossible. This remarkable achievement underscores the power of determination, teamwork, and strategic planning. It serves as a powerful reminder that extraordinary success is possible, even when the odds are stacked against you. Let this story inspire us all to aim high and pursue our goals with unwavering belief and effort. #Leadership #Teamwork #Inspiration #Euro2004 #Resilience #ProfessionalGrowth

Is it coming home? ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ Tonight, Euro 24 kicks off in Germany with the hosts playing the opening game against Scotland. England, for the first time in my 51 years on this planet, start a major tournament as favourites – wow! 😲 Despite being the ‘birthplace’ of football and having had the strongest club league in the world for many years, England had fallen way off the pace in the international game. For many years England stagnated by sticking to rigid playing styles and inconsistent youth development, while other countries in Europe and South American have evolved their playing style, improved training methods and developed their technical ability. It’s the same in business. 💼 Failure to keep up with competitors or adapt to market developments will leave you struggling to survive, let alone compete. The introduction of overseas coaches and heavy investment in youth development and grassroots football has seen England rise to the top table again. Can England bring home their first major men’s trophy in 58 years? I guess we’ll see over the next few weeks. #Euro2024

🏆 Just like England at the Euros, the recruitment game is all about persistence and teamwork! 🌟 From the Euros, I've learned that persistence and teamwork are crucial, both on the pitch and in recruitment. Here’s how England's journey mirrors our own: 🏆 Persistence: Despite never winning, England steps out each tournament with unwavering belief. In recruitment, persistence, resilience and self-belief means the most - hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard! 🌟 Teamwork: Phil Foden was Premier League Player of the Year, but had an off day against Serbia. Your value isn’t just individual; it's amplified by the strength of your team. 🔍 Preparation: England spends years preparing for each tournament. Likewise, invest time in understanding your candidates and clients deeply for winning results. 🎉 Celebration: Every goal, every save, every successful hire is a step towards the ultimate win. Keep spirits high, eyes and celebrate each little win like Shaw's early goal in the last final! Let’s take a leaf out of England’s playbook and bring our A-game to recruitment! 💪⚽ #Recruitment #Persistence #Teamwork #Euro2024 #PhilFoden #itscominghome #education

In the way to CO2 = 0 …

I don’t normally write about mundane things such as #EURO2024, but the article below in the Guardian has a couple of really useful quotes: “Why are England an incoherent team? Because there is no English coaching school, no coaching culture, no love of knowledge and method, nothing to pass down.” and ”England is a football superpower. England is also an intellectual vacuum.” Both quotes are true. Not only for football, but for the greater “English Condition”. What do I mean by that? England no longer has any identify (or actually the UK has no identity, but that’s a story for another day!). Who are we? What do we stand for? What future are we envisaging for ourselves and for the global population? To become a UK citizen you’ll need to answer questions such as “when did Lord Nelson die?” Or “how many ceremonial or geographic counties are there in England?” Why such things are important to “Britishness” is a mystery to me. Is this really important to pass down, or to pass on to those who want to become British?We’re hanging onto an (alleged) glorious past, with no vision for the present nor the future. https://lnkd.in/eTtetY4r 

While European countries that ran major colonial empires have featured multiracial football teams for a long time now (France and Portugal were among the first to cap black players back in the 1930s, the Netherlands debuted black players in the 1960s and England in the 1970s), Spain, with its history of economic collapses in the recent past, has been a country of emigration rather than immigration till only a decade ago. Football is the great immigration success story of Europe.

This is just the beginning—Georgia's first steps in major tournaments. We embarked on this journey with courage, skill, passion, and flair. Through strategy, teamwork, and heartfelt dedication, we persevered with unwavering belief in ourselves. Our team's achievements have reignited self-awareness, confidence, faith, national pride, and unity within us. In the heart of Europe, Georgia was not just a guest but a recognized part of it, winning hearts across the continent. Our players, with their remarkable achievements, have inspired future generations in Georgia profoundly. These ordinary boys from regular families have shown that success comes from a leader’s mindset, constant development, tireless work, and resilience—becoming role models for all. The economic impact of promoting our country, boosting tourism, and developing football schools and clubs is yet to be fully realized. It will not only elevate our national team players to better leagues but also help our youth get noticed by European teams and attract attention from top-tier transfer markets. This opportunity was utilized more effectively than expected. Along with investing in mindset and future generations' mentality, we showcased what branding and marketing should be. We created a unique and memorable identity for the team and country, with incredible fan engagement activities on-site and through social media. And one more achievement: the people have embraced football, and the Team has embraced its people, becoming truly National. We emerged victorious from this unforgettable adventure from different perspectives. Huge thanks to our Crusaders! History was made, and the best is yet to come! #მევარსაქართველო #Euro2024Georgia #საქართველოევროპაზე #HistoryMakers #TeamSpirit #InspiringLeadership #YouthDevelopment #SportsImpact #NationalUnity

For any high-performance team to succeed, it must be based in a psychologically safe environment. When it comes to English men’s football, complaints ring out every two years about how we haven’t won a major tournament in many people's lifetimes… However, no matter what the internal structure does, when sights like these national headlines are commonplace, there is an area of obvious self-inflicted damage. Traditional media leads with aggressive and deprecating headlines that build up and then smash down the team. We are stepping into yet another international tournament full of some of the World’s best teams, and our media has decided to lead with these headlines. In a sport where we want creativity, flair and calculated risk-taking, why does our media push to create such a fear of failure? 🤔 #england #media #threelions #euro2024

Never give up!! Success is born from persistence, and no moment embodies this better than England's stunning victory over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 competition. Against all odds, England showcased resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit, driving home an inspiring lesson for us all: never give up. Seeing our team come back from a deficit, making strategic plays, and seizing opportunities was nothing short of spectacular. It reminded me of my own professional journey, where setbacks often pave the way for remarkable comebacks. Whether it's a missed goal or a missed opportunity, perseverance is key. Every challenge faced and every hurdle overcome brings us closer to ultimate success. Let's channel this winning mindset into our everyday endeavours. Persistence can turn potential failures into milestones of achievement. Keep pushing forward, and you'll find that even when the odds are against you, victory is always within reach. #Resilience #NeverGiveUp #Euro2024 #itscominghome

🤔 Ahead of the England game this Sunday, I’ve been reflecting on some of the leadership lessons that are playing out (pardon the pun) during #Euro2024.   🏆 Critiques of England's timid performance against Slovenia remind me of Heidi K. Gardner's insightful arguments on why teams often underperform when it matters the most. Her research found that as performance pressure mounts, expert teams often grow more cautious and revert to tried-and-true solutions. In other words, when all that matters is winning, we might get too focused on not losing. When does your team pass backwards instead of going for goal?   🔊 By addressing the ‘unusual atmosphere’ at the game and asking fans to ‘boo me, not the players’, Southgate has prioritised creating psychological safety for his team, which is crucial for a healthy working environment. When was the last time you put yourself in the firing line so your team can regroup and grow?   🌀 One of the criticisms leveled at Southgate is that he fails to orchestrate the extraordinary talent in his team. We probably have the best players we've ever had in the tournament, but people feel they just don't work together well as a team. Proof that, even with the best group of individuals, there is still a role for a leader to bring them into a team to perform.   🔥 What game are they playing? Not the players, the pundits! Yes, it is their job to comment and critique. Yet, I am always baffled by the zeal and delight with which football pundits lay into England managers, effectively, "one of their own". They all used to wear the Three Lions on their shirt. With all the recent focus on mental health (not least in football), is this yet another instance of "I went through a baptism of fire, why shouldn’t you?” When was the last time you were the armchair expert?   ⚽ Will you be watching the game this weekend? What do you think of Southgate and his team?   #Euros #GarethSouthgate #Leadership #Euro2024 #UEFA #ThreeLions