Written by Leicester City Football Club’s season ended in a second fairy-tale when they lifted the FA Cup on May 15th this year. The first fairy-tale was achieved in the 2015-2016 season when they were crowned Premier League champions. On both occasions glimpses of what might be called a cultural nirvana appeared through the blue mist of euphoria. It was evident, in both wins, that there was a strong emotional bond between the owner, the manager, players and administrative staff. After the first fairy-tale, however, tragedy struck in 2018 when the former owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was killed in a helicopter crash.
The outpouring of grief by the fans and key stakeholders in the club revealed to the British public the esteem in which the owner was held. A sea of flowers, club scarves, vigils and statements from the players and club administrators showed how much affection there was for Vichai. Club continuity was maintained when Vichai’s son Aiyawatt took over as Chairman of the football club soon after the accident. The positive culture within the club was made evident when Kasper Schmeichel enticed Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha to join the onfield celebrations following their FA Cup victory.
Contrast this with the fans’ reaction to the Glazier brothers who are the owners of Manchester United. The Anti-Glazier Campaign has been prominent throughout the 2020-2021 season in England. This culminated in a demonstration that resulted in the cancellation of the long awaited Manchester United and Liverpool Premier League match. It is not surprising that the fans are so upset considering the owners seldom visit the club. Concerns have also been raised over increasing debts and a stadium falling into disrepair. However, It is not just the owners. The player reactions to losing in the Europa League Final to Villareal in May this year indicated poor player attitudes.
At the presentation ceremony a significant number of players discarded their runner up medals displaying a lack of respect for the competition and for the opposing team. The offending players were, quite rightly, slammed by the British press for showing such a negative attitude towards the success of others. Prior to extra time, the Villareal fans entered a team huddle with their manager, Unai Emery, whilst the Manchester United players remained a group of disconnected individuals. Their own manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, cut a lonely figure at the end of the game and looked lost. It is in these challenging times that weak cultures are exposed. Positive cultures are essential for sustained success, especially in team sports like football. A cultural gulf between the current Manchester United team and that of Leicester City is there to be witnessed.
The cultural tone of a sports club begins at the very top of the organisational hierarchy through the CEO, Chairman and Head Coach/Manager. The togetherness of the owner, Club Captain Kasper Schmeichel and all the players speaks a great deal about the culture within Leicester City Football Club. It helps explain why one of the less fashionable clubs in the English Premier League have achieved two fairytales with two different managers and with two different owners both passionate about their club.
When winning becomes more important than the sport itself, members of the sports club or organisation and other competitors, then a toxic culture is inevitable. How can an athlete develop a positive attitude towards success if they cannot celebrate and congratulate other competitors from opposing teams when they win? A nirvarna culture requires all members of a club, or sports organisation to have, first and foremost, a positive attitude towards their sport. It is, after all, the sport that provides them with their purpose.
We have all seen sports men and women who suffer mentally after achieving a lifetime dream. When a sense of purpose is lost life becomes meaningless. A selfish attitude, as we all know, seldom brings feelings of satisfaction. There is a need for humans to share in success and celebrate with others. Selfishness brings with it isolation. It goes without saying that high levels of selflessness, openness, integrity and trust are essential within a sports organisation for creating a positive culture that benefits all.
Leicester City Footbal Club gave organisational pundits a glimpse of a nirvana culture, that is:
1)Having strong social bonds between all stakeholders strengthened by shared values acting like ligaments to create an unbreakable winning framework .
2)All stakeholders having a positive attitude towards the sport they have invested in, their colleagues and players from other teams.
3)A leadership team that develops world class skills in the team, equipping them with the resources they need for their roles and rewarding contributions to show that they value their people.
This cultural comparison provides some food for thought for all leaders.