So Mike Ashley has finally shown his cards in the ongoing soap opera at Newcastle United after the departure of Kevin Keegan last week. It’s funny how some of the things we teach about communication are applicable in any context - even premier league football clubs…
I came across a great quote the other day that we now use a lot in our sessions - it goes something like this;
As humans, we tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and other people by their actions
The trouble is our intentions are so obvious to ourselves that we rarely communicate them.
A 1600 word retrospective statement of his intentions seems a little late for Mike Ashley at Newcastle. Shame since his intentions were and are so positive for the club. I wonder how the fans would have reacted throughout his ownership off the club if he had taken time to make them clear earlier…..?
I agree Ben.
Footie fans can be fickle and without the likes of Mike Ashley, there may be no football clubs in the future. The fact that he was making a sustainable business model is a good thing but that he didn’t communicate this ultimately led to the derision.
Comment by Craig Killick — September 15, 2008 @ 9:54 am
In my opinion, you must cover all aspects of the business model before making decisions. First and foremost, surround yourself with the right people. I believe he may have slipped up here to be fair. Dennis Wise does not give off an air of intellect, and I certainly do not believe he should be involved in any business decisions. This may, or may not been the deciding factor for losing what could have been a successful manager.
Comment by John Wilde — September 18, 2008 @ 9:16 am