Business Game Time

What we can learn from the riots that broke out after River Plate Buenos Aires was relegated: The risks of customer loyalty.

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: 1978 • alfredo di stefano • argentina • b2b • belgrano de cordoba • boca juniors • brand loyaly • buenos aires • business-to-business • club atletico huracan • club atletico river plate • concession stands • copa américa • copa libertadores • customer loyalty • daniel passarella • disappointment • drop height • dynamic • el monumental • expectations • fairness • fifa world cup • gabriel batistuta • height of drop • information • involvement • los borrachos del tablon • mario kempes • millionarios • mistake • nacional b • performance • quilmes atletico club • real madrid • relegation • river plate • satisfaction • severity • soccer (football) • social bond • social media • trust

As soccer clubs try to learn from software on how to best build their teams, we can also learn from software development in our management processes. Here’s what Frontend vs. Backend thinking, Versioning, Distributed Systems, Search Engines and Agile Development can teach us.

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: agile development • agility • backend • business process management • computers • connect • correlations • cost leadership • design thinking • distributed systems • erp systems • facebook • fast company • financial times • flexibility • frontend • google • ideo • ipad • iteration • manchester city • michael e. porter • middleware • organizational setup • performance statistics • processes • project organization • quality leadership • resources • responsibility • search engines • simon kuper • soccer (football) • software • software development • strategy • trust • u curve • versioning • virtual organization • waterfall approach

The NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat gave so much interesting insights and ideas that I tried to put together 10 learnings that can easily be transferred to the business world and to our work environment.

Filed under: basketball by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: basketball • be yourself • broadness • chris bosh • common goal • common vision • dallas mavericks • deliver • dirk nowitzki • don nelson • donald carter • draft • dwyane wade • earvin "magic" johnson • expectations • free agent • holger geschwindner • humbleness • image • improvement • jason kidd • jason terry • lebron james • mark cuban • mavs • mentoring • miami heat • nba • next level • pressure • promises • schadenfreude • self-confidence • sense of purpose • stars • talent • team work • trust • weakness • work ethics

While Fernando Torres just followed the money, an Italian striker nearly cried when he scored against his favorite team. They teach us why recognition, freedom and colleagueship are so important in retaining talented employees.

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: abel hernandez • autonomy • chelsea fc • colleagueship • control freak • distributed work environments • economic crisis • emotion • fabrizio miccoli • fernando torres • free kick • freedom • fun • goal • gurus • joy • labor market • liverpool fc • recognition • resources • salary • soccer (football) • switching companies • trust • us lecce • us palermo • war for talent

Many say that a controlled bankruptcy process offers opportunities. The Texas Rangers show that it’s true: Here’s how leadership based on trust, focus and expertise made them successful in rough times.

Filed under: baseball by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: a-rod • alcs • alex rodriguez • american league • arlington • auction • bankruptcy • chapter 11 bankruptcy • chapter eleven • chuck greenberg • dallas mavericks • expertise • focus • hard-working • leadership • leadership by example • legend • liverpool fc • mark cuban • mlb • new york yankees • nolan ryan • opportunities • pitcher • postseason • president • san francisco giants • successful • texas rangers • tom hicks • trust • world series

“Never change a winning team!” or: “Never change a winning business!”. Why is it so hard to innovate in successful companies, what can be done against it and what is Andy Grove’s approach?

Filed under: misc by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: adapt • andrew grove • andy grove • change • change management • dedication • failure • fear • improve • improvement • inflection point • innovation • innovation management • intel • leadership • lose • momentum • only the paranoid survive • paranoia • risk • support • team • trust • win • winning • winning streak

World Champion coach Franz Beckenbauer used to tell his teams: “Just go out and play soccer!”. Here’s how less planning and more trust in the people can safe resources and motivate.

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: austria • azerbaijan • bayer leverkusen • berti vogts • bundesliga • business process reengineering • coach • control • croatia • european champion • forecasts • franz beckenbauer • germany • hans-hubert vogts • kuwait • leadership • managing in uncertainty • michael hammer • national team • niels pflaeging • nigeria • performance management • planning • plans • player • purpose • scotland • the terrier • thomas häßler • trust • unnecessary • value • world cup

A golden rule in boxing is that if you don’t force a knock out, it will come by itself. Top performers need less clear targets than others. They need to be trusted, a sense of purpose and an environment with a lot of freedom instead.

Filed under: boxing by Johannes
No Comments » Tagged with: boxing • bureaucracy • coach • environment • focus • knock out • knockout • leadership • purpose • recognition • remuneration • reqrd • results • salary • target • target agreement • targets • trust

There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. Eric Cantona has erased this line. One of the greatest yet most controversial players ever. Here’s why he never played a World Cup and what we can learn from his case, especially on how to deal with “insane geniuses”.

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
2 Comments » Tagged with: ability • aimé jacquet • biography • building a bridge • cantona - the rebel who would be king • controversial • crazy • creativity • crystal palace • czech republic • different • english premier league • eric cantona • euro 1996 • european championships • f.a.a cup • facebook • fifa world cup • flair • france • freaks • freedom • french national team • frustration • genious • gérard houiller • germany • guy roux • howard wilkinson • ideas • individualist • insanity • insecurity • inspiration • kick • kung fu • leeds united • madness • manchester united • mark hughes • matthew simmons • offensive midfielder • oscar levant • philippe auclair • physical strengths • play maker • player of the century • playmaker • possibilities • preception • red devils • respect • selhurst park • sir alex ferguson • soccer (football) • south africa • striker • talent • talented • the guardian • thin line • thrilling • tom peters • trust • twitter • world cup 1998

On May 22, Bayern Munich from Germany will meet Inter Milan from Italy in the UEFA Champions League Final, probably the biggest match in club soccer world wide. Flashback. Just half a year ago, in late November 2009, Bayern was only placed seventh in the domestic Bundesliga, six points behind the league leaders, and third [...]

Filed under: soccer (football) by Johannes
2 Comments » Tagged with: american • arjen robben • assessment • avoid conflicts • bayern münchen • bayern munich • bruce tuckman • bundesliga • coaching philosophy • collaboration • delegation • directives • fiorentina • florence • forming • forming storming norming performing • framework • franz beckenbauer • german cup final • germany • inter milan • internazionale • italy • josé mourinho • juventus turin • louis van gaal • luca toni • lyon • madrid • manchester united • manu • norming • olympique lyonnais • performance • performing • phase • philipp lahm • press • psychologist • santiago bernabeu • storming • table manners • team building • torino • transfers • trust • uefa champions league • uli hoeneß • uli hoeness • volley