When nice guys finish first
Last week saw the completion of a remarkable sporting achievement in the English Premier League. After three months of pandemic pause, German soccer coach, Jurgen Klopp, finished what he started to take Liverpool FC to their first League Championship in 30 years.
Whether you’re into football or not — or even into sport at all — this was a truly special victory, not least for how emphatically it was won. Liverpool were so dominant from start to finish that most other teams gave up halfway through the season. It was a relentless win-fest, which raised the bar of possibilities in leading a successful team.
From a leadership and psychological perspective, it was a marvel to watch. Klopp is clearly a ruthless winner. He takes no prisoners, unapologetically destroying his opponents without question. Yet what makes this particularly unique, is that he’s apparently one of the nicest bloody guys you’ll ever know.
And in a world known for nice guys finishing last, this, alone, is quite unprecedented. Surely, you can’t make your way to the top without screwing a few people over on the way. Well, according to Klopp, apparently you can. By most accounts, Klopp is somehow a relentless winner with a heart brimming with empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence.
Not to mention, he’s a psychological master of building a winning, cohesive team spirit, to create what many have suggested could be the greatest team the Premier League has ever known. For anyone who’s read Daniel Coyle’s leadership masterpiece, “Culture Code”, you’d be forgiven for wondering whether Klopp takes a copy with him everywhere he goes.
He’s a philosopher, balancing an enlightened mind with a passionate heart. His rivals love him almost as much as his own fans do. I’m not even a Liverpool fan but I can tell you, right now, it’s difficult not to be.
Who is this guy and how does he do it?
From where I’m standing, this is about more than just football. From masterful motivation to emotional engagement; this is about having a Klopp State of Mind.
Here are 6 things I’ve learned from Jurgen Klopp in how to approach life, leadership and living in the moment.
1) A clear vision for the team; a close connection with individuals
“We must turn from doubters to believers”
On arriving at Liverpool in 2015, Klopp gave a very clear message — that the club must go from being “doubters to believers” — to aim to win the Premier League within four years, but to first establish a philosophy of playing “very emotional, very fast and very strong”.
But as well as setting clear goals, values and direction for the team, his focus also fell on developing the individual relationships within it. “All we do in life is about relationships”, he says, forming bonds between him and his players, in how he interacts with them beyond just football; as well as between players and the backroom staff and everyone else involved, to shift the culture on every level of the organisation.
2) Building a safe environment
“You are your own person. Let’s use your own skills”
The connection he’d built with players was one element of building a culture in which every member felt safe and free to perform how they do it best.
Where Klopp might acknowledge that players made mistakes, he never blamed or judged them and includes himself in any team criticism; removing the pressure while allowing them to feel free to fail, say what needs to be said and take the kind of risks and innovations that make the difference in results.
He let’s them know he’s got their backs, staying “100% for the boys, with the boys and what we do for the club”. He makes it clear that nobody’s perfect, but that everyone has strengths — including himself, consistently maintaining the idea that he’s “100% normal, nothing special”; that he’s “good at some things”, but — another huge factor in his success — that he has “sensational people around” him and surrounds himself with those who fill his own skills or personality gaps.
3) Focus on the task, don’t be distracted and see it through to the end
“If we had been thinking about breaking records all this time we would not have won the number of games we have.”
Liverpool have been soaring at the top of the league all season. Even with 15 still games remaining, some had nicknamed them “The Inevitables”. Journalists would attempt to lure Klopp into admitting they’d already won, when it would require a miracle for them not to.
But Klopp knew that nothing is guaranteed and complacency can be our own worst enemy. The club had been through this before. When press or fans would get carried away into ideas of things which hadn’t happened yet, Klopp remained in the moment, constantly reaffirming that, “The only thing we can do is focus on the next game. That’s the plan. I don’t know another plan.”
With this in mind, he saw everything through to the end. From early in the season, Liverpool gained a reputation for winning games with late goals in the final few minutes — a mindset that set them apart from the rest, in knowing that it isn’t over, until it’s over.
4) Take the pressure off
“It’s only football”
Klopp has a unique ability to instill a belief in his players of what a special team they are, but to also reinforce the fact that there are much more important things in life than football. He repeatedly uses the words, “It’s only football”, in relation to anything from bad performances to having a baby or hooligan violence.
In all areas of life, it can be easy to overplay the importance of the things which worry us. These simple three words remind players that, no matter the money involved, the media, the audiences of millions around the world — as is always the case with all of us, the pressure they feel is up to them.
5) Nice guys finish first — when they set clear boundaries
“As long as they work really hard, I am a really nice person”
The only time being a “nice guy” becomes a problem, is when being so nice that it starts working against your goals or values. In order for that not to happen, there has to be a clear line as to what is acceptable and what isn’t.
Despite his lovable character, Klopp has never had a problem drawing the boundaries or putting his foot down when necessary. He’ll happily let journalists know when their questions are out of line, doesn’t think twice about taking action that works towards his goals (even if it isn’t popular) — and will accept nothing less than hard work and concentration from his team.
Klopp proves that nice guys can finish first — so long as they remain true to their goals and values.
6) Embrace emotion
“You cannot win without tactical things, but the emotion makes the difference”
Emotion often gets a bad rep — especially in England — when it can suggest a lack of control or an inability to focus. But this belief lacks the very simple fact that emotion is a core driver behind everything we do. Trying to suppress emotion will do no good; whereas taking the time to understand and embrace it can propel the rational strategies that have been put into place.
Klopp is clearly an emotional character. But he’s also well aware of it and understands the role emotion plays in life. He’s aware of how it can motivate; he’s aware of when it can make you do things you probably shouldn’t; and he’s aware of the importance of managing it, in order to perform at the top level.
Want to #BeMoreKlopp? Who doesn’t, right? Contact me to arrange a call and discuss coaching programmes or workshops, for you or your team.