(PIC: Ebay Posters)
Watching the Jose Mourinho MUFC press conference yesterday – it was clear that after a few disappointing seasons – a new era for Manchester United is on the cards
The confidence levels are up amongst the fans and there’s hope again. The fans that don’t have season tickets might actually start enjoying the pubs again rather than heads in hands at home. And there isn’t one fan that would trade backMourinho for Moyes or Van Gaal
One of the phrases I always hear from United fans when talking about rivals is the “Small Club Mentality” others have
And one of the things I always talk to small businesses about if you can still think big whilst celebrating all that is great about being a small business
So here are some key business takeaways from Jose Mourinho’s press conference arrival at MUFC
CONFIDENCE IS OK – IT OK TO WANT TO WIN
“I want everything. I want to win matches, I want to play well, I don’t want to concede goals. I want the fans to be behind us” Jose Mourinho
You had the confidence to launch a business and yet still it’s those nearest and dearest to you that probably fill you with doubt and fear
Your parents, your family, your friends are often the source of our greatest crisises of confidence
I recently chatted to a group of parentpreneurs in the area and it was almost universally agreed that family members had doubted them so many times, even when they’d achieved massive success in business
Confidence is 100% ok – it’s ok to go out there and state you want to be the best business of your type in town
You had that confidence to launch a business in place and I’m pretty sure when you launched you didn’t mentally say I’m launching this business to be the 5th best business in town
Be bold enough to say you want to be number 1 and you want everybody behind you
TALK ABOUT SUCCESS
“There are some managers who haven’t won titles for 10 years. Some of them never. The last time I won was a year ago” Jose Mourinho
If you don’t talk about your success – why should anybody else care enough to do so
It’s a peculiar British thing that we can feel we talk about what we do if only we edit out the success stories
People don’t like to boast, but as Muhammed Ali said “It’s not boasting, if you can back it up”
Never be silenced into not talking about success because you’re scared people will say it’s all “me me me”
If you don’t talk about success, the same people will say you never achieve anything.
Which would you want to known for?
BRING IN SPECIALISTS
“I am very clear in my approach and model to play and I need specialists in that” Jose Mourinho
Specialists by generalists every time is something I live by
You can’t be the best at what you do by bringing in generalists and jack of all trades to make up your team
You need to bring in the best specialists to make your vision come true
As small businesses we’re often guilty of doing everything ourselves – turning ourselves into the generalists and being good at one thing and bad at 10
Do a skills audit of what you have and what you need … and on the latter bring in the very very best
That’s how you make the perfect model
REMEMBER THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH
“One lie repeated many times sometimes looks true, but it will never be true” Jose Mourinho
The quote above was in response to the claims from critics who have said that he does not give young players a chance. He responded that he’s actually brought through 49 youth players
In business when you achieve a degree of success you will face criticism from people who don’t know you, people who want to be you but won’t put in the hard word and more often than not competitors
They will often repeat lies and repeat them in packs in the belief that if they repeat then enough times they become truth
The truth is the truth and that is only narrative people will believe in the long term, so keep on the path of truth and ignore the critics by talking in facts rather than riddles
FOCUS ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT
“”I am the manager of the biggest club in the UK… so I’m going to focus on ourselves” Jose Mourinho
A minute focused on the competition / criticism is a minute that could be focused on your own business or your customers
Hero yourself. Hero your customers. Hero your suppliers. Hero your network. Hero those that support you
It’s not selfish – it’s focusing on love rather than hate
And it will serve you well
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Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
