"The Game-Changing Power of Coaching: What Football Can Teach Leaders"

"The Game-Changing Power of Coaching: What Football Can Teach Leaders"

Disclaimer: As we are talking about Everton, this will clearly not be a story about financial management.

With the Liverpool derby approaching tonight, let's talk about something that transcends sports and business: the impact of great coaching.

This is likely to be a controversial sentence, but picture this: If Liverpool loses to Everton (yes, very unlikely, I know, but football is full of surprises), you'll likely hear the LFC fans say, "We have the much better team, but somehow they outcoached us!" Sound familiar?

But here's the fascinating part: The University of Chicago recently addressed the provocative question, "How Much Do Coaches Matter?"

Their answer? 20-30% of the difference in success is due to coaching - so coaching alone can account for nearly a third of the difference; that is huge in a world where countless factors influence success.

Returning to the upcoming derby example, David Moyes' recent appointment as Everton's manager has increased the club's goal-scoring average by 156% compared to the previous coach. This dramatic improvement wasn't achieved through a complete team overhaul or massive investment—it came from optimizing existing talent through effective coaching.

What Moyes has done so far at Everton mirrors what great business coaching can achieve:

· He didn't start by changing the team—he changed the approach

· He focused on maximizing existing strengths rather than dwelling on weaknesses

· He created a culture of accountability and clear expectations

· He introduced new perspectives on old problems

Why does this matter for business leaders?

McKinsey recently drew a compelling parallel between CEOs and elite athletes. Just as Mo Salah doesn't step onto the pitch without world-class coaching, why should executives navigate complex business challenges alone?

But here's what's really interesting: Almost 93% of athletes work with coaches, but only 22% of executives do. Yet, those who do consistently report:

• 77% improved relationships with stakeholders

• 67% enhanced team-building skills

• 61% better work-life balance

Like Everton's transformation under Moyes, your leadership journey can dramatically improve with the proper coaching support. The question isn't whether coaching matters—the data clearly shows it does. The question is: Are you ready to elevate your game?

Before all the LFC piles on my slightly optimistic view of Everton's chances tonight and long-term changes in fortune, I would like to quote Dostoyevsky: "To live without hope is to cease to live." Let's Go Blues.

#ExecutiveCoaching #Leadership #BusinessGrowth