The Path of the Normal One
The Power of Servant Leadership in the Modern Age
In the coming years the team would slowly progress up the ladder. They would cement their place in the premium yearly European cup competition (The Champions League), and they would financially stabilise and then thrive. As a close observer it has been a wonderful organisation to observe closely as they put into place a lot of the concepts I have been researching for The Rhythm Effect.
Not only have LFC become a successful football team on the field, they have managed to do it by spending less than their wealthier competitors. In fact, their Nett Spend on their playing squad in the five years between 2014 - 2018 was only the seventh highest in the league - half the spend of Brighton & Hove Albion, and more than five times less than their main rival Manchester City over the same time period. Of course, Klopp has not done this alone. The club’s sporting director, Michael Edwards has been a genius in the area of recruitment and striking brilliant transfer deals (a signal of high Synchronisation in the organisation).
LFC have been able to increase engagement with fan groups (local and global) and repair relationships that had been damaged during previous tenures (as well as mis-steps during their own tenure). The club has become a corporate sponsorship leader by attracting and agreeing some of the biggest and best deals in world football, including a reported manufacturing deal for the LFC kit with Nike that will become the richest deal of its kind in English football history. And, the performance of the team itself is devastating (in a good way). They are scintillating to watch and by far the most exciting club team in England over the course of the 2018/19 season.
Now they are champions. They show us that good guys can win, and that it can be done on smaller budgets to competitors. Klopp labelled himself as the Normal One when he arrived at Liverpool. He has shown us that transparency, honesty, integrity, and acumen is a devastatingly effective leadership combination.
It is a win for LFC and its worldwide league of supporter like myself. It is a bigger win for the leadership community. A wonderful story of deep trust generated by a leader translating directly into results. Simply put - Be like Jurgen. Be Normal.
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