Great post RUSure, I couldn't agree more with everything you have written below...
RUSure wrote:Centrals are a fascinating study for any organisation wanting to observe sustained succes in a highly competitive environment. I remain amazed that no AFL club has made an appointment with Kris or Roy to ask what they actually do to achieve their amazing record.
In my opinion
1. Culture (refer Any Given Team by Ray McLean, founder of Leading Teams - the group that works with teams all over he world but significantly Swans, Power, Crows, Hawks, Cats et cetera). Ray details in the book his own professional career and how it all began at Centrals through a meeting he initiated with Alan Stewart. Alan, to his credit, took a chance on Ray and his philosophy of player (employee) empowerment. Ray is the person who originally came up with 'Leadership Group' and Centrals have embraced this concept and now have a club philosophy around coach selection, recruitment, player behaviour, player payments and game style that they never compromise on (refer Alistair Clarksons quick exit). To the point that a prominent recruit at one club was 'rejected' by Centrals on the basis that he was not a good enough bloke (undoubted football ability aside).
2. Stability - refer Kris, coaching appointments, low recruit turnover. They are the only club who have maintained the original model of GM or CEO, Marketing Manager and 'support' staff ie no Football Manager (in the case of a couple of clubs no Marketing Manager but a Football Manager). I understand the argument of core business being football and winning games but the person at the top, in Centrals case, takes full responsibility for recruiting, player contracts, volunteer programs et cetera rather than watering down his role to being a gaming venue manager.
3. Money - invested very wisely in quality recruits, quality facilities and regenerating their gaming venue. They can recruit now on the baiss of success and the chance to play in Grand Finals, which is very alluring to any potential player, but they are well past the notion of needing to pay the highest to get the best. Not one of their players would be in the highest paid 10 in the competition.
4. Identification of talent - that their Board recognises the value of Kris and supports him, adopting his recommendations and provides him with the structure he needs to succeed. Kris has proven his eye for talent on the field and has recruited few hack players in the last ten years but unlike the myth does not recruit excessively. No doubt Chris and James have been a key plank in all of this as they now do plenty of recruiting themselves and have for years. Ever had a night on the town with two of the most recognisable larrikans in the city? Quality footballers (greats even) and quality blokes.
5. Volunteer base that is talented, lacking in ego and aware of the rules. Every person knows their role, enjoys their role and is happy doin gtheir role. If there are any issues they are dealt with quietly and efficiently (read ruthlessly).
6. Do not believe the Centrals generated rubbish that they copied anyone. They want us to believe this to deflect from their formula.
7. Leadership - great, uncompromising, with integrity from on-field to the Boardroom.
I have long thought a person with some time and some talent should write a book 'The Rise and Rise of Kris' or something similar because the story is fascinating and would be full of intersting anecdotes from behind the scenes (Danny Hulm bailingup the twins at half-time and physically threateneing them if they continued to try and accumulate possessions for each other etc.)
