NEWS

Don’t score a management own goal – inspire your team and make the most of the World Cup

9 June 2014

Love it or hate it, workplace conversations over the next month are going to be dominated by one thing. The World Cup is coming to town.

But what does this mean for businesses? Will work come to a grinding halt as everyone downs tools to discuss last night’s red card? Will your employees take their eye off the ball by counting down the hours until kick-off time in Brazil?

By focusing on the negatives, companies could end up paying the penalty. Is it really worth alienating your workforce by shunning the World Cup?

As a manager, use it as an opportunity to inspire your team and show the sort of leadership that will result in them working harder for you in pursuit of a shared goal.

Make sure everyone understands their roles and appreciates the value of working together as a team to secure the right result.

One issue likely to surface is employees wanting to tune into England’s potentially crucial third group game against Costa Rica on Tuesday, June 24, which kicks off at 5pm.

Could you use the game as an opportunity to boost team spirit? Why not get people to start work half an hour earlier that day and finish in time to get down the pub and watch the game together? If that’s not viable perhaps bring in a TV so those who want to watch the game can structure their working day around the match.

That would boost morale and ensure your team works hard during the day to get the job done in time for kick-off.

Successful managers maintain a happy camp. Don’t ‘lose the dressing room’ – get your team working hard for each other and then reap the rewards.

The World Cup promises to be a festival of football. Make the most of it and make sure your team is a winner!

Velocity is a FREE business support programme that has been set up to make it easier for businesses to maximise their growth potential.

Available for businesses located in the South East Midlands covering Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, parts of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, Velocity provides advice from local business advisers, access to grant funding, a dedicated online portal at www.velocitybusinesssupport.com, a telephone helpdesk and a whole range of events and training.

For more information, visit www.velocitybusinesssupport.com or call 0300 01234 35.

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