Lessons from Football Managers

Lessons from Football Managers Lessons from Football: Managers and Stress in a Pressurized Work Environment The world of professional football managers is one fraught with a great deal of uncertainty and stress. Their job is constantly under threat. Many of them come and gosacked after a poor run of the league’s performance and position. This makes them extremely vulnerable to health risks. A recent issue involves French football manager Gerard Houllier’s hospital admittance due to heart troubles. This ranks him alongside other football managers Graeme Souness, Sam Allardyce, and Joe Kinnear who all have suffered heart problems relating to stress. An over-abundance of pressure, and dealing with it the wrong way (read: neglecting your health or turning into a nervous wreck) can bring about a storm of stress-related illnesses. If you imagine yourself suffering from job hysteria, here are the typical symptoms of job stress that may cement your condition. Consider if you will the symptoms of job stress: Migraines Depression Difficulty concentrating Inadequate sleep Irritability Nausea or Stomach Pain The football manager’s role involves balancing the demands of players, club owners, fans, and the media. Their stress management often includes providing players with an earful of aggressive criticism or obscene language and mannerisms that are borderline tourettes. Although you may be tasked with handling multiple roles yourself, you may want to tone it down in an office environment. There are different ways managers can effectively handle stress in the workplace. Make Time to Relax Take at least half an hour to unwind in front of the television, take a walk, or sit in a bath and just relax. This helps you cool down and release any negative energy from your workday. Best of all, if any unexpected emergency should arise, you could take advantage of some of your “free time,” so you won’t have to split yourself in two just to get everything done. The Power of Belief As the manager, you are the main man. Through verbal communication and body language, you determine the tone of the week, training structure, and simply how you want the working environment to be. Poor performance by your team members can bring about stress and low-confidence, and there are different ways in which frustration can be shown, but do you allow your team to see this? Of course, you’ll want employees to know when something is amiss, but the best managers provide solutions to improve performance.  As a leader, you want to be perceived as someone they can count on when the going gets tough. Believing in yourself and your team is one manager which most team players can definitely appreciate. For more information on management practices and other training solutions, try searching online or consult the experts of 360training.com.