Leaders of local sporting associations got a blueprint and pointers to manage and grow their associations into producing the type of success that filters down to top-quality performance by its athletes. The developmental opportunity came at a forum titled ‘Game Plan to Greatness’, which was hosted by the Jamaica Olympic Association and focused on ‘Real World Strategic Management’ for sports federations.
Radcliffe Daley, President and CEO, First Global Bank advised on the importance of planning, care, commitment and resources in executing processes that are designed to achieve a set goal for the sporting associations and players.
Daley, whose First Global institution is a sponsor and partner of the JOA, reasoned that the actions, oversight and accountability of individuals - who are entrusted with the responsibility of delivering its objectives, are key to achieving success.
He also shared with sporting executives and athletes alike that even though a high level of concentration is required for desired outcomes, they should be practical enough to adjust strategy, should realities dictate a change in the course that they are pursuing.
Daley pointed to Alfred. D. Chandler (Strategy and Structure, Chandler – 1962) definition of strategy as, “… the determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out those goals.”
As a measure of the discipline needed to be successful, Daley related a Harvard Business Review finding that 90 per cent of business plans fail.
In strategising, the banking executive cautioned local associations to avoid a ‘Strategy Paradox’ … “a contradiction where sports federations, like many companies, invest significant time in creating plans but failing to execute”.
“A lack of proper systems, discipline or leadership alignment, can lead to strategy paradox,” Daley commented.
However, he shared that solving the issue lies in identifying clear priorities, with the focus on the top two or three items; assigning accountability, in terms of who’s doing what and by when; having regular reviews to see what’s working, or not; properly align resources – such as budget, people and time; and ensuring buy-in right across the board, from leadership to athletes.
So, for instance, he noted that a sporting association’s three strategic priorities over three years could be – building a national youth system; establishing a national coaching certification programme; and securing long-term corporate sponsorship.
Sporting success, he reiterated, does not solely rely only having a plan, but backing it up with action. And Daley, using Power-Point, shared with the sporting bodies a strategic model designed to bridge the gap between planning and performance.
This, he said, is captured by a principle covered by 5Ds – diagnose, dream, decide, do and drive. This, he said, evaluates the organisation’s current state, its long-term goal, areas of focus, actions to be taken and accountability for the organisation to stay on track and measure success.
“To diagnose the organisation you will need to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats,” he said.
Daley says such a diagnosis could include things an organisation does well internally, such as having skilled coaches or a strong youth programme, as well as evaluating areas that need improvement, which could include poor communication, outdated systems and attracting new sponsorships, etc.
Additionally, he shared that there are things directly related to leadership in terms of the organisation’s values and attitudes, how it’s structured and led, having the financial, human and technological resources to execute strategy, and its alignment with people and groups that will impact the sporting body. “You can’t develop athletes without the right resources,” he stated, adding,
“An unengaged sponsor or frustrated parent group can derail momentum.”
Looking at frameworks that bring wins, Daley said the decision stage is pivotal in the strategic process, because that is where an association’s vision is prioritized, thus intention becomes the direction.
“Leadership must decide what matters most,” he said, advising to set ‘SMART + ‘HEART’ goals.
SMART goals, Daley said, must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, while HEART goals are those that are human-centred, energised, authentic, resilient and timeless.
“When you set goals that are SMART and HEART-driven, people don’t just deliver, they execute.”