If they say I can’t, And I say I can, I have to choose whose word I believe, And then prove it! It’s tempting to choose what they say, because it’s easier to prove; Just do nothing
You’re Powerful
The Demystification of Jose Mourinho
By Darasimi Oshodi
“I don’t feel comfortable enough to tell you what I think about the game. We’re in trouble. It is a concern [conceding so many goals]. I don’t like it, I don’t organise my teams to be like this.”
Jose Mourinho, December, 2013
I have got a huge respect for Jose Mourinho, even if I don’t particularly like him because I am a faithful supporter of Arsenal and considering the fact that Arsenal have never beaten a team coached by Mourinho as far as I know. Truth be told, Mourinho has had phenomenal achievements as a football coach: two Champions League Cups, seven league titles in four different countries, going nine years undefeated in home league games, among other achievements.
He has proved to the footballing world too many times that he is the king of tactics and I think he is the most tactical football coach in the world currently.
I believe he is a special one. I don’t agree with the special one tag that he has been carrying since his first sojourn in English football. He is indeed special, just as my favourite coach, Arsene Wenger is very special. In fact, there are many special coaches around: Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Jupp Heynckes, Marcello Lippi, Harry Redknapp, etc.
Mourinho came to the English Premiership on the heels of his success in the Champions League with FC Porto, which was a very significant achievement on its own. As coach of Chelsea, Mourinho took the English football arena by storm by winning two titles in his first season in England. Chelsea lost only one game during that season.
After an unceremonious exit from Chelsea, he went to Italy as coach of Inter Milan in 2008 and he won the Italian Serie A (2009), (2010), Italian Cup (2010). In fact, in 2010, he led Inter to win a treble: the Serie A, the Italian cup and the UEFA Champions league.
He left Inter and came to Spain as coach of Real Madrid in 2010 and this was where his unraveling began despite the fact that he started on a very bright note. It got so bad that he did not win a major tiltle in his last season in charge at Real Madrid. Before the 2012/2013 season, he had led Real Madrid to victories in the 2011 Copa Del Roy and 2012 La Liga. He never won the double in Spain; a feat he had achieved with his previous clubs. It was during his last season at Real Madrid that the Mourinho effect started wearing off on all of us. The same Jose Mourinho who had looked unbeatable now looked very beatable and this was proved again and again during that season. The Mourinho whom we had all thought would always win a final lost to Athletico Madrid in the final of the 2012 Kings Cup and that was when Mourinho was finally demystified. Continue reading “The Demystification of Jose Mourinho”
Less Can be More in Speeches: Beware of Selfishness
by Dr. Kwabena Amponsah-Manager
Why do speakers often go over the time offered to them by their host or organizers? The simple answer is that we’re just selfish. We love to take more than we are given. It’s a pleasurable thing to do.
When you’re going to give a speech, one thing you need to remember is that, your audience will remember only a tiny fraction of what you say. If you believe this, then what sense does it make to try to tell them everything you know under the sun? At the end of the day, it’s the rush and the sweat at the end of your speech that will stick.
So if you are given 10 minutes to give a speech, take 9 minutes and end on a very good note, well relaxed and leave a good impression on our audience.
Take less, never more, than what is given to you.
Beyond Showing Up: Did You Change the Outcome?
It’s tempting and comforting to put in an appearance and do what is anticipated of you: nod, take notes, and enjoy the refreshments and leave. Being negative should not imply actively pulling down only. If you’re not putting in the effort to add something, it’s equivalent to actively taking something away. It hurts all of us.
If you always show up and do just what you’re expected to do, you’re only faintly different from the guy who never shows up. It’s when you make a contribution that changes the outcome of the day, the meeting, the project, that you will be borne in mind and appreciated. Humans by nature respect and adore individuals who do more beyond just showing up.
There’s a cost for your inclusion: there’s the monetary cost, and also the cost of lost opportunity by the other person who does not get a seat at the table Continue reading “Beyond Showing Up: Did You Change the Outcome?”
What You Should Never Compromise On While Building Your Career
Kathy Caprino
As a career coach to mid- and senior-level professionals, and in my former work as a therapist, I’ve come into contact with thousands of questions, concerns, mistakes and crossroads that emerge in people’s personal and professional lives. Observing the long arc of many careers, I’ve noticed that the worst missteps – the ones that make us feel deep pain, regret, sorrow and remorse – are mistakes reflecting what people have chosen to compromise on or to give up in order to be “successful.” These compromises don’t feel like “choices” at the time, but they are, and they lead to common crises and challenges that are disastrous for the individual.
Below are the top five things you should never compromise on while building your career (or you’ll regret it deeply):
Your Standards of Integrity
I view “standards of integrity” as core principles and values that guide our behavior. Integrity is a choice, and while it is influenced by a myriad of factors (your culture, upbringing, peer influences, etc.), it can’t be forced. (If it is, you have played a part in that.) One who has strong and well-defined standards of integrity behaves with wholeness, integration, honesty, and does right by himself/herself and by others. Standards of integrity involve values and virtues such as honesty, kindness, trust, wisdom, loyalty, transparency, objectivity, acceptance, openness, empathy, and graciousness. Continue reading “What You Should Never Compromise On While Building Your Career”
A little Bit of Bragging Can Pay Off, Researchers Say
Do you know of a guy who blows his own horn so much that you just wish he was not going to show up at the party or group meeting? Sometimes we call them obnoxious, self-seeking or self-absorbed or narcissist.
Well according to a study to be published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, this trait which is considered unbearable in most circumstances, actually pays off a great deal in the immediate perspective of a job interview.
The researchers found that self-absorbed individuals or narcissists scored much higher in simulated job interviews than non-narcissists. They pointed to narcissists’ innate tendency to promote themselves, in part by engaging and speaking at length, which implied confidence and expertise even when they were held to account by expert interviewers.
If you were brought up with the theory that humility is a virtue, that theory is still valid today, so hold on to it. Nevertheless, learning how to talk with confidence about what you’ve accomplished and how you did it is admirable and is not considered pride. In fact, you’re expected to know how to do that if you want to stay competitive in today’s job market and economy. Continue reading “A little Bit of Bragging Can Pay Off, Researchers Say”
Who Is Irreplaceable?
A few weeks ago, US football team the Indianapolis Colts parted company with their future hall of fame quarterback, the four-time MVP, Peyton Manning. I can appreciate that some of you reading this have nothing do with football or perhaps don’t even understand the sports. However, give me a moment to share with you a lesson I believe we can all learn from the Mr. Manning’s departure from the Colts.
You’re not irreplaceable, regardless: I got interested in American football just about 5 year ago and over this period, I observed that Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts were almost synonymous. Folks who have followed the league longer will say the same thing. Since Mr. Manning joined the Colts in 1990, he worked hard and gave more to the team than anyone did. He won Super Bowl with the team. Sadly, during the 2011 season, he had a neck injury and underwent a surgery. His team without him ended the season with memorable 2 win and 14 losses. Continue reading “Who Is Irreplaceable?”
Master the Side Talk
You’ve prepared really well for the interview and feel that this job is either get-it or go-home affair. Or you’re carrying a well-prepared business plan in your briefcase and hoping to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase your ideas to your potential business partner or investor. In either case, building personal rapport before you delve into the business side of the conversation will only serve you good.
There’s nothing that divides our society today more than religion, sorry to say. While you have every right to show off your ‘firehood’ and ‘spiritualness’ wherever you want, the interview or business discussion may not be one of the places to fly your own kite, unless you’re interviewing for the position of the associate deaconess of the local church.
In the past I discussed several nuances that come into play in establishing successful business connections. One of the best ways to build this personal rapport is to set off a conversation in an unrelated subject area prior to being ushered into the business of the day. Continue reading “Master the Side Talk”