Time was telling for Grand Slam team

March 23, 2011 - PRLog -- After only a few months and a handful of matches, commentators were doubting the future of a man whose playing pedigree did not appear to translate to the coaching role.
So where did it suddenly go so right for Martin Johnson whose side is celebrating victory in the Six Nations, and what can businesses learn from standing by their leaders when the heat is on?

Presumably, Johnson was appointed in 2008 for his talent, his stature, his iron nerve and the outright respect the players have for his achievements and commitment to the game. A year later, when England had won only six out of 13 matches (10 of which were at home), none of those attributes seemed to matter much to his detractors.

But behind the grim face, Johnson pushed forward, making the necessary team changes and keeping sight of the goals he knew he could achieve given time.

“It’s easy to say with hindsight that things would come good in the end as long as Martin Johnson was given the time he needed by the RFU to turn a woeful side into a winning side,” said Collingwood Executive Headhunter Doug Mackay.

“But businesses could take note when it comes to their expectations of a new appointment. Even the best candidates cannot perform miracles overnight, but that’s often what is required in the current climate. Leaders need time to learn too and patience can often pay dividends.”

Headhunters at Collingwood are often tasked with recruiting high calibre managers who are skilled in the ‘short-term fix’ and those who must achieve profitable growth for the medium and longer term.

“I believe that short term success requires a totally different type of manager as their intense approach to fix things quickly doesn’t usually endear them to the workforce for a long period of time,” said Doug.

“A short, sharp turnaround strategy can be compared to throwing in a grenade, after which a mess needs to be cleaned up.”

For a business, the key is in knowing which approach is needed before the recruitment strategy is signed off.

Forward planning allowed those over-seeing the England rugby side to stay calm when it took Martin Johnson 13 games to score his first notable away win against Australia last summer. Now, with a Grand Slam victory under his belt, the future of the team is where fans hoped it would be when Johnson arrived for his first day in the office.

Collingwood’s thoughts on the secrets of Martin Johnson’s emerging success

Selection - Johnson ignored calls for the sacking of his two assistant coaches whose abilities to select young talent are now becoming apparent. He showed faith and it paid off.

Culture - Establishing a winning culture is well documented as being Johnson’s priority. Indiscipline has been tackled and the players have been told to take greater responsibility for their own performances.

Leadership - As a manager, he has learned that his loyalty has to be earned and taking risks is not always a bad thing. Younger players, like Toby Flood, are being groomed to emerge as decisive leaders, giving direction rather than seeking it.


Whatever your business needs, our specialist headhunters have a track record in identifying and assessing the right people. Please call one of our consultants on 01829 732374 or visit our website www.collingwoodsearch.co.uk to find out more about us.

# # #

Collingwood Search & Selection Ltd provides Headhunting, Executive Search and Advertising Led Selection Services to recruit Specialist and Senior Level Roles throughout the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia.