Whether you are a Liverpool FC fan or not, it’s hard to dispute that Klopp has got leadership nailed.
I spent yesterday afternoon watching the cup final, and afterwards, watching Klopp on the pitch with the players and interacting with the fans it was hard not to be struck by what a firm following he has and what a strong team he has built during his time as the LFC manager.
So how has he done it and what can we all learn from it as leaders?
💥 Create a strong vision and share it.
When Klopp arrived at Liverpool in 2015 one of the first things he did was to outline his vision, values and philosophy to his players and the fans. At a time where the club was underperforming, he set out a vision for something better, and more importantly, he led by example and showed his team what good looked like. These values and principles have been central to the success of Klopp and his team.
Klopp recently said in an interview that it was so important to “let your people know why you are doing what you are doing” and lead the way in terms of the values and culture that you want to create.
💥 Connect with your people.
Klopp understands that as a leader he needs to connect with his players on an individual as well as a team level.
“I don’t care about records or statistics; I care about the people and the journey”.
Klopp understands that a sense of shared belonging and connection are vital for people to be able to work together effectively and perform at their best. To create this connection Klopp makes time for his players off the pitch as well as on it and is said to value the power of regular 121 check in time with his players so that he can listen, understand, and support them in the right way and at the right time.
💥 Encourage a growth mindset
Many great leaders will say that failure is a key part of any journey to success but there’s more to it than just learning. You have to create an environment of trust that allows people to fail and not fall.
Klopp knows that to succeed, players need to take risks and not be afraid of failure” but equally he understands that “the best way to motivate your players is by showing them that you believe in them”. For people to push themselves they need to step out of their comfort zone, but they will only embrace that learning and development if they feel they have the trust and confidence of their leader.
The parallels between Klopp’s success on the pitch and the investment he puts into the players off the pitch is clear. He isn’t a football manager; he is a leader. He has created a winning culture, a strong sense of belonging and provides continuous support, feedback, and development opportunities to his team, and the results speak for themselves.