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Nine lessons CxOs can learn from Julian Nagelsmann

 A few year back I published my blog post “Seven lessons enterprises can learn from Yogi Löw’ (find it here) – pointing out the similarities of challenges, opportunities and mistakes that are common for football teams and enterprises. His successor Hansi Flick was lucky, I had not time to write about his tenure (there is a lot to learn, from a board perspective…).

So with no further ado – here are some lessons learnt for enterprises from Julian Nagelsmann’s management of the German national soccer game.

What did not work before, will likely not work now

Since close to 15 years the German Bundestrainers have been infatuated with the concept of a false nine. That tactic was perfected at Barcelona and worked very well with Barcelona and to a point with the Spanish national team. What the German Bundestrainers kept and keep forgetting, is that they do not have a certain player called Lionel Messi. So, what did not work under Yogi Loew, did not work under Hansi Flick and surprise, surprise did not work under Julian Nagelsmann. Playing Kay Havertz as the false 9 did not work. Nonetheless, Nagelsmann started with him 5 times, only to sub him out later in the game.

The Enterprise Lesson: CxOs get hired to improve things and to show positive change. But not all needs to  be changed and can be changed. Talent and skills are the limiting factor.

Bottom Line: You are likely not going to fix it when your predecessor failed. Especially not with the same people talent. Focus on what can be changed.

Judge old strategies not on their age but their effectiveness.

The love affair for the false 9 tactic is routed in the despise of the ‘antiquated’ center forward concept, remember the Horst Hrubesch days? But they work, as teams like have shown at a club level (e.g., Manchester City) or national team level (e.g., Spain). Nagelsmann failed to realize that in every game he would resort back to the center forward tactics (subbing in Fuellkrug) but never started with Fuellkrug. Ironically, the same pattern happened under his successor Loew and Flick (where it was Gomez and Mueller to play the role).

The Enterprise Lesson: CxOs get judged on outcomes. Outcomes are implemented through strategies, the age and image of a strategy do not play a role, what plays a role is its efficacy. When CxOs must revert to older, unpopular strategies to deliver success, it maybe the time to make them the default strategy.

Bottom Line: If your strategy repeatedly fails, make the new strategy the default strategy. No matter what the image and association of that strategy is. If it is Phoenician – but works – so, be it.

Hanging on too long on former top performers

It is comfortable to stick with the same team. But not all team members who were top notch in the past may be top notch today. Parting from former top performers is hard, doing it gracefully even more. In Nagelsmann case he kept playing for ‘formerly best goalkeeper on the planet’ – Manuel Neuer. But Neuer has not been at its best for 4+ years slowed down by injuries and was visibly not fit enough at this Euro. The German #2, Ter Stegen was better, and in an enterprise, setting would have lest the company 5 years ago… it works different for national teams, where the passport decides.

The Enterprise Lesson: CxOs need to ruthlessly reassess their team for their ability to execute at the highest level to deliver the outcomes an enterprise demands and requires. Comfort factors, the patience to allow a team member to come back are all important, but there need to be limits and CxOs need to be able to replace team members passed their prime.

Bottom Line: You are likely to get a lot of headwinds when you replace a key team member, especially when they have helped in the past, are popular and used to be the best in their field. But times change and so do the abilities of team members, do not be afraid of the headwinds of making a change.

Do not be shy to bring back leaders / veterans but do it right .

Sports teams need generational change, and Germany retired its most successful player, Tony Kroos back in 2020. Nagelsmann had the guts to bring him back, which delivered some of the best results of Germany in 2024. He was right on retiring players that cannot be replaced and are still fit (Kroos won 2 Champions League titles during its retirement from the German national team) – is a mistake. Where he went wrong was in overplaying Kroos, whose performance got worse from game to game at the Euro (check Opta), not being used to play the regular 90 minutes at his club Real Madrid, culminating with a Kroos hobbled by cramps in the last game of his career, overtime against Spain).

The Enterprise Lesson: The talent that a CxOs finds at their start of work is not fixed, bringing back departed and retired executives is a valid strategy to fill holes in the talent of the team – as needed. Of course, the executives who come back must be able to contribute in a positive way, but CxOs must also make sur they have their successors groomed now. This strategy is especially important in a period of talent drain due to retirement, like the time we are currently living in.

Bottom Line: Do not be afraid to bring departed talent back, especially if the return can raise the level of play for the whole team.

Put your best players on the field

Nagelsmann opted to not start the most successful striker of Germany both from a goal per game and goal per minute perspective, Niklas Fuellkrug. Nonetheless, Fuellkrug almost tied the game in overtime against Spain with a hit of the goal post. Yes, Musiala had three goals, but they were not a result of team play, but individual effort. Repeated danger, repeated chances and a better game for Germany happened when Fuellkrug was on the pitch. Musiala was always on the pitch when Germany was in trouble and brought Fuellkrug. It is a mystery why Nagelsmann repeated the same line up and strategy 5x.

The Enterprise Lesson: CxOs must deliver outcomes quickly. Thinking they can survive not using all the talent repetitively will guarantee a short tenure.

Bottom Line: What is the definition of insanity? Repeating the same thing over and over, hoping for the same outcome. Do not be a Nagelsmann, making the same mistake… 5 times in a row when it comes to player personnel.

If you made a mistake, fix it quickly

Nagelsmann game plan to play Sane for Wirtz and Can for Andrich did not work. He fixed it after half time, at the cost of substitutions and an Andrich (that in contrast to Wirtz) needed more warm up time and made the mistake to the 0:1. But Nagelsmann deserved praise for fixing this quickly, way too many coaches hang on the 60 something minutes and then correct mistakes. It is all too understandable as they try to ‘fix’ things during the half time break – but that does not work all the time. Instead, it also takes the chance away to properly get the inexperienced players up to speed. .

The Enterprise Lesson: There is no time for CxOs for fires to keep burning or smoldering. Fixing things is key for CxOs no matter if created by someone else, an outside force or their own mistakes. Better to correct things sooner than later.

Bottom Line: Do not wait till tomorrow for something you can fix today. And will likely bite you if you do not do it today.

You must have a plan B

Nagelsmann relied on the returned Kroos to be his playmaker. That worked in the first matches of Euro 2024, especially in the first, where a Kroos pass (who slipped passing!) was the assist to the first goal of Germany in the tournament. But in a tournament like the Euro, other teams learn. Even the Scottish (no disrespect!) put a body on Kroos, despite being down to 10 players. And everybody saw how it changed the game for Germany. Nagelsmann failed to have a clear Plan B or another playmaker to help rest Kroos or even play for him in case of injury (possible with any player in a tournament, but particularly an older one).

The Enterprise Lesson: CxOs need to put in the players for winning strategies. But must have alternatives in personnel, talent, and strategy when the competition reacts. Not having these in place spells trouble – eventually.

Bottom Line: If you do not have a plan B, develop it asap. Do not keep it in the drawer, test it, refine it. And when in place, work for plan C.

Clear expectations and roles

Soccer teams are a collection of individuals with expectations, hopes and ambitions. Nagelsmann was noticeably clear in putting the team for Euro 2024 together on who would play and who would be a reserve. The result was a remarkably quiet team atmosphere during the preparation and the Euro tournament. The risk is that he potentially sacrificed healthy competition, but a large number of players was used. There is something to it was still reigning European champion, Italy, showed in 2020 – all players (including all three goalies) played in the group stage.

The Enterprise Lesson: Team members need clear expectations for them for an oversee able period. CxOs need to communicate with them early and clearly, and make sure the team members are on board. It must be clear as well that these are the roles for a certain amount of time, so that team members realize that roles can change and  that they can grow.

Bottom Line: Communicate clearly on roles. Make sure expectations are clear. Easier written than done.

If you do not have the talent – groom it

Germany has suffered from a lack of talent on the center forward position since Miroslav Klose retired in 2014. One can understand that Jogi Loew tried to compensate for it, but at some point, a Bundestrainer and DFB (as the association), must take corrective action to groom a new generation of center forwards. Special training, a mandate to play German nationals in lower leagues on the position etc. – it is time to brainstorm to fix the talent gap. Hoping that the shortage will stop at some point is not a strategy.

The Enterprise Lesson: Sometimes CxOs cannot recruit the talent they need. Then it needs to be groomed inhouse. CxOs need to cast a wide net and fast path the progression of talent to get a leader in place that can enable the right and winning strategy. All other strategies before – need to be seen as temporary.

Bottom Line: If you lack key talent and cannot recruit it – you need to groom it – and groom it fast. Do not wait for it to fall from heaven. Do not build a permanent, but only temporary strategy to work around it.

 What is your take about the Euro 2024, the performance of the German team, Julian Nagelsmann and more? What did I miss? Don't be shy and share in the comments - much appreciated, thank you! 


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