Leadership Group 2018

[madbluboy]

Last year the Tigers chopped their leadership group from 5 to 3.

[PaulP]

Given the high number of young players on our list, a bigger leadership group is not an unreasonable approach to take. As the players become older, more experienced etc., I'm sure the leadership group will shrink.

[mateinone]

Given the high number of young players on our list, a bigger leadership group is not an unreasonable approach to take. As the players become older, more experienced etc., I'm sure the leadership group will shrink.

I don't really understand that logic Paul, I think you are saying there are so many 'learning' because of the youth profile, so therefore more leaders are needed, but I don't buy into that at all.
The club already appoints mentors to the young players and ou might have one lead mentor for the entire U/21 group, but I think larger leaderships dilute messages, as unintentional as it may be, because each 'leader' will have a different way of delivering their message. There are people that others will naturally gravitate to also and that is okay, they don't need to be in the official leadership, but to me.. having a small number of leaders that absolutely make the defining calls is key.

[PaulP]

MIO. We're operating in a knowledge vacuum to a large degree. We don't know the actual day to day mechanics of how leadership groups work. What power does a leadership group have ? How binding is this power ? Lots of things we don't know.

If we look at guys like Alex Silvagni and Simmo, they are short term appointments IMO and I can't see them being there next season.

[DJC]

I have given this a lot of thought and have gone from ebing excited to see a name like Plowman in there, to a little disappointed Carlton has named so many in the leadership group. I think it is more than double the size it should be when I give it more reflection.

I can't think of any situation I remember where there were 4 peers to 1 leader in any team of any size. It is too many.
I think it is incumbent upon a Plowman type to just spend his time acting like a leader and yeap, being groomed and called into some meetings as part of that grooming, but he shouldn't be there.

Simmo doesn't need to be there and ACOS doesn't either. These guys can still lead just through their actions and general seniority, without the need to make them part of the leadership group.

Murphy and 2 of Doc, Cripps, Kreuzer & Curnow.
As much as I see Doc as a potential future captain, I would leave him out this year and make the tough choice on the other 2, including getting them to present why they want to be a leader of the club.

Nothing wrong with making tough decisions, there are clubs with a lot more natural leaders in their teams that don't get picked for their leadership groups.

I'm afraid that I have to disagree MIO.

The size of the leadership group should be governed by the number of players we have who can make a difference as a leader of the club.  There is no magic number; it may have been three or four back in 2012 and it may be eight or nine in in 2019.  Of course, the role of the leadership group has evolved considerably since 2012 and is a quantum leap away from what I did as skipper of an under 19 team back in the dark ages.

As I have banged on about previously, Bolton clearly saw a problem with our leadership and our approach to leadership and we poached Anthony Klarica from Hawthorn to address that.  From the snippets we see of club meetings and meetings of the leadership group, we now have young men whose leadership abilities have blossomed and whose messages to the playing group are taken on board. Despite our losses, the influence of our leaders was very evident in encouraging the team to play out games and minimise blow outs.

Succession planning in leadership is essential and the club has made it clear that Murphy has begun grooming his successors.  It's essential that Docherty is in the leadership group if he is in the running to take over from Murphy.

Another consideration is reward for effort, and that is a characteristic of Bolton's approach.  I think that the elevation of Kreuzer, Silvagni and Plowman to the leadership group is due recognition of their work, and leadership abilities, and will motivate them and others to lift efforts.

[mateinone]

Okay I get what you are both saying, but name the high performance teams, within any industry that do this? Compare whatever numbers you have to the groups that have smaller leadership groups.

People don't need to be nominated leaders to lead DJC. Take Hawthorn during their peak, or Geelong, we didn't see 14 players in their leadership groups despite the fact they had so many senior statesman that might have been able to make a difference.

I can only draw on my own experiences and append that to any knowledge of have of leaderships in different organisations inside & outside of sport. I have no other magic wand that can tell me whether that is correct within Carlton..

But using that information that I have, I still cannot buy into 20% leaders and I do wholly disagree that anyone capable of making a difference as a leader at the club should be in the leadership group.

It will be interesting to see how it pans out this year, I think the reality is we are unlikely to really know. I hope the decision is the right  one, but it is one area I will say I am critical of the club... I think in general my vibe around most things to do with this reset of the club is a positive one, but unfortunately I don't feel the same way about this decision

[PaulP]

MIO.

There's no one size fits all wrt leadership. I suspect this is a spike in leadership numbers which is unlikely to continue for long. I also suspect that there is a certain amount of cover in those numbers - e.g Doc is already sidelined, so that's already down to 7 max on match day. I can't see many games where all 7 of the remaining guys will play together.

Other things that Bolton et al might be thinking :
- consistency of message / reward for effort, as DJC states
- possible accelerated development of our youngsters
- game time management for older guys like Murph and Simmo
- input from professional leadership consultants / staff
- player-led position on leadership (happy playing group is a good playing group)
- etc.

IMO, a storm in a tea cup. If we bomb this season, it won't be because of too many leaders.

Or it could just be like the Public Service. Lot of "leaders", but in reality, only a couple of heads and a couple of brains.

[flyboy77]

Pretty obvious it's a transition period set up.

Simmo and Smurf on the way out.

Tractor - reward for effort. 28yo now.

Ed C. - role model par excellence. Legend. 28yo now.

Doc, Plow and Crippa - the future.

Who really GAF that the Tiges had 3 only in their group......

[DJC]

Who really GAF that the Tiges had 3 only in their group......

I reckon any thinking Tigers supporters would, if that's not an oxymoron.

Having only three players worthy of the leadership group could be a portent of troubled times ahead.

[madbluboy]

Pretty obvious it's a transition period set up.

Simmo and Smurf on the way out.

Tractor - reward for effort. 28yo now.

Ed C. - role model par excellence. Legend. 28yo now.

Doc, Plow and Crippa - the future.

Who really GAF that the Tiges had 3 only in their group......

They're the benchmark at the moment, on and off the field.