Leadership Group 2018

[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.