The Investor in Football (IIF) framework has a methodological toolbox that can be applied in any cultural setting. It shifts the focus from money to education, strengthening a squad using learning and development to improve capabilities. A solid foundation is an integral part of a successful club. Education builds solid foundations and helps bring health and happiness to the community.

The Investor in Football (IIF) process will reduce costs associated with running a club whilst improving team performance and results.

IIF helps the Board meet the appropriate interests of its shareholders and stakeholders.

Results driven it allows a club to build a quality team, sustainable business and meet its social responsibilities in the community within budget.

Talent Identification and Continuity: It produces a conveyor belt of quality home grown players, coaches and future managers and complies with UEFA`s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

The Framework strengthens a clubs strategic planning and performance providing it with a vision for continuous measurable improvement (CMI)

63% of managers moved in season 2010/2011 costing nearly £100m. Offering manager’s assistance to improve results reduces health risks, negative publicity and makes good business sense. Clubs are rich in traditional football knowledge and history. Research has found success in the modern game requires managers use results based best practice.


THE FOUNDATION

Improved team results are a contributing factor to improved financial results.

A Can Do Attitude And Keeping It Simple: The Investor in Football (IIF) framework adapts two key indicators of the successful Investors in People (IIP) standard. (See evidence on back page)

Indicator 4 Leadership and Management Strategy:
“Managers are clear about the capabilities they need to lead, manage and develop their players. Managers are helped to acquire these capabilities.”

Indicator 5 Management Effectiveness
“Managers are effective and can describe how they lead, manage and develop their players. Managers are role models of leadership, teamwork and knowledge sharing.”

Investor has 10 indicators and 37 evidence requirements.

Indicator 1: Business Strategy
Indicator 2: Learning and Development Strategy
Indicator 3: People Management Strategy
Indicators 4 and 5 explained
Indicator 6: Recognition and Reward
Indicator 7: Involvement and Empowerment
Indicator 8: Learning and Development
Indicator 9: Performance Measurement
Indicator 10: Continuous Improvement (CMI)

Investor in Football (IIF) continuously challenges clubs to improve financial and team results.
People who have the right attributes are best suited to lead and be part of a successful club and team.
Q: Is your clubs management team and players using continuous measurable improvement (CMI)?

IIF Results

In Stage 1 a team will win an average of 1.5 points per game over a season, EPL 57, FL 69 points, in Stage 10 this will increase to an average of 2.4 points per game over a season, EPL 91, FL 110 points.

Some aspects of the game and team results will improve within the first 3 weeks of a 12 week development cycle.

RECRUITMANT AND RETENTION
A performance and results based assessment and professional induction, regular appraisals, personal development plans, continuous measurable improvement (CMI), involvement, empowerment, recognition and reward = job satisfaction = greater retention.

Investor recommends the management team and players engage with business and community groups to build new relationships and enhance the clubs reputation.

Q: Board Members: Is the current achievement level of your team inline with forecasts?


HOW TO WIN

Start and finish each day with a positive mental attitude.
Be yourself.
Do what you do naturally.
Stay calm and in control of your emotions and
Have fun.

Best Practice

IIF benchmarks against the best two European football clubs in 2011, Barcelona and Manchester United.

Forecasting enables a team to predict where it may finish the season.

Open honest communication helps clubs meet their Social Responsibility. It is important to keep the community informed.

Tailored learning solutions, Visual Techniques, SMART objectives, SOT analysis, CMI, appraisals, PDP`s, milestones, goal setting, positive debriefs, careful planning, meticulous preparation, company handbook: induction, sharing the vision and code of conduct all contribute to best practice.

Improving ten aspects of the game:

1) Rectifying why over 98% of goals are conceded.
2) Keeping possession for longer than the average of 10 seconds.
3) Matching results to player’s individual capabilities.
4) Consistency and multi positional skills.
5) Right and left foot capabilities.
6) Converting chances to goals.
7) Reading the play and taking control of the game.
8) Awareness and teamwork.
9) Use of an improvement structure, developing quality teams.
10) Use of injury prevention techniques.

IIF educates and shifts the focus from individuals to a team leaving a legacy of CMI and success. The result will be a team which creates more chances, scores more goals, concedes less and wins more matches and silverware at all levels.

This will lead to a full stadium and an increase in other revenues for a club.

How Board members can have a positive influence over team results.

Q: Board Members: Now or after the next game please write down which of the ten aspects of the game you would like improved and contact your Investor in Football practitioner.

At a planning meeting with Board Members and management team our practitioner will deliver a strategy to raise the achievement level of a team inline with a clubs forecast. People come and go; IIF becomes part of a clubs foundation.

Your club has done today with tomorrow in mind


EVIDENCE

Better Financial and Team Performance

“Our research finds that adopting Investors sets up a chain of impact ending in better financial and team performance. The more an organisation embraces the Investors standard, the better the impact will be on its financial performance.
We conclude cascading the vision and direction can help build the right organisational social climate”
(Source: Centre for Business Performance Cranfield School of Management
The Impact of Investors in People (IIP) on People Management Practices and Firm Performance
Prof. Mike Bourne, Dr. Monica Franco-Santos, Andrey Pavlov, Dr. Lorenzo Lucianetti, Dr. Verónica Martinez, Dr. Matteo Mura 2008)

“An increase in profit for a medium business of £602 per employee”
(Source: Engaging with Investors in People Broker Resource pack / version 1/2007)

“Investor, a widely recognised and respected mark of best practice used by over 30,000 organisations employing over 7 million people in 50 countries helps businesses of every size, type and location improve financial and team performance through learning and development and good management practice.” (Source: Investors in People web site)

CONCLUSION
When you buy an experienced manager, coach or player you are buying improved capabilities. Investor has evidenced it improves people’s capabilities and is at the forefront of excellence. It sets up a chain of impact ending in better financial and team performance.

Leadership and Management
“Leadership and management require constant development and the acquisition of new leadership and management knowledge and skills.” (Source: Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) web site)
“Over 55% of managers could benefit from our government funded Business Leaders initiative to improve their capabilities.” (Source: Business Link confidential survey 2008)

63% of managers moved in season 2010/2011 costing nearly £100m
54% of managers moved in season 2009/2010
54% of managers moved in season 2008/2009
On average 57% of managers moved in each season. (Source: LMA web site: Managers Seasons Movers)

CONCLUSION
57% of managers will improve their capabilities, knowledge of how to win, business and finance using the Investor in Football framework. Offering a manager assistance to improve results makes good business sense. It is recommended that managers are employed on a results based contract after a three months qualifying period.

Investor In Football (IIF)
56 Boyn Hill Road,
Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4HJ
investorinpeoplefootball@hotmail.co.uk
http://www.boostteamperformance.co.uk
+44 (0)7898 259 376
© Investor in Football 2011 (Nov)