A Manager is Not Exactly a Soccer Coach

Although it is always tempting to use the sports coachThe team characteristics of a one in sport and on the
as an example for the role of a manager, but oneother side one in business is also hardly the same. One
should realize immediately that the manager is not ateam sport or the other requires similar professionals. In
coach.business however a sale steam, production team or
The main differences reside in three topics: career,one focused on training and education in human
team and culture.resources, a remotely similar. In this sense, in some
The career of a sport-professional is hardly tocases it is possible that a manager look similar to that
compare with that of a business professional. Weof a coach (for example in a sales environment where
often compare these, and metaphors of thescoring a close is similar to scoring a goal), but in others
mountain-climbing expedition can help to show someit is not; in an educational environment where a trainer
similarities, but both careers are two different things.is presenting a course. Managing a group of trainers is
A professional career is focused on offering anot the same as managing a sport steam of players.
productive solution in a business. Some careers have aThan the organizational culture. This is the last part
stand-alone or autonomic characteristic, but most arewhere sports and business each have their unique
performed within a team and an organizational setting.features. The culture of soccer is an international
The diversity of a professional career -- whatever theculture, where players are transferred over teams.
area of expertise -- requires a complete differentBasketball is different than soccer, but both have a
management approach. This becomes visible in thesimilar culture. Than the LA Lakers may have a unique
personal performance indicator. The sportsman mainstyle to another club.
performance indicator is attributable to the score ofIn business however there are also cultural differences,
the team and his stake in this (giving the right pass,but they are more complex as in one organization,
scoring, defense, etc...) The personal performancethere are teams that play soccer, basket and handball
indicator of a professional is first of all determined byas if it was the same business game. This is much
the business environment the expert is working in.more complex than the culture of a sports club.
The role of the coach versus manager in either teamThat's way sports can give an example of the
is different too. The coach has a professional (career)features of management, but business management is
background in the sports, but he is not actually playingmuch more complicated. That's why the next chapter
in the game. The manager on the other hand is. In factwill start with a new biography, of which you can think
his position can better be compared with that of "theof that of your own business curriculum. When reading
setter" in a volleyball game who is somehowit, think about your own career, the teams you have
orchestrating the game. The manager is a setter too inparticipated in and the cultures you have experienced
delegating tasks to the different team members.on your path...