What can HR teams learn from football?

If you don’t follow Australian football, you should still be able to relate to what I am saying here. Admittedly I am a massive football fan and follow the AFL very closely. For those who don’t follow, the Sydney Swans recently won the 2012 premiership against the odds when they defeated the Hawthorn Hawks.

The Hawks were favoured to win most of the year and when it came to Grand Final day, most people thought it was a given that they would walk away with the premiership. They have some of the most exciting players in the league; Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell and Cyril Rioli to name a few… but that is just it, they are a team of champions.

Sydney on the other hand is a team made up of players who struggled at other clubs and others who are battlers who leave nothing on the ground. Ironically one of the Swans best players switched from Hawthorn 2 years ago because he couldn’t get a game there. Their best known player Adam Goodes is past his prime and carried a serious knee injury for most on Grand Final day.

To top it off, their legendary coach, Paul Roos, finished with the club two years ago. He seamlessly handed the reign to his longtime assistant John Longmire; a man who keeps a low profile in a city where AFL plays second fiddle to Rugby League. As it turns out, there is not a single company I can think of that could have hoped for a better transition from one CEO to another.

On Grand Final day it needs to be noted that 4 Swans players carried serious injuries including two with torn knee ligaments and one with a torn hamstring. Yet against the odds with no real superstars, a new coach and these injuries, they defeated one of the most exciting teams in the competition. How?

Since the Grand Final, much has been spoken of the Sydney Swans no d***head policy. It is simple, you adhere to the culture of the club or get out. No player is exempt. It has seen superstars moved out of the club and players who struggle at other clubs make meaningful contributions to the Sydney’s success.

While other clubs pay super stars millions of dollars to keep them on their list meaning they can’t pay others as much (due to salary caps), Sydney don’t have this problem. It is simple, you want to play for the Swans, you stay for a culture and success, you won’t find any million dollar contract on their playing list. 

What can we learn in business from this football club? Does your business have a culture where d***heads are not tolerated? Where superstars are only really stars if they contribute to the team’s success? Does your business model mean that staff who may not do well in other companies can strive under your culture?

It is a simple philosophy, but the Sydney Swans have enjoyed great success from it and I feel it is something that HR teams and business managers a like should look very closely at – even if you don’t follow football.