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Every four years, I become a raving fan of the other football.
Maybe you can relate.
I’ve spent the last month thinking way too much about the idiocy of the offside rule and wondering whether soccer would be even better if each team played with 10 instead of 11.
(Fewer bodies. More space. More scoring.)
Staying on theme, I’ve been reading Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti, one of the most successful football managers of all time.
He’s won the UEFA Champions League five times as a manager—a record. And he’s the only manager to win league championships in all five of Europe’s major leagues: Italy, England, France, Germany, and Spain.
Every stop meant a new language, a new culture, and a new group of personalities. In Quiet Leadership, Ancelotti writes:
I need to communicate with the players and the media in the language of the country… For me personally, it is important to learn the language as a way into the culture.
He expected the same from his players.
Now, I consider construction to be the ultimate team sport. Dozens of players, working together, collaborating, anticipating each other’s moves.
And obviously, our talent pool is diverse: We interact with people from different backgrounds, generations, and cultures every day.
It’s easy to say, “They should learn English.”
It’s just as easy to respond, “We should learn Spanish.”
But neither response demonstrates leadership or builds trust.
A better question is: What effort am I making to communicate more effectively with the people around me?
Maybe that’s learning a few phrases of Construction Spanish.
Maybe it’s slowing down, asking better questions, and making sure expectations are understood instead of merely stated.
Leaders go first.
In every new city, Ancelotti went first.
Then he challenged his players to follow his lead.
In France . . . there was a problem because the French players would only speak French, and a natural segregation would form. You have to address this early in your relationship with the players and get them to understand that cliques are not acceptable.
I would maneuver them to speak together by having a dinner together, and then changing the seating arrangements, sitting people next to others that they wouldn’t normally socialize with.
No dramatic speech.
No public criticism.
Just a thoughtful adjustment that made better communication—and stronger relationships—more likely.
That’s what Ancelotti means by quiet leadership.
Whether you’re an executive, running a construction project, or leading a sales team, the principle is the same:
Trust grows when people feel understood.
And that begins with one leader making the first move.
This week, try using these three phrases in Spanish.
Watch what happens.
¿Qué onda, güey?
(kay OHN-dah way)
What’s up, man?
¿Estás listo?
(ay-STAHS LEE-stoh)
Are you ready?
¿Todo bien?
(TOH-doh bee-AYN)
Everything looking good?
If the World Cup has you thinking about communication a little differently, we’d love to help. For the next 48 hours, we’re offering a World Cup Special on our Construction Spanishand Safety Spanish training programs.
You don’t need to become fluent.
But learning a few key phrases and making the effort to communicate sends a powerful message to the people you lead:
“You’re important enough for me to meet you halfway.”
Sometimes that’s all it takes to change a culture.
Thanks for reading.
We’ll see you back here in two weeks.
If you lead people, this podcast is for you.
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Bradley Hartmann & Co.
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Contact Bradley Hartmann:
bradley@bradleyhartmannandco.com
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