Ancelotti, protagonist at the Leaders in Sport Summit

Carlo Ancelotti was, this Tuesday June 30 in New York, the protagonist of an interesting talk about the sports business and sports performance at the annual summit Leaders in Sport. The former coach of Real Madrid, Chelsea and AC Milan, among others, contributed to the talk with his views on sports management from his experience as a player and as a coach. His presentation, was one of the most followed, by an audience who saw up close the “democratic” management Carlo Ancelotti puts on in his role as manager of top flight football.

With the audience fully captivated, Carlo shared stories of not only his playing career but also his transition into managing some of the greatest football talents to ever to ever play the game. Carlo noted how his coaching strategy has shifted over time from a heavy emphasis on strategy and tactics to now becoming more aware of the necessity of managing relationships and the human elements associated with high performance.

Among the many insights shared, perhaps the most salient came from his reflections and perspective on the importance of not fearing mistakes, insisting that ‘mistakes are part of the job’. To be successful one must carefully assess and understand strengths and limitations on an ongoing basis, and surround oneself with great people who have the expertise with complementary support. He continued to enlighten by saying that there are learning opportunities in every day and it is important to identify and leverage these opportunities if indeed we intend to pursue excellence­–no matter what our role within an organization.