This article was taken from the October 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
On April 2 this year, Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Sporting Gijon at Estadio Bernabéu. The defeat was manager José Mourinho's first home loss in nine years, after 150 games with four different teams. Mourinho's official biographer Luis Lourenço explains how to take the Special One's techniques from pitch to workplace for your own winning streak.
1. BEFORE HIRING, COFFEE
Never seal a deal without spending time with a potential hire to ensure they'll fit in. "Before signing a player, Mourinho has to know if he's a good guy and will work for the team," says Lourenço. "For example, Cristiano Ronaldo may be a star, but he's the hardest worker at Real Madrid."
2. TRAIN FOR FAILURE
Be ready for the worst-case scenario. Mourinho mentally prepares players by setting training tasks that are extremely difficult, or even impossible. "It forces the players to doubt themselves, so they have to work harder, concentrate and motivate themselves not to fail," says Lourenço.
3. SHOW, DON'T TELL "Other teams train and have motivation sessions in different departments: they go to a room with a television and watch clips of how the other team plays. With Mourinho, everything is done on the pitch, with the ball -- it's not decontextualised."
4. KNOW YOUR STAGE
Motivate for the menial tasks. "Mourinho told me, 'Motivating my players is not difficult when I go to a great stage. They are naturally motivated to play against, say, Manchester United. When Real is playing against a fourth-division team, that is when I have problems.'"
5. SHOULDER THE BURDEN
Mourinho's mastery of the media lies in transferring press pressure from his players on to himself. "A leader has to be prepared to sacrifice," says Lourenço. That way, your team will listen to you, not the headlines. "If the players are going to be pressured, it is in the dressing room."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
