Very seldom do I watch the footage after a football match; but when Liverpool plays I enjoy watching Jurgen Klopp celebrate, encourage and, if necessary, console his players. His self-awareness sets him apart from other managers. This is why he is considered one of the most emotionally intelligent coaches in the game today.
Klopp is one of the most successful and sought-after football managers in the world today. He coaches Liverpool FC of the English Premier League. He is also a Christian and willing to share his views about faith – read more here.
In a BT Sport interview, “The Man Behind The Manager”, Klopp was asked: “How would you describe your style of leadership?”
His response was spot on: “Giving the right advice in the right moment.” He also expressed his desire to manage each of his players differently by remaining “close to the human being”. And finally, his commitment to helping the club, fan and players succeed by giving everything of himself “freely and expect others to do the same”.
Klopp’s ability to manage and get the best from his players is exceptional. He admits that he is not the smartest (or has the highest IQ); however, his EQ sets him apart and is legendary in the highly competitive, highly stressful and highly compensated sport of football at the highest level.
In the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves break down EQ into four key areas:
- Self-Awareness: is your ability to accurately perceive your own emotions in the moment and understand your tendencies across situations.
- Self-Management: is your ability to use your emotions to stay flexible and direct your behavior positively.
- Social Awareness: is your ability to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going on with them.
- Relationship Management: is your ability to use your awareness of your own emotions and those of others to manage interactions successfully.
Consider the people you are currently coaching and developing, assess their EQ using the 3-point scale below:
- Low = unaware
- Medium = somewhat aware
- High = always aware
Now consider people you want or should be developing, using the same scale.
What new insights do you have?
If you would like to process this further, please e-mail us to schedule a complimentary, 25 minute coaching conversation with Gary Reinecke.
