When Gareth Southgate took the helm of the England football team in 2016, the atmosphere was less than ideal. Players were reluctant to don the national shirt and the team seemed a million miles away from reaching its full potential. Yesterday, Southgate announced his departure from role of England Manager. His achievements remarkable, having reached the quarter finals of the 2022 World Cup and final of the Euros in 2022 and 2024. He’s made fans across the Nation dare to dream again.

But more than that, he’s left behind a close-knit, motivated team brimming with confidence, full of players proud to wear the England shirt and willing to go the extra mile for each other. Southgate can’t take sole responsibility for this cultural transformation – his backroom team played its part too – but his journey offers valuable lessons for managing high-performance teams that we can take into the workplace too.

Cultivate a positive culture

One of Southgate’s most significant achievements has been transforming the team’s culture. He focused on building a supportive environment where players felt valued and respected.  By fostering open communication and encouraging collaboration, Southgate created psychological safety for the whole team resulting in a sense of belonging. And over time, that same psychological safety alleviated the pressure of playing for England… the players started to enjoy being part of the England set up again, leading to moments of self-expression and utter brilliance.

In any high-performance team, cultivating psychological safety can lead to increased motivation and a stronger commitment to the collective goal. In fact, research from Boston Consulting Group highlights that psychological safety is particularly effective at improving the workplace and reducing attrition for women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ employees and people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Lead with emotional intelligence

Southgate’s approach is characterised by his high emotional intelligence. He understands the importance of empathy, active listening, and recognising individual needs. By connecting with his players on a personal level, he built trust and loyalty which was evident in the messages of support from each and every one of them when announcing his departure. According to research by Korn Ferry, managers who lead with emotional intelligence retain 70% of their employees for five years or more.

Encourage accountability and responsibility

Under Southgate, players were encouraged to take responsibility for their performance and behaviour. He emphasised accountability, ensuring that everyone understood their role and contribution to the team’s success. This sense of responsibility empowered players, making them more dedicated and self-driven. Managers can benefit from this approach by clearly defining expectations, encouraging and empowering team members to manage their own workloads (rather than micromanaging).

Foster a growth mindset

Southgate’s tenure was marked by a focus on continuous improvement. It could be argued that the team didn’t quite reach its full potential (a trophy would have been nice!) but the team’s progress is undeniable.

He instilled a growth mindset in his players, encouraging them to learn from setbacks and view challenges as opportunities for growth ­– just look at the drastic improvement in England’s penalty taking! This attitude helped the team to evolve and adapt, leading to consistent improvement. In any high-performance setting, fostering a growth mindset can drive innovation, resilience and higher levels of engagement.

Lead by example

Gareth Southgate’s leadership style is a testament to the power of leading by example. His calm demeanour, work ethic and integrity set a standard for the team to follow. By embodying the values he wished to see in his players, he inspired them to mirror these behaviours, increasing trust, improving communication and enhancing team morale.

Summary

Gareth Southgate’s transformation of the England football team offers insights into managing high-performance teams. By cultivating a positive culture, leading with emotional intelligence and creating psychological safety, he turned a struggling group of individuals into a cohesive, motivated team. A team that England fans are proud of. These principles should be applied in any environment to drive success – thank you for the lessons, Gareth.

If you’re looking for support in developing a workplace culture where your people will thrive, then why not get in touch? We’d love to chat.