Measuring Southgate’s Legacy

“It’s only in the first few lines of Southgate’s statement that he talks about personal honour, pride, and gratitude. After that, it’s about everybody else. That’s what a true orchestrator does– they create a space for others to blossom. He expresses gratitude to his assistant coach and the team at St George’s, and he shares gratitude to the players he had the privilege of coaching. Suppose you think about leaving a legacy as a leader. It’s not about you. In that case, it’s about everyone else who continues to go on. All leaders should remember that their legacy isn’t about personal achievements but empowering others to succeed.

“He emulates the recent speech by Jurgen Klopp by asking the fans for the continued support of the current squad – the players who will keep going on, and implicitly, whoever will succeed him in the role of England manager. Rather than resigning and leaving the field, he prepares it for his successor – whoever they might be. He also prepares the field for the players he leaves behind, securing the support of the fans for them. Leaders in any field should focus on ensuring a smooth transition and continued support for their team and successor when stepping down.

“Southgate said in his departing statement that he set out to improve English football. It’s beyond contention that he has achieved it. He has created a space where his legacy is one of success because the FA and the national team are in a much better place than when he took over eight years ago. Defining success only by titles won is very binary. Effective leaders should measure their success not just by immediate achievements, but by the long-term positive impact they’ve had on their organisation and industry.”

Michael Smets is Professor of Management at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Michael’s research focuses on professional service firms (PSFs), especially their internationalisation, innovation and regulation.