This is a message sent to my team at work to keep spirits up during week 15 of the COVID lockdown. I’ve shared it as a spiritual companion to my May 15, 2024 post on Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool.
June 26, 2020, Week 15 of COVID Lockdown
Around 5 pm ET today, Chelsea FC pipped Manchester City 2-1, making it mathematically impossible for City to make up the points difference on Liverpool, a club I have supported since 1982, but which last won the English Premier League in 1990. It was a happy night in Beatles town, with, as is to be expected, not much social distancing. My contribution: I wore my Roberto Firmino #9 jersey all day and it helped Chelsea score the second, winning goal. You know it did.
Following Liverpool’s return to dominance has been fascinating for me because I am as intrigued by their manager, Jurgen Klopp, as the team‘s performances. Klopp was an average player for the worst club in the German 2nd Division (like the minor leagues in American baseball terms) when they made him coach. 2 years later basement dwellers Mainz were promoted to the 1st Division. 17 year later Klopp would be given reins at Liverpool and in 3 years would help them to the European Championship, English Premier League, and Club World Championship.
I admire many things about Jürgen.
He does not trash talk other teams. He always speaks with admiration for their strengths - even if they are the worst team in the league. He respects them and takes them seriously and without complacency.
He does not trash talk opposing players - even ones who leave for greener pastures and the fans hate as “traitors”. When he meets them playing for the opposition he walks over, hugs them, and speaks to them with genuine concern.
He believes in his players. He has a reputation for buying “cheap” players and turning them into superstars. He gets more out of them because he knows the difference between good and great is motivation - holding yourself to a higher standard, making excellence the high bar. He does not rule by fear, he does not appeal to vanity, he does not tolerate prima donnas. He only asks your individual best, and in return he gives his best. Sounds so simple, right?
He knows there is life beyond football. He often speaks of it being “just football” - it’s entertainment, not life. He is sort of the anti-Bellichick of English soccer in this respect.
I have a lot to learn from Jürgen.
In face he’s one of the reasons I signed up for the Pub Quiz today. I’m not a big fan of pub quizzes. I always worry I will let the team down, or will be asked questions that everyone else will know (categories I fear most: Rap Music, South American History, US Capitols). I also had one of those exhausting weeks I wrote about last week (jinxed it!) and found out I will have to take several calls on vacation and am dreading breaking the news to my wife. I had to put in a couple of later nights to clear stuff to free up the Quiz Night evening slot, which didn’t make the home situation much happier.
But I thought about what Jürgen would do and I know he would have been right there with Trent Alexander Arnold and Mo Salah answering questions about varieties of sauerkraut and German craft beer, so I signed up, and I’m glad I did.
Mel did a great job captaining us and looked awesome in Hermione garb. Definitely better than me as a tubby faux Brazilian false 9 (google it). Our team name had the most team spirit. I realized what a wealth of knowledge we have, but I felt bad that we put wrong answers down when Maya and Daniel knew the right ones. I flubbed a few questions (sorry). But we cracked a lot of jokes and at least I had a lot of fun. And the lot of them - Pete, Chad, Jess and Loni are just so great to hang around with. We didn’t rank, but we didn’t tank, and I realized how much I miss everyone.
Importantly, it also helped me realize how lucky I am to have you as my colleagues and teammates. You always pull through for the win, even if the work is hard sometimes, and clients are not always reasonable. We have some good days but also a fair share of bad ones, but regardless you’re right back there at training after game day. Everyone gives their all, everyone cares deeply about the work, everyone is rooting for the home team to win and doing whatever they can to make it so. I’m always proud that whenever an initiative comes up, I can automatically think to myself, ah, I can give this to Valentina, or Mason, or Sara, or George or Kim. So much talent! Like I said, I am lucky to be on this team, with you.
Mid year reviews are coming up. I have two asks.
First, ask yourself, what’s the most amazing thing I could do with the next few years of my BlackRock life? It’s ok to dream, talk to your manager about it. Not all dreams come true, but for sure none come true if you don’t dream at all.
Second, take the feedback with an open mind. It’s really hard giving constructive feedback. It’s awkward for your manager. Nobody walks into a review thinking “oh goody, time to give actionable feedback”. But understand where it comes from. The late Randy Pausch, a beloved lecturer at Carnegie Mellon who tragically fell sick and died young, said at his last lecture:
“Get a feedback loop and listen to it. Your feedback loop can be this dorky spreadsheet thing I did, or it can just be one great man who tells you what you need to hear. The hard part is the listening to it. When you are doing something badly and no one’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones still telling you they love you and care.“
Feedback comes from a place of love, not a desire to be hurtful, though it can be perceived that way. Like it or not, there’s a lot of love on this team, because I’ve somehow hired managers who have many Klopp-like traits: managers who invest in people, are focused on excellence, and take great pride and personal satisfaction in your growth.
Liverpool fans sing a song at the end of matches to our team - boisterously when we win - even louder when we lose.
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone
That’s how your managers feel about you. Now go dream big.
#YNWA.
JC