Individuals At The SFA

If you are looking for named individuals then sorry, but that’s not what this page is about. For that sort of thing you’ll have to stick to the blogs and other discussion forums.

This site is about Change but in particular, the changes needed to make Scottish football successful.

This page questions the role of individuals within the SFA and challenges their position in the change environment. It challenges their contribution to change and how important that contribution is.

But what position do these individuals occupy and what will those changes be?

If indeed you are part of the SFA or any of it’s internal mechanisms, working groups or processes you may already be involved in changes. Or maybe you see this as way above your head and a matter those in loftier positions.

Then of course we have external influences on Change like the recent announcement from the SPL. How much is Change determined by others out with your control?

No so. So whether you are simply the tea lady or a member of the Executive Board you can as an individual make a valid contribution to change.

Not One Of The ‘High Heed Yins’?

So does the SFA encourage your involvement? Maybe you’ve tried. Maybe you’ve had some success or maybe you have the feeling that you’re wasting you’re breath, but if you are having to go to them, instead of the other way around then there is something definitely wrong.

That something is leadership. Any organisation intent on change has to lead the way forward from the top, in a manner that allows individuals the right to participate. To contribute. To help make a difference.

So how involved are you really? If you don’t know what is happening, take this as an indicator that you’re not. So maybe you need to start asking questions of those that do.

What other support are they providing? Has the SFA prepared you for how the changes might affect you?

Are you employed by the SFA and will your job change as a result? Will you have a job?

These questions and many more have to be addressed by the SFA, and there are many ways of dealing with the issues surrounding them. Once again this has to come from the top. So what are they doing?

Any staff consultation? Any goals or objectives been laid out so that you know what is expected of you?

Are there ways of achieving those objectives that you know of which are better than the decision-makers’ methods and can you achieve them in ways that benefit you and the organisation?

How do you know how the changes will be regarded by those out with the SFA? Is the SFA engaged with those interested parties or are the decisions made behind closed doors.

How will you cope with the changes? What training can you expect? And what about the inevitable stresses that result from change, what counselling and advisory support will you receive?

These questions are not asked just to stir up animosity. They are asked because the answers are a basic right of every individual, so start asking them and a whole lot more.

Don’t look to this site to provide the answers. Look to those such as the SFA Chief Executive, Head of HR and Communications. Look to yourselves and if you have an answer look for processes that allow you to have a voice.

Decision Makers

So who are those that decide on the changes? Maybe you are one. Maybe you are on the Executive Board or some other Committee and maybe you feel that the collective groups make the decisions and not you.

If you are thinking along those lines, you could be heading for trouble.

It is likely that decisions at the SFA will fall into two categories:

• Those that are taken on behalf of members, with members approval

• Those that are taken on behalf of the organisation, with the authority invested in the decision making person or body

The SFA must rightly ensure that whatever rules of governance apply that above all, the democratic needs of the members are observed. This site does not question for one minute that these needs will not be given the greatest of respect.

If you are indeed a decision-maker, do you feel that the democratic aspects are a benefit or do you they are a hindrance? A prime indicator of this will be whether or not you have been able to get support for changes you feel are particularly beneficial.

Former SFA Chief Executive, Gordon Smith, in a BBC interview, ‘Out Of The Hot Seat’ spoke of how the Executive Board involvement prevented him doing many things he would have liked to have done, but qualified his remarks by saying this was simply democracy.

Whilst the SFA have aspirations of being democratic, it is a long way from achieving this. Central to all democracies is the view of the people. A parliament is the voice of the people and when parliament does it’s job properly then democracy is served.

The SFA has no parliament equivalent so how do you know you are taking decisions that will be supported, not just at your level but all the way down to grass roots individuals.

If you honestly think that you can decide on changes on this scale then you are extremely ill advised not to mention conceited beyond belief. Such is the thinking of absolute power having corrupted absolutely, and organisations which reach this stage of lack of accountability are little better than dictatorships or the Mafia, which incidentally, people in the game have likened the SFA to.

So who amongst you will provide leadership to show others the way? Who amongst you can set out the objectives of what has to be achieved? Who can muster the commitment of others and capitalise on their knowledge and effort? Which of you has the courage and integrity to be the change and move aside in the interests of achieving any of those objectives?

Aaaah. But maybe you can’t. Maybe the organisation, it’s structure and processes won’t let you. If so then maybe others are right and that as a viable organisation, the SFA in it’s present form has had it’s day.

Change doesn’t simply apply only to others, it applies to you. It’s not just others that have to change. You have to change as well, and since you are part of the SFA, that means the SFA has to change as well.

It is an inevitable part of progress, so you have a simple choice: You can both be part of the change, leading it, motivating, influencing others and share in the benefits or; you can do nothing and become the victim of change.

Becoming the victim of change is usually a painful experience.

Telling others to change will count for nothing if the SFA do not address this unavoidable conclusion and the only way to do this is to take a long hard look at yourselves.

This is no easy task but you might want to read The Change Ahead if you have any uncertainties.

Everybody contributes to change. What contribution are you going to make?

© www.helpchangescottishfootball.co.uk