High Performance Leadership programme kicks off

A new programme in High Performance Leadership is about to kick off and Mary Galbraith outlines what this new online programme is all about - and the famous names involved. 

New year, new you? A new leadership programme featuring well-known names from the sports industry is kicking off (forgive the pun) in January and we at Strathclyde Executive Education and Development (SEED) are looking forward to getting started. 

We have some well-known names featuring in the programme who will be sharing their insights into leadership: 

Jürgen Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and at the national team level, Klinsmann was Germany’s premier striker during his career, scoring in all major international tournaments he participated in from EURO 1988 to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. As a manager, Klinsmann led the German National Team to third place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and subsequently coached other notable teams. After retiring as a player, Klinsmann became a principal in SoccerSolutions, LLC, a consultancy specialising in strategic planning, brand development, organisational alignment, and business opportunities. 

Karen Carney is the lead female football analyst and pundit for men’s and women’s football on Sky Sports, and now also the lead female for ITV’s 2022/2023 football coverage. Most recently, Karen has become the newly appointed Chair of the Future of Women’s Football Review for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, looking into ways the Government can nurture and expand the game in the UK. With 144 caps, Karen is England’s third-most capped player having made her international debut in 2005 at 17. 

Considered one of the most astute coaching minds in the game, Mike Phelan was an integral part of Manchester United’s most successful years, as right-hand man to Sir Alex Ferguson, when the club dominated Premier League. He has coached players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba. 

Dave Horrocks is responsible for research and development at Manchester United Football Club.  Dave specialises in culture, coaching, analysis, data, and performance. Within his role at Manchester United, Dave works with the first team, women’s team, and academy. He is a sports performance specialist leading a multi-disciplinary team. Dave is also the founder and director of his own business ‘Sensible Soccer Ltd’ – an online sports supplier. 

Ebru Köksal began her professional career in New York, as a financial analyst in Corporate Finance at Morgan Stanley, before moving back to Türkiye to serve as a senior manager at Citibank. In 1999, she joined private equity fund of AIG as a VP, before joining Galatasaray Sports Club in 2001. Ebru has held several senior positions at Galatasaray. She was the first woman to be elected to the Executive Board of European Club Association in September 2010 and she served as the vice chairwoman of Institutional Relations Working Group. She was recently appointed by Football Australia to serve on the board of the Australian Professional Leagues.    

All five feature in the High Performance Leadership programme which starts on January 25 with the first module. The programme – delivered in partnership with Longford International College – is an online programme comprising four modules over January and February: January 25, January 27, February 7 and February 9 – all running 2-6pm UK time. Longford International College specialises in providing business and sport-science-related courses. The institution stands out from its competitors through its close professional ties in the sporting industry. 

Through this partnership, the High Performance Leadership Programme has been designed to upskill leaders in creating and managing complex teams through lessons learned from elite sport. 

We’re looking for executives with significant experience in leadership roles to take part. The programme welcomes participants from all functions and units within all sectors and will benefit a range of candidates – from C-suite leaders, high-potentials or experienced technical specialists who have come to leadership positions later in their careers to those trying to understand how leadership relates to performance. 

The programme consists of four intensive workshops delivered live via our Virtual Learning Platform. You'll learn the techniques to lead and develop high-performance teams that will add value and purpose to your organisation. 

Drawing on the skills and experience of our five sports industry figures, as well as world-class academics and global practitioners, we'll help you develop your capabilities to lead using practical tools, case studies and frameworks. We'll help you to explore your own strengths and needs as a leader, to learn what makes a great team, and how to influence your organisation’s goals, examine the way innovation happens, and the role of leaders in driving change. 

If you’d like to be on the team and make a play for change, get in touch and we’ll answer any questions you may have.  

Find out more about the High Performance Leadership programme by contacting Lucy Jefferson: lucy.jefferson@strath.ac.uk