Quiet Leadership by Carlo Ancelotti (with Chris Brady & Mike Forde)

I feel so many people could learn from this book and not just those interested in football.

It’s almost a business academic book. I honestly think many retail, hospitality and business managers/students could learn from the experienced Italian boss and his teachings within these pages.

It shows you that as a coach or manager, Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t believe football begins and ends on the pitch. It’s about managing relationships and dealing with pressure!

Just looking at Carlo Ancelotti you could tell that he was a man of style and one that would appreciate respect and loyalty. These traits run right through the spine of his teams and within this book.

It is really interesting to read how Carlo would have to manage upwards and deal with chaotic owners/presidents. He doesn’t criticise those in a club’s hierarchy, instead he tells us that it’s up to him to produce results that placate these demanding employees.

Ancelotti is at his most comfortable when he’s discussing his workings with footballers and how he treats them as humans first.

Unlike most coaches these days, the Italian doesn’t seem to have a strict footballing philosophy. In the book he explains why he feels being flexible and open are keys to being able to sustain success throughout his career, no matter where he goes.

Quiet Leadership takes us up till 2016 and just before Carlo took over at Bayern Munich, because it is more methodical than a box standard memoir it doesn’t matter that it isn’t up to date. I doubt Carlo will have changed too much in the last five years.

Each part of the book ends with a perspective on Carlo Ancelotti by a former player of his, or a competing manager or a man he used to work for. To show you the standard of Ancelotti’s class as a manager and as a man he’s able to get the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paolo Maldini and Sir Alex Ferguson to reaffirm what Ancelotti has said in previous chapters.

A masterful book of insight into what it’s like to work in a tough industry and succeed in a high profile position!

Quiet Leadership is available online at Waterstones.

Posted on February 11th, 2021 by scott
Filed under: Article, Book Review