I recently received my ‘Thought for the month’ from Tim Kidson and it’s such a great example of talent spotting I wanted to share it with you:
“The great football managers have just a few things in common but one of them is the ability to spot and develop talent from young people at an early age.
I have a daughter who was seventeen on Thursday and eighteen on Friday 1st May. The theme of her party was ‘Indian Warriors’ and her parents were told there would be fifty females arriving between 630 and 730 to “get ready”. The barbeque and drinks needed to be served from 730 onwards and they would leave the house at about nine to walk into town for the dancing, pubbing and clubbing. And by the way, eight of the girls would be stopping over. “Should be back about three” we were advised. Unknown to us, Ursula had published the full itinerary for her guests on Facebook, complete with timings.
So the barbeque was duly cooked and the females turned up in extraordinary costumes, many of them so devoid of material but complete with fake tan. My daughter finally appeared with a massive head dress adorned with a full range of bright coloured feathers. There could be no doubt who was eighteen that night.
Noise levels were increasing with music and laughter and excitement but I couldn’t work out how Ursula was going to get these people together for the march into an unsuspecting Hereford city. Suddenly she produced a whistle and with one loud blast there was silence. “Right everybody, we are off in five minutes” she announced. The music resumed, finishing touches were being put to make up and face paints everywhere.
And five minutes later there was a second blast on the whistle and the entire throng filed out of the house and garden and were gone into the night. (Photo on request)
So if we are looking for leaders of the future in our youngsters, organisational skills, self confidence and the ability to manage people are not bad places to start.”
What are your talent spotting tips? We’d love to hear them.
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Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina
Article by Hayley Oats
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