The Composition of Success

Research into Broadway musicals highlighted that the composition of the show’s creative team was a key determinant of success. When a team is successful it tends to include a combination of newcomers and experienced incumbents. But crucially, teams that flourished also contained seasoned personnel that had never before collaborated with one another. It is perhaps counterintuitive, but Broadway’s least successful period occurred when there was a large number of established names present. The problem was that these big names collaborated with each other repeatedly.

It is possible that shows were less successful when coordinated by a familiar team as repeated relationships stifle creativity. Comfort and complacency amongst senior members could have hampered novelty and spark. The team dynamic becomes predicated on viscous internal relations rather than the delivery of results to an external audience. If senior relationships are fresh then this can set a more vibrant creative tone for the whole team.

Whilst the above study was focused on production teams rather than performers, there are examples of sports teams floundering when they have failed to regenerate. Perhaps Liverpool’s indifferent 09/10 form is the result of their protracted dependence on the influential Steven Gerrard/Fernando Torres axis. The issue is not just that Liverpool falter when one of them is injured, but that the team is built around a single embedded relationship. Perhaps this situation could have been countered by replacing the outgoing Xabi Alonso with another relatively senior and established player. This might have positively affected the relationship that is central to the Liverpool side.

Moreover, it has often appeared a tendency for international football coaches to revitalize their squads from the bottom-up. That is for young, inexperienced players to enter the side as more senior players retire or “lose half-a-yard of pace”. The inclusion of teenagers Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon may have gone some way to stirring up the talent pool of Sven Goran Erikkson’s England 2006 World Cup squad. But perhaps including a more senior player, with limited or no international experience would have stimulated more creative endeavour. By summer 2006, the regular side was based upon ongoing repeat relationships amongst the senior players: the back four were very familiar with one another, whilst Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham formed the bedrock of a tired-looking midfield.

One of the apparent successes of the Fabio Capello regime has been the consistency of his vision. His favoured players have seemed clear from early in the qualifying campaign. But the counterintuitive findings of the Broadway research show that a familiar and comfortable set-up is not the most appropriate for stimulating success. Chopping and changing is seen to be the sign of a weak or uncertain coach, with a settled and successful team a sign of strength and cogency. But even the composition of successful sides should be amended at timely intervals to thwart stagnation. Perhaps Capello should look for some seasoned but uncapped (or lightly capped) Premier League performers to enrich his squad for South Africa. This could be the catalyst that converts dour competence into vibrant victory. So perhaps Frank Lampard and Emile Heskey should step-aside to make way for Danny Murphy and Kevin Davies!