21 November 2023

Leading Edge Performance are delighted to support a fourth cohort on The FA’s Technical Directors Programme, delivering engaging module content around high performance and providing executive coaching.

We’ve partnered The FA in this capacity since 2019, coaching programme delegates and supporting the development of the immersive activities and learning for current and aspiring technical directors during their 20-month development journey.

In professional football, the technical director (also known as sporting director) is a conduit between the club’s ownership and playing group and has overall responsibility for the team’s technical direction.

As part of the established Technical Directors course, all 15 delegates will receive four coaching sessions from a Leading Edge Performance Team Coach – five Team Coaches are supporting with the 2023 programme. They’ll work with delegates to rationalise what’s covered across the modules and focus on individual development areas as they progress through the course.

As programme lead for Leading Edge Performance, Commercial Director Ian Leman will design and deliver content in the High Performing Teams module and be a consistent connection for delegates, translating insight from coaching sessions into adjustments that sharpen the module content.

Further adding value in this role, Ian will help to seek out delegate experiences that align with the programme deliverables and provide enhanced learning opportunities.

 

 

About The FA

About The FA Technical Directors Programme

The Football Association (The FA) describes the role of a technical director as one that’s “dynamic and multi-dimensional with the ultimate aim of continued success through the creation of a high performance culture supported by an aligned vision and strategy”.

Its Technical Directors Programme is an individualised course for those currently working as a technical director in professional football or those identified as possessing the potential for the role. During this programme of learning, delegates explore the technical director role and key working relationships, as well as reflecting on their current working practices in terms of strategy and leadership, identifying development areas and being supported with this through executive coaching.

Central to the programme is for delegates to share knowledge and experiences with other technical directors and explore the operations of world-leading organisations.

 

 

Team Coach Insights

Ian Leman

Leading Edge Team Coach

Ian Leman is leading the programme for Leading Edge Performance. He shares his insights:

“On a personal note, I love football – so to be around such talented minds in the modern game is both inspirational and a privilege. These delegates are the future of football, and it’s very exciting to play a small part in that.

Quite rightly, The FA takes a rigorous approach to who it brings in to this programme, so for Leading Edge Performance to have been involved for five years says a lot about how we support and partner our clients. For The FA, we make sure we’re useful in a way that’s sensitive within this elite sport environment, and that we demonstrate respect and understanding for the delegates and the journeys they’re embarking on.

I’m delighted to be involved right across the programme, whether delivering module content, gathering feedback from Team Coaches on the salient themes and using this to analyse and adjust upcoming module content accordingly, or arranging experiences that will stretch the delegates’ learning.

We recently met this year’s cohort at St. George’s Park – home of England Football Learning – to frame the benefits of the exec coaching aspect and introduce them to the five Leading Edge Performance Team Coaches. Getting the chemistry right is so important; our coaches bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and I know the delegates can be sure of a supportive partnership and useful counterbalance.

I’m excited to be starting the journey with this new cohort. I can already see how curious and keen the delegates are to grow through this programme as they develop their own technical director style.”