Insights into the Leadership Style of SAF

Leaders come and leaders go. But few leaders have enjoyed a longer period at the top of their organisations that SAF - Sir Alex Ferguson.And now a professor of marketing at Harvard Business School has written a case study which looks at SAF's approach to management, motivation and more beside.The full case study is not yet available. However, there is a useful Q&A discussion here with Anita Elberse in which she describes the process of her research and some of her initial findings. Plenty of research evidence here for students who would like to add a slightly different, though still relevant example to their notes. And much too to stimulate a classroom discussion about how leadership and management styles and approaches can transfer between the world of sport and business.Elberse attributes SAF's success (and longevity in the role) to "his willingness to develop young talent" and to focusing on building a club rather than a team. The importance of adapting to a changing environment is also highlighted. Do you think she had got her analysis right?