Grant Downie OBE – Maximising your Impact in the VUCA World of Professional Football – Injury Rehab Network Event

The first Injury Rehab Network event of July 2023 with BASRaT featured Grant Downie OBE, Chartered Physiotherapist. The online event took place on the evening of 4th July, with over 85 sports rehabilitation professionals in attendance.

Grant’s presentation explored insights and lessons learned from professional football and the importance of leadership in sports medicine.

Grant is a Chartered Physiotherapist by profession with 36 years of experience in professional football & elite sport, including work at three professional football clubs & within a National Governing Body.

The recording of Grant’s presentation is available to watch here

Grant Downie OBE, Chartered Physiotherapist

Grant now works as a Consultant in Medical & Performance Solutions in High Performance Sports with clients including Arsenal FC, The Premier League, The SFA, Aberdeen FC & Ross County FC. Grant is a mentor to 14 leading performance leads & practitioners in high-performance sports.

Grant is keen to help others to thrive in professional sports medical teams and says, “I would like to help inspire younger practitioners to acquire the skills to develop people who can perform under pressure & thrive, who understand their mind, body & soul & yet remain a decently balanced human being.”

Maximising your Impact in the VUCA World of Professional Football

Grant’s presentation, “Maximising your Impact in the VUCA World of Professional Football” shared insights from learning over 35 years in the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) professional football sector. Grant discussed techniques for having tough conversations, lessons learned and the importance of leadership, communication, teamwork and decision-making. Grant’s presentation included fantastic insights and advice to help practitioners to thrive in professional football.

Grant Downie OBE

Grant discussed his background as a chartered physiotherapist, where he started out in the NHS, the bedrock of standards for all clinicians. Grant recognises the importance of the values of the NHS as practitioners put patients first and have strong values based on the quality of care. He described how his presentation is based on life experiences and that he is still learning.

His 36-year career has seen Grant work in three professional football teams and at a national governing body. Grant is now working as a Consultant in Medical and Performance Solutions in high performance sports. Clients include Arsenal FC, The Premier League, The SFA, Aberdeen FC and Ross County FC.

Grant mentors 14 leading performance leads & practitioners in high performance sports. In a leader rather than practitioner capacity, Grant is able to take a helicopter view. Grant discussed the importance of soft skills for leadership and the need for individuals to be authentic.

VUCA

Grant expanded on the acronym VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) and how it relates to professional sport. Leaders of medical/ performance teams should promote and develop an environment of psychological safety where all team members are trusted, can take risks, and speak up.

Treat people how they want to be treated

Grant described how in a team environment, it is important to have a wide range of characters and to treat people how they want to be treated. Practitioners can build trustworthiness through credibility.

Having the tough conversations

Grant discussed options for discussions where there may be conflict. Those involved in discussions can take a varying stance for constructive conflict. Options include:

1. Competing
2. Accommodating
3. Avoiding
4. Collaboration
5. Compromising

Grant’s approach is to be solution focused, to listen and remain calm. He described the pros and cons of each of the options and how each approach may be the right approach in the right situation. For example, avoiding can be the best option when a leader doesn’t need to get involved. Collaboration can be time-consuming, and compromising can mean making sacrifices.

Lessons learned and still learning over 35 years

Grant shared learnings from his career and encouraged those working in sports rehabilitation to continually reflect and share their own learnings. Some of the key points discussed by Grant included:

• What’s your dream?
• In professional sports, there is a requirement to be available and accessible. Find the right balance for you and ways to take time out.
• What’s your philosophy and way of working?
• Be adaptable.
• Develop meaningful human relationships.
• Be friendly, not friends but celebrate successes.
• Reflect on processes.
• Have mentors.
• Know the value and limitations of data.
• Be comfortable not having all the answers but know where to look and who the experts are.
• Understand the environment and culture that you’re operating in.
• Know the difference between evidence-based practice vs practice-based evidence.

Scientist or artist?

Grant ended with a reflection for those working in sports medicine to consider if they are a scientist or artist in their practice. Grant discussed that whilst sports medicine is based on scientific foundations, the complexities of leadership, providing care and helping others are based on artistry.

Grant considered the growing research and practice around biopsychosocial models for sports medicine and the associated skills required by practitioners.

Further learning

Grant recommends the following watching and reading:

1. Understanding the Trust Equation
2. Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct
3. The Power of Vulnerability
4. Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
5. 4 Things to do Before a Tough Conversation

Q&A

Grant kindly answered questions put forward by the practitioners who attended the session.

Q1. What has been the biggest win in your career?
A1. Realising what an injury is and helping a person to recover. It’s important to know a person. Strive for equality, care to build trust and be a team player.

Q2. How has having dyslexia affected you as a practitioner?
A2. Have learnt to be open about dyslexia, what I’m good at and what I’m not good at.

Q3. What are your reflections on the gap between science and feelings?
A3. Data is needed but should come with an explanation and effective communication. Metrics are important for any team and should be developed through agreement to ensure everyone can contribute and be accountable for performance. Data can back up opinions.

Q4. How can new practitioners make themselves respected?
A4. Gain wisdom from experience. Have a human connection with colleagues and athletes and talk their language. For example, from a director’s perspective, ‘asset value’ is a priority. Look for answers when you don’t know. Show vulnerability.

Q5. In the future, what will be the greatest change in sports medicine departments in professional football?
A5. Sports medicine departments may see a greater variety of specialists and generalists. Departments may increasingly draw on external expertise for specialists (e.g. pain). Professional sports organisations may see the formation of medical boards with accountability for practice.

Q6. How should practitioners sell themselves?
A6. Focus on what’s most important about you. Use ‘I’ in the context of ‘team’ and the role you have played. Consider what you are strong at and your contribution to the team.

Presentation Recording and Slides

The recording Grant’s presentation is available to watch here

Grant kindly shared the slides for his presentation for practitioners to read and refer to – Download presentation here

Follow Grant Downie OBE

• Twitter @grant_downie
• Website

2023 Injury Rehab Network events

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