Same Standard, Adaptive Delivery
Hold one performance standard while changing how each person hears it.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 95%
Fernandes distinguishes treating people by one standard from approaching every person in exactly the same way. If the team has trained a specific behaviour for a week, he expects everyone to know and attempt it; status does not remove that obligation. A missed pass, goal, or tackle can still be an individual execution error rather than a failure to respect preparation. He then adapts the delivery—shouting, speaking calmly, or praising—according to the person while preserving the intended result. Praise can be given before a player has reached the full standard if it helps unlock the next level, but Fernandes pairs it with an explicit expectation for more. The framework requires proportion and respect: tailored communication is not permission for intimidation or unequal accountability.
Origin
Fernandes explains how he leads Manchester United teammates: he demands the same trained behaviours from everyone, learns to speak to individuals differently, and sometimes gives praise as a bridge to a higher expectation.
Core principles
- 01Fairness does not require identical communication.
- 02The expected team behaviour remains consistent across status and age.
- 03Praise can support the next level when paired with a clear expectation.
- 04Persistent correction should signal belief in improvement, not personal contempt.
How to run it
- 1
Name the shared standard
Specify the prepared behaviour everyone is expected to know and attempt. Keep it separate from individual talent or status.
Pro tip Tie the standard to what the team actually trained or agreed.
Watch out An unstated expectation cannot fairly become a non-negotiable.
- 2
Diagnose the miss
Decide whether the problem was preparation, effort, understanding, or execution. A failed attempt can still honour the agreed behaviour.
Pro tip Ask whether the person chose the right action before judging the result.
Watch out Do not punish a skill error as if it were indifference.
- 3
Choose the delivery
Adapt tone, timing, and setting to the individual while keeping the substantive expectation unchanged. Use what makes the message clear rather than what displays authority.
Pro tip Learn preferences before a high-pressure correction is needed.
Watch out Personalisation never justifies degrading treatment.
- 4
Use praise deliberately
Recognise progress when it can build confidence or momentum, even if the person has more to deliver. Explain why the praise was earned.
Pro tip Connect praise to a repeatable behaviour rather than identity.
Watch out Empty praise makes the next expectation less credible.
- 5
Set the next expectation
State what more you believe the person can do and how it will appear. Make demanding feedback evidence of a path to improvement, not permanent disapproval.
Pro tip End with one observable next action.
Watch out Belief in potential does not excuse endless pressure without support.
In the wild
Fernandes says that if a behaviour was trained and shown during the week, he demands it from every teammate. He may speak to players differently, but does not lower the expected end result because one is younger or more senior.
→ Individual communication changes while the team's prepared standard remains stable.
Fernandes describes praising a player who may not yet have done everything required because he believes the recognition can help that player reach the next level. He then makes clear that he expects more.
→ Recognition supports confidence without concealing the remaining expectation.
Common mistakes
Confusing sameness with fairness
The standard can remain equal even when tone, timing, and setting differ.
Treating execution as defiance
A failed pass or tackle is different from ignoring a behaviour the team prepared.
Praising without the next step
Fernandes pairs supportive praise with a clear statement that further improvement is expected.
Is it for you?
Best for
Leaders who must enforce shared preparation and performance standards across a varied team.
Not ideal for
Excusing abuse, public humiliation, discrimination, or unrealistic demands as a personalised communication style.
From the transcript
“I've learned to talk with them in different ways, but with the same end result”
“I've gave you something but I'm expecting something more”
“I don't believe you can improve anymore”
From the episode
Bruno Fernandes: Roy Keane Twisted My Words. They Offered Me £200M, I Said No.