Talent Identification and
Development
A Consultancy Approach
Objective
To outline an approach to Talent
Identification and Development for the
ARLB as if they were clients of the
griffology consultancy organisation.
Relevant Experience
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HR Background – Training, Management
Development – Personal Development
First RFU Referee Development Officer – 3
Development Squads – Investors in People
First IRB Referee Development Officer
 U19’s – U21’s – Sevens
The Natal Experience
NSW
NZ experience
Talent Identification
Assessment
Reports
Referee
Coaching
Reports
Club Reports
DATABASE
Networks
Structured
Appointments
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Development Squad
Objective
To improve the performance of development
squad members by education, training and
coaching so that they provide a better service
to the teams they are refereeing and thereby
provide opportunities for their advancement.
Input – Output Process
INPUT
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
S.W.O.T.
INPUT
S.W.O.T.
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
Each development squad
member has different strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and
threats
Detailed individual
Personal Referee
Development Plans
(PRDP)
Each development squad
member will have different
needs
Detailed group
development plans.
There will be group or generic
needs
Enables the
development of
tailored development
interventions
TEAMWORK
INPUT
Teamwork
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
More teamwork involved in
the world of match officials
Group development
Teamwork encourages the
development of each other
Peer support and
assistance
Poor performance by one is
a reflection on all. In our
interests to support each
other
Lack of dependence
on development staff
Peer Review
Learning Styles
INPUT
Learning Styles
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
Everybody has preferred
Learning styles
Stylised coaching
and learning inputs
Honey and Mumford
Squad members
appreciate the
need to complete
the learning cycle
• Activist
• Reflector
•Theorist
• Pragmatist
Other theories – Aural –
Visual - Kinaesthetic
Self Discovery and Problem Solving
Models
INPUT
Self Discovery and
Problem Solving
Models
ANALYSIS
UNCOVER
CAUSE
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
ACTIONS
OUTPUT
Action plans that
have been
developed by the
squad members
that have their
commitment
Athlete Diary
INPUT
Athlete Diary
ANALYSIS
There will be a great deal of
information generated during
the year
There is a need to to set and
monitor targets e.g.
• Fitness
• Performance improvement
OUTPUT
Detailed Targets
Development
Action Plans.
PRDP
Reinforcement of
learning
Self Assessment
File
Coaching File
Technical Models
INPUT
Technical Models
ANALYSIS
Lists in Aide memoirs are
helpful but not personal
Need to make them real for
the individual
Lists are not active they are
motionless, the game is
dynamic
OUTPUT
Models that work
for the
development
squad members
practiced in live
situations
Resource Facilitation
INPUT
Resource
Facilitation
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
The Development squad
Manager or Facilitator cannot
be an expert on all subjects
Expert Tailored
Inputs
The person has to become a
resource investigator
Technical Modules
e.g.
Fitness
Nutrition
Massage Therapy
S.A.Q.
INPUT
S.A.Q.
ANALYSIS
Can be designed to reflect
referee work:
Get there – get away –
positioning – keeping out of
the way – lasting 80 minutes
all using drills designed
around SAQ
OUTPUT
Maintenance and
improvement in
referee specific
fitness
Fitness levels
reviewed regularly
Communication Skills and Behavioural
Models
INPUT
Communication Skills
and Behavioural
models
ANALYSIS
Is there too much chat, is
there too little
Is the behaviour assertive
v aggressive
Effect of body language
Do I know the effect my
behaviour has on others
OUTPUT
Communication
models that will
work with
Administrators,
coaches, captains
and players orally
and with the body
Mental Skills Development
INPUT
Mental Skills
Development
ANALYSIS
OUTPUT
Every referee is different
Mental Skills
strategy for each
squad member
Arousal
Arousal suppression
Behaviours under pressure
Visioning skills
Appointments
INPUT
Appointments
ANALYSIS
To develop the referee
needs a range and a
variety of experiences
Speedy matches
Tough aggressive
matches
Testing matches
Practice matches
OUTPUT
Profiled
appointments that
develop the
squad
Coaching
INPUT
Coaching
ANALYSIS
Analysis of performance
Quantitative
Qualitative
Self Assessment – Bruce
Cooks presentation at the
pre season meeting
OUTPUT
Individual
Performance
Improvement
Assessment
INPUT
Assessment
ANALYSIS
Quantative assessment of
performance
OUTPUT
Benchmarking of
performance and
performance
improvement
Squad Database
INPUT
Squad Database
ANALYSIS
Significant amount of
information is gathered
On field performance from
assessments and coaching
reports
Off field performance –
fitness and Mental skills
OUTPUT
Detailed
information on
each Referee
Profiling
INPUT
Profiling
ANALYSIS
Database information
On field
Off field
Progress
OUTPUT
Information used
for
Appointments
Promotion
Further
Development
Development Managers
Performance Review Process
INPUT
Development
Managers Review
Process
ANALYSIS
2 matches during the
season
From morning to night
Observe preparation
Observe performance
Observe interactions:
• Administrators –
Captains – players –
assessor - spectators
OUTPUT
A review of the
referee’s
performance in
its entirety
Development Process Review
INPUT
Development
Process
Review
ANALYSIS
A review by the squad
members
SWOT
What worked
What did not
What could be improved
OUTPUT
An improved
process for the
next group
FUN
INPUT
FUN
ANALYSIS
Process has to be
enjoyable or the squad
will disintegrate
OUTPUT
Balanced
group who
know when
and how to
have FUN
Typical Programme
SAQ 1hour
Change and
Shower – eat
30 minutes
Technical
Session 1 –
1.5 hours
INVESTMENT
12 development squad meetings 3 hours duration – 36 hours
Preparation for the meetings 1 hour – 12 hours
Database and record maintenance – 30 hours in the season
Resource investigation and organisation - 12 hours
Review days - 72 hours
Coaching - 60 hours
Objective
To outline an approach to Talent
Identification and Development for the
ARLB as if they were clients of the
griffology consultancy organisation.