Brendon Bolton hits the barbecue to form stronger relationships with his players

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton has devoted more time to building stronger relationships with his players after a confronting nine-day leadership course at Harvard University. Find out how.

Brendon Bolton Bolton has invited players to a series of weekly barbecues and devoted more time to personal relationships after a confronting nine-day leadership course at Harvard University.

Fourth-year coach Bolton has built strong relationships with his players despite Carlton’s prolonged rebuild, with the club’s ability to secure Mitch McGovern a sign of their growth.

But Bolton said last December’s course had reinforced to him the need to prioritise meaningful relationships with time spent on tactics and meetings.

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Already 38 of the playing list have filtered through in small mid-week groups, with Bolton the chef and wife Louisa providing the salads.

“The one thing about leadership that really resonated is that all leaders are like no one else and they shouldn’t try to be. That’s why it’s an authentic leadership program.

“They also did an activity about a leader’s typical week or month. All of us are busy. We might do a stoppage meeting into a review of a game into the review of a kick-in. They made us reflect on our own eulogy - what would you want said about you?

“They are probably not talking about stoppages or kick-ins. It’s words like caring, considerate, empathetic. What it did is made you consider what is your working week as a leader and what influence you have on people not just for what you are teaching them but the personal connection.It is just simple things like when you have conversations with players it’s not just footy-related, it’s generally asking them how are you going, are you ok, is there something I can help you with, talking about their life.”

Brendon Bolton has been spending a lot of time at the barbecue this summer. Picture: Getty Images

Bolton hopes relating to players as a husband and father at those weekly barbecues can help build a bond with a group he believes are already strongly building relationships with each other.

“I have tried to rotate the list through a barbie with Ned, Rosie and Louisa at my house.

I am on the barbie, I am pretty good at cooking steaks, Louisa puts together some salads and fruit, I just think its good to be able to chat about anything other than footy. Players can see me being a dad.”

Bolton has the strong support of Carlton’s leaders as the Blues try to jump up the ladder after last season’s two-win year.

Carlton gave away their 2019 first-round pick to secure hard inside midfielder Liam Stocker, but Bolton says there is no extra pressure to rise up the ladder this year given the pick is in Adelaide’s hands.

“No, not really. I think you just back your recruiting team on where they rate a player,” he said.

Originally published as Brendon Bolton hits the barbecue to form stronger relationships with his players