This
is a business blog right? Today, we will focus on sports and
business….and team work … and leadership.
What
caught my eye and passion this week to write about? The Packers.
More specifically, the Green Bay (football) Packers. A franchise steeped
in tradition and winning. The underdog of underdogs. A small-market
team who seemingly always win in a city with about 100,000 inhabitants.
This is a city with botanical gardens, railroad museums, an amusement park, a
zoo, performing arts, some craft breweries, a football team AND a lot of
pride. It is cold. It is small town. It is Titletown USA.
With
that pride comes expectations. Expectations of winning.
Expectations of leadership. Expectations of the team. Expectations
of management. Those last four expectations could be written about Pepsi,
Apple, Macy’s or even your own business. So…what is the point today Dave?
Well the point is, the Packers lost their on-field leader, Aaron Rodgers, on
Sunday. For. The. Season.
How
do teams respond when they lose a leader? We all lose leaders in our
careers through promotions, attrition, career changes, relocation, personal
reasons, and sometimes even sadder circumstances (we all hate Cancer, right?).
I
think, (much like in business) watching how the team, how management, how the
public responds will be an interesting case study. Will the team blame
their failures on the loss of a leader? Will they rise to the challenge
and bond more tightly and win without their leader? Will they rally
around the new leader to provide encouragement and support? Will there be
dissention in the ranks undermining their success? Sound familiar?
Leading
in the unknown. How do we do this? At Gannett, we have partnered
with SY Partners to work with our leaders on this. Our work centers
around 4 key areas: Optimism, Creativity, Authentic Communication and
Humanity. Will the Packers leadership (coaches, upper management, the new
QB) see and outline the possibilities for the team which will grab their teammates
faith in winning? Will the Packers leadership lay out a plan on their new
way to move forward – even if the road will be bumpy? Will the Packers
leadership communicate authentically – not backing down from the truth of the
situation – but using it to build belief in the future? Will the Packers
leadership create an environment allowing the other members of the team to step
up and become better at their respective positions to offset what they lost and
build success? Will the team come together or spread apart?
Are
these challenges new? Are they specific to football? Are they
insurmountable? My view is no, no and no. It takes effort to step up,
step in and stabilize your team (and yourself). It takes
leadership. Will you have all the answers…no. Will you be able to
control everything….no. Will you be in command of everything … no.
What can you do?
Adapt.
Become a better version of yourself. Continuously improve.
Challenge the unknown. Envision the path to success. Create
possibility for your teams. Work together. Communicate
openly. Focus on the path to success not the obstacles in the
way. Be confident that not all answers are needed today. Be
confident that a team is better than an individual. Be confident that no
one individual (even as much as I love Aaron Rodgers) is bigger than the
mission. Be confident that the team looks to you for leadership.
Will
the Packers continue to win or will they pack it in? Will your team
continue to win or will they pack it in? Through Optimism,
Creativity, Authentic Communication and Humanity you can
lead your team to better results and loftier goals. Challenge the unknown
WITH your team. Together. We. Win.
Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr
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