Russell Wilson and Tom O'Brien---a leadership challenge

Last Spring N.C. State Head Coach Tom O'Brien informed three year starter and ACC player of the year quarterback Russell Wilson that he was no longer a member of the Wolfpack football team even though he had one year of eligibility. Wilson one of the most popular players on the team and recognized leader was not canned for on or off the field behavior, but for following his dream of being a professional baseball player by signing with Colorado Rockies and playing with a minor league affiliate of the Rockies.  O'Brien felt that Wilson was lacking in commitment to the team and the situation would cause uncertainty.  Did this come down to age old misguided philosophy that a coach has to treat everybody the same.  Unfortunately for O'Brien the Wolfpack has suffered and Wilson has taken over the quarterback reigns at University of Wisconsin and has become a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. O'Brien viewed this decision as one that needed to happen for well-being of the team.  As a leader you need to understand that not everyone is the same so you should not treat everyone the same.  Great achievers and producers build up equity because of their results and contributions and should be treated accordingly.  One of the best coaches I have ever seen (he has won more college tennis matches than any current college tennis coach) is VCU's Paul Kostin.   One of Coach Kostin's most amazing traits is his ability to give each individual exactly what each player needs to reach his/her maximum potential.  Some need praise, some need a scolding, some need almost nothing and P.K. is the best at recognizing that and supplying that relationship.  Coach O'Brien appears to have lost perspective that the individuals are the foundation of the team and their individual performances blended together is what makes a team successful.  Making the decision to not bring Wilson, the recognized team leader, back also brings to question how the rest of the team viewed the coaches commitment to the individual team members.  Does he care about us as individuals or does he just care about the team?  We all know when trust disappears, the leader quickly loses any ability to bring the group together.  The decision by Coach O'Brien was a difficult one.  The question is, "Did he really think through the implications of that decision?"  It could wind up being a very costly decision.  After watching the video below posted below that was recorded before the season, you can understand how difficult some decisions can be.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/college-football/Tom-OBrien-on-Russell-Wilson-decision-1096592

Theo and the Cubs----Change is around the corner

With both the Red Sox and the Cubs struggling through disappointing years, change at the top was almost a certainty.  The Bean City boy wonder who took over control of the Sox at age 28 saw greener pastures in the Windy City and made the move.  When new leadership is recruited to a struggling organization one thing is certain and that one thing  is change.  Status quo is not an option so expect to see some major changes on Lake Michigan.  One thing to realize is that Epstein and good leaders need to surround themselves with an inner circle that is both loyal and committed to the same mission, core values and vision as the leader.  Quite often individuals who are hired or appointed into new leadership positions feel an obligation to keep long time employees irrespective of how they buy into the important principles of the leaders.  A sure way to become ineffective as an organization is to have non-committed managers and folks in prominent positions not buy-in to the vision.  Nothing deflates morale quicker than the new leader ascending to a leadership position and espousing great ideas and plans and then nothing changes.  Followers quickly see that the leader has no ability to make progress and will shut down.  So expect the Cubbies to have a new manager, some significant new players and many new front office staff.  The uniforms will look the same but the organization will be very different.  Will the Cubs quickly challenge for the pennant, don't know but expect some significant changes inside those ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field. As an effective leader, you cannot be afraid of change, you have to embrace it. Don't be surprised to see Cubs former great Ryne Sandberg in the manager's chair in 2012.

Passion versus control----The Will Muschamp Model

No one is going to question first year University of Florida’s Head Football Coach Will Muschamp’s passion.  He has garnered quite a reputation at both Auburn and Texas as a highly intense and emotional coach.  Everyone in the inner cirle of college football was familiar with Muschamp as a rising star in the coaching world.  The question arises, Will that intensity and passion serve him well as the absolute leader or will that intensity soon wear thin on players, assistant coaches , the administration and the media?  Two leadership concepts come to focus:

1.     Leaders have to be themselves.  Trying to be someone you are not almost always fails.  Followers quickly recognize any contrived or unreal behavior.  As soon as a leader is labeled as a phony , the ability for the organization to succeed is greatly diminished and the leader has basically “lost his team”.

2.     A leader who cannot control his emotions on a regular basis will lose respect and ongoing outburst will have the same effect as spanking a child.  On occasion the spanking will get the child’s attention and have a positive result.  After a while the child will just accept that spanking and no impression whatsoever is made.  Leaders need to save those intense demonstrations so the strength of the reaction makes a definite impression

It will be interesting to see as Coach Muschamp’s career moves forward how he will balance being his own passionate and emotional self  with creating a balance so his wide constituent base will not tire of his outbursts and lack of control.  He has already appeared to making an adjustment by making public his intent to modify sideline behavior by eliminating profanity from his vocabulary and speech pattern.  I believe he will figure out how to deal with these two necessary leadership concepts.  What are your thoughts about the following link?

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_uf/2011/10/espn-cameras-pick-up-will-muschamps-rant-at-refs.html

The Big Domino Game-College Athletics

Over the last three months conference affiliation has changed as rapidly as participants in the World Series of Poker.  When University of Texas went all in with ESPN and created the Longhorn Network,
Texas A&M's leadership viewed this new network as a major advantage for UT in recruiting and exposure and knew they had to make a dramatic move.  Playing second fiddle was not in the Aggies strategic plan and they realized they would have to differentiate themselves from their Lone Star State rival.  Leaders are always looking for a way to differentiate themselves so their organization's brand is both recognizable and relevant.  By jumping to the SEC, Texas A&M will not be viewed by the Texas media as one of the many teams in the Big 12.  They will now be covered completely differently by the media as part of the number 1 football conference in the nation.  Leaders are alway looking for the "halo effect", picking up value by  association with the top brands in college football.  Alabama, LSU and Florida have had a stranglehold on the BCS National Championship and A&M wanted to play in that ballpark.  Over the years as programs have switched conference they tend to gravitate to the same level of competition as the conference membership.  A&M's desire is to expand their brand into a much larger geographical area while being viewed through the same filter as Alabama, LSU, Florida, Georgia and the rest of the SEC.  Why this move has a huge chance for Texas A&M success is the Aggies have the resources to invest.  Many wannabes want to elevate their programs and make the jump but cannot match the resources and end up being the whipping boy.  So as a leader remember you want to differentiate your brand and create a "halo effect" but before you do make sure you have the resources to allow for you to compete at the same level.  Uneven playing fields create major disadvantages and ultimate defeat for the guys without competitive reosurces.