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Team vs. Me – An Observation

Part of the Naughty Red Dog Series

“Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn't do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another.”

Vince Lombardi

As I watched the Monday Night Football game between Dallas and Chicago last night, I thought about this Vince Lombardi quote.  It wasn’t just this game, but I've noticed this in recent years.  You see a number of players focusing on their own highlight reel as opposed to working as a unit.  For example:

• Observing more illegal and sometimes very dangerous hits
• Trying to strip the ball instead of using sound, fundamental tackling techniques
• Standing around watching others tackle
• Cut blocking or holding instead of engaging the opponent with technique, power, and/or finesse
• Unnecessary selfish personal foul penalties

These activities have a negative effect on the outcome for the team.  That is where there is a correlation between football and business.

Football was designed to be one of the most team-oriented sports.  You have eleven players on the field all working towards a common goal, whether on Offense, Defense, or Special Teams.  This covers both on the field and off.  Immense effort goes into building a team.  What is your product or service?  How will you recruit?  How much will they be paid?  What kind of benefits will you offer?  Who will be your head coach/CEO?  Who will be your coordinators/Executives be?  Who will your assistant coaches/managers be?  Who will your players/employees be?  Where will your stadium/business be located?  What offenses, defenses, and special teams/business model will you run?  What is you game plan/business plan?  Who will your fans/customers be?

These are all questions that need to be answered, but we have seen a great deal of inequity in the sports and business arenas.  Does that QB/Executive deserve to be paid $10M/year plus bonuses?  How many other players/employees will have their pay decreased because someone else demands more compensation?  Will you sacrifice the many to keep the one?  A real-life example of this is a CEO who was making an annual salary base of $10M.  As they lost a couple of contracts, the CEO decided that they still deserved a raise.  In order to make that happen, 30+ positions were eliminated to allow for the raise.  The pay for those positions ranged for $35K to $50K/year.  Where did teamwork go?

This lends itself to the next obvious question.  How do you get the competitive edge?  Do you believe that you can buy a championship/success?  Are you willing to abide by the rules and guidelines that have been set forth?  Or is okay for you to hurt others for your own gains?  Bountygate/Enron?  Do you want to be successful because you have a sound program/business plan or are you willing to sacrifice others for your own advancement?  We should try to hold ourselves to a higher standard.  Maybe I am looking at this from a more “black and white” or a “pie in the sky” viewpoint.  Ethics, values, and integrity.  If we do not hold to these, what do we have?

-Michael Hermanson, CPA | CGMA