It’s third and long in the fourth quarter with two minutes left in the game. Do you call a run, screen pass or go for the long ball? Ask any NFL quarterback and you will get a different answer to the same question. Why? Because each has a different level of aggressiveness, self-confidence and experience, and accepts a different level of risk. The same factors come into play when your top executive makes a tough business decision.
In a recent USA Today article titled, “Elway still making all the right calls at quarterback” the author Nancy Armour addressed the decision that John Elway, former Denver Broncos quarterback and now executive vice president of football operations for the team, made regarding quarterback Tim Tebow.
The approach taken by Elway was one that we as corporate leaders need to adopt when making decisions regarding the leadership of our teams. Elway knew that if his team was going to achieve its goal of going to the Super Bowl, they needed a different, more experienced leader.
Based on this evaluation, Elway then made the difficult decision and traded the popular Tebow, knowing that he did not have the qualities the team needed to make it to the next level. Elway decided to take a gamble on veteran quarterback Peyton Manning, who had twice danced at “the big show.” Even with his multiple neck surgeries, Manning’s experience, leadership skills and maturity trumped the potential downside risk of his physical condition. The end of this story is still to be written, but Elway’s gamble has paid serious dividends. Although they lost the game handily, the Broncos made it to the Super Bowl with Manning. Tebow is currently out of pro football.
How do we apply Elway’s decision-making process to our own enterprises? First, we need to consider whether the current leadership can take you to the next step. Can they get you to your ultimate goal, profitability and market leadership? Too often for a level of comfort, we accept a less aggressive path to success. As with the Broncos, sometimes you need to locate and acquire a proven leader that will take your enterprise to the “Big Dance.” Sometimes we need to invest in a proven leader rather than trying to develop the needed talent internally.
What if you don’t have the proven leader, but have a talented supporting cast? In reality, you are in the same boat as the Broncos were when they went after Manning. Your first step is to develop a list of the leadership qualities and experience you desire in the person who you want to quarterback your enterprise. Your next step is to go to your middle management and ask them what qualities they would want to see in their next manager. Ultimately you have the final say, but it is important that you take into serious consideration the feedback that has been provided to you by these managers. Their feedback should be seen as them buying into the process, taking a level of ownership for the final selection. If your final selection meets not only your criteria, but also theirs, the potential for this hire to succeed has increased.
Too often, we as owners and senior managers base our decisions on only the criteria we have developed without any input from the employees who will report to the new leader. Currently, I am involved in a national search for a key sales executive and we have solicited input from the sales team as to the qualities they want in a sales manager. We have aligned their desired qualities with these of the ownership and now we have a profile of the individual we are seeking. We know that we may not find the perfect match, but we also know we will be making a more informed decision and have increased our potential for success.
What about your company’s team? Could you make the difficult decision that Elway made and bring increased success to your enterprise by changing your quarterback?
Cary Silverstein, MBA, is the president and CEO of SMA LLC & The Negotiating Edge. He leads a group that provides services in the areas of strategic planning, negotiation training and conflict resolution with offices in Fox Point and Scottsdale, Ariz. He can be reached at (414) 403-2942 or at Csilve1013@aol.com.
