Yes, you know.
You’ve been hearing about it for a while.
And you have a strong view one way or another.
Relax.
This is about change.
The NFL says it values player safety.
Ambiguous?
Roger Goodell said “There is no higher priority than player safety.”
Sounds like a vision. A goal. Something to aspire to.
So now Roger Goodell has a choice.
He has said the words.
He has taken some action, passing some new rules to protect players and encouraging innovation in helmet design.
He now faces the leadership decision: what is my priority? Do I reinforce the goal at the expense of other priorities?
If you missed last night’s game, Chicago linebacker Danny Trevathan lowered his head and hit a defenseless Green Bay receiver whose forward progress was stopped.
Hit is too kind.
He sought to destroy Davante Adams.
In fact did just that, knocking his mouthpiece out and leaving Adams out cold.
And opportunity number one to reinforce Roger Goodell’s vision was missed.
Referee John Hussey penalized Trevathan but allowed him to stay in the game.
The evidence is clear. The result is clear.
So now Goodell has a choice to make.
Do I reinforce my vision? Or do I allow it to be compromised? How much of a message do I send?
You may recall Goodell suspending Tom Brady for 4 games over deflated footballs.
Or Ray Rice 2 games for punching a woman in a hotel lobby.
Does he do something here to the player or the referee who failed to enforce the more serious consequence?
Here is an opportunity. To make a statement. To show people where your heart is. To validate the priority that you have said is “number one.”
As a business leader you face this decision every day.
You have a similar opportunities where someone behaves in a way that counters your goal, whether it is an actor or an enabler.
Maybe you don’t have the benefit of video evidence.
What do you do?
And do you see how your action contributes to achieve your goal? Or sadly, the opposite?
Do you feel the need to explain your action to your organization?
If you answered no, think about that.
Because in the absence of your explanation, people in your organization will create their own.
And do you think that will benefit your goal?
Reinforcing change is hard. But it is the most important factor in achieving change.
Having grandiose visions and taking action are both critical but without reinforcement fail to achieve meaningful change.
Turn this example around. What if Travathan had stopped running?
Would anyone have recognized him for understanding the priority and taking action?
Or would it have gone unnoticed?
What if Roger Goodell highlighted the decision to stop, recognizing the player and validating his action as part of his vision?
You as a leader can recognize. You can reward. It doesn’t even have to be monetary.
Think about this in the change you seek. What are you doing to reinforce your goals?
Without video evidence, do you have a coach or someone that can guide you?
Because after all, leaders are people too.
And people see what they want to see.
As they are doing with the National Anthem protests.
#changeleadership