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If you are a fan of the National Football League (NFL) you know that the league began the first few weeks of the 2012 season using "replacement refs." The NFL and the referee's union could not reach a contract agreement prior to the start of the season, so the NFL locked the regular referees out and brought in replacements until a new deal could be agreed to with the union.
While the replacements did the best job that they could, it was apparent that they were, as a whole, in over their heads. In fact, the whole thing was a huge disaster! Millions of frustrated fans watched games where the refs called phantom fouls, didn't call hugely obvious penalties, and seemed to have little control over the game.
The "tipping point" seemed to come in a nationally televised game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. An end of the game ruling by the referees gave the victory to the Seahawks, when it seemed clear that the Packers should have been the ones to win the game.
What went wrong?
While the replacements did the best job that they could, it was apparent that they were, as a whole, in over their heads. In fact, the whole thing was a huge disaster! Millions of frustrated fans watched games where the refs called phantom fouls, didn't call hugely obvious penalties, and seemed to have little control over the game.
The "tipping point" seemed to come in a nationally televised game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. An end of the game ruling by the referees gave the victory to the Seahawks, when it seemed clear that the Packers should have been the ones to win the game.
What went wrong?
The NFL made a decision that the games would be "okay" if officiated by a group of replacements. Unfortunately the replacements weren't even from the highest levels of college football (which often seems as good as the pro game) but rather from lower level college football and lower tier professional leagues such as the Lingerie Football League. (Really!)
The replacements just seemed ill equipped to handle the fast pace, pressure and the hundreds of pages of rules governing an NFL game.
In some ways it seems like the NFL simply threw these refs out there, on the largest sports stage in America, and just expected them to do well. And while the replacements were trying their best, I think they were pretty much placed in a situation where they were destined to fail.
Sound familiar? Everyday in corporate America, millions of people are struggling in their careers because their employers have placed them in situations where, they too, seem destined to fail.
How many of you have simply been handed the keys, given the alarm code, shown where the products are and expected to sell right away? How many of you have been shown to your desk, asked to answer the phone and sell to incoming customers on your first day?
This isn't okay...and, as the NFL has proved, doesn't work!
So what can you do?
How has someone invested in you? How do you invest in others? Please comment below!
The replacements just seemed ill equipped to handle the fast pace, pressure and the hundreds of pages of rules governing an NFL game.
In some ways it seems like the NFL simply threw these refs out there, on the largest sports stage in America, and just expected them to do well. And while the replacements were trying their best, I think they were pretty much placed in a situation where they were destined to fail.
Sound familiar? Everyday in corporate America, millions of people are struggling in their careers because their employers have placed them in situations where, they too, seem destined to fail.
How many of you have simply been handed the keys, given the alarm code, shown where the products are and expected to sell right away? How many of you have been shown to your desk, asked to answer the phone and sell to incoming customers on your first day?
This isn't okay...and, as the NFL has proved, doesn't work!
So what can you do?
- Take the time to invest in people: Your people want to be equipped to do their jobs well; so do it! If that means you put some things on your back burner, rearrange your schedule or delegate other responsibilities, make sure you train your people to do their jobs well.
- Invest in yourself: Throughout my career I have made it a point to read professional development books from authors like John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, and John Wooden. I also like listening to CDs and Podcasts, and attending seminars, workshops and trainings from leaders I admired. To be able to prepare your people for success, you need to be prepared as well.
- Build positive relationships: Your success will ultimately depend on the quality of the relationships you develop with your people, your supervisors, your clients, co-workers and partners. You cannot succeed alone!
How has someone invested in you? How do you invest in others? Please comment below!
