Sports And Management

What Sports Can Teach Us About Management
One of the reasons I enjoy sports is the human dynamic at work in every sporting endeavor. At different times and in different sports, an athlete may do battle with another competitor, the elements, or even with himself and his will. This fascinates me. What’s more, an athlete often has to deal with teammates, a coach, and management or governing bodies.There always seems to be something going on in the sporting world that lends itself to the drama of the human theater.
Jeremy Lin
There are a number of current situations playing themselves out that deserve some analysis and reflection by any manager. Let’s start with the Jeremy Lin phenomenon in New York. Lin was a fringe player in the NBA who had already been cut by a number of teams, beforecatching on with the New York Knicks. The Knicks signed Lin because of injuries to a number of its star players and, lo and behold, Lin takes the league and the country by storm. In his first four games, he scored more points than any player in league history. What’s more, his team which had been bumping along with a sub-.500 winning percentage started to string some wins together.
So why wouldthis be interesting to a manager? Well, put yourself in the place of the Knicks’ coach or front office. You’ve signed this player to a minimum salary to fill in while your stars are injured. Much to your surprise, the player performs way above anyone’s expectations. You want to hold on to this new contributor and maximize what he can do for the team. At the same time, your proven stars arereturning to work and expect their places in the line-up.
What’s the best result for the organization? How do you retain all you’ve gained from the new addition who has made significant contributions in such a short time? How do you begin to build team chemistry as the veteran players return to work? There are egos involved. There are team dynamics to consider. It’s up to the coach (read “manager”) todetermine how to best use all the talent that has been assembled to advance the goals of the organization — in this case, winning a championship.
It’s fascinating stuff and I wish I could tell you I have all the answers to the questions I’m posing. I don’t. In part, that’s because I’m not smart enough to figure it out. But it’s also because every situation is different. The cast of characters isdifferent, the organization is different, and the goals are different. The manager must be able to assess all the factors involved in each unique situation and determine the best course of action for the organization.
Peyton Manning
Here’s another situation that just played itself out that intrigues me in a similar way. The Indianapolis Colts had the option to get out of its contract with starquarterback Peyton Manning, who was drafted by the team in 1998 and has played his entire career with them. If the Colts chose to opt out of the contract with Manning, they must pay him $1 million. If they don’t, they owe him a $28 million bonus and they get to keep Manning.
It seems simple, doesn’t it? Evaluate whether or not the employee, I mean player, is worth the amount you must pay him. Is theorganization better off paying him $1 million to leave or $28 million to stay?
Well, let me complicate things further. During his time in Indianapolis, Manning has been, arguably, the best quarterback in the league and one of the best of all time. He also led the team to the city’s first Super Bowl victory and is beloved by fans.
So while his performance may seem to warrant the contractextension, given what professional athletes make today, there are other factors for the organization to consider. Manning didn’t play a single game last season due to a neck injury and, at 36 years old, there’s some question about whether he will be able to play at the same level he has in the past. And without Manning, the Colts lost so many games last season they earned the top pick in the 2012 draft...