A storm is brewing in the National Football League, and the world is watching. Yes, the world. The NFL is a multi-billion dollar industry, and there is a lot at stake in how things are unfolding.
At the heart of it all is one man: Roger Goodell, the embattled Commissioner of the NFL. Why embattled? The storm seems to be brewing around how he has handled some of the allegations and suspensions within the NFL. He has categorically denied that he and the rest of the administrative staff were aware of Ray Rice videotape showing the NFL star player accosting his fiancé. However, this has now been shown to clearly be a cover up on his part.
Why the cover up? Well, a billion dollar industry and its legitimacy may be at stake. But you see, at the end of the day this is where things have gone completely wrong and off the rails. By not taking decisive action and trying to cover up the issue, he has simply thrown more fuel on the fire. Now more and more issues are coming out of the woodwork as people are beginning to look around.
This is what happens in leadership when we don’t own up to the issues at hand, but rather try to cover them up. They will always come to the fore in some shape or another. We need to learn today from the Goodell situation and realize that this is not the way to lead. By trying to put a smiling face on a truly desperate situation simply shows to the public that things are far worse than imagined.
Now think if you were to do this in your own business ventures. How would the public react? Would they follow? Would they trust?
Take a page from the Goodell playbook, and toss it out…lead honestly and with integrity, for when you do the people will follow.
[sc:mbtc]
