Tuesday, February 22, 2011

February Leadership Reflections

One of the leadership lessons that is predominant in the first two months of 2011 is the power of momentum or to put it another way, "Success begets success." In world events, the waves of political upheavel started in Tanzania, them moved to Egypt, are currently roaring through Libya and apparently Yemen and Morocco are beginning to see a change in the tides also. In a facebook and twitter and text-message world, momentum is almost impossible to stop once it starts moving, even if it is "technically" blocked.

Momentum has always been a force that leaders need to acknowledge and deal with, whether building on positive momentum or diffusing (or otherwise minimizing) negative momentum. The difference in 2011 is that what may have taken months or even years to develop and move in the political realm in one nation, now can shift dramatically in days, and can then carry over geographic boundaries - as if the lines are simply pencil markings on a map - almost overnight.

This is also evident in the hockey arena. Just after Christmas, the Calgary Flames were waiting for a "bomb to drop" as significant changes were desperately needed as the team continued to muddle along in mediocrity. When GM Darryl Sutter was asked to step down, this was thought to be the first of many steps to the "urgently needed" rebuild. Seven weeks later the Flames are not only in the playoff race, but as of today would be in the top eight in the Western Conference. The alleged "fire sale" that the Flames would be having at the trade deadline is now unthinkable, as all agree you cannot break up the chemistry the team has right now. Seven weeks ago, they were too old, too slow, with almost no salary cap room and even fewer draft choices or prospects to look forward to watching. Again, the direction the team has been moving on the ice (and thus in the standings) has changed the whole tone of the conversation about the character and needs of the organization.

The same has happened in New Jersey as coach John MacLean was let go and former coach, Jacques Lemaire has stepped in. Like the Flames, a team that was competing for a lottery pick in the NHL entry draft is now on the verge of the playoff bubble. Goaltender Martin Brodeur, who the Devils had perhaps played too much and thereby left no room for another goaltender to prepare to fill his shoes, now is the "clutch goaltender" he has always been. Other teams have crashed almost as quickly, namely the Colorado Avalanche.

Leaders are going to have to be increasingly astute at understanding what "trends" are gaining momentum and how when they "go viral" this will affect their organization. Equally challenging, will be distinguishing what news is potentially momentous, and what flashes are simply blips of no lasting significance.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Proud of the Calgary Flames team

Today I am proud to be a Calgary Flames fan. Yes, they have won six games in a row including their first ever victory in Atlanta since the "Flames" franchise played there. However, I am even more proud to be a Calgary Flames fan because of the organizational culture that the team represents, encourages, and celebrates.

First, Craig Conroy announced his retirement today and will now be serving as "Special Assistant to the Acting General Manager." This situation could have gone wrong in so many ways, and yet the Flames organization, under the direction of Ken King as President, did so many things right. First, this is a classy man who just played his 1000th NHL game, is a favorite with everyone - fans, teammates, media, etc - and yet the bottom line was he was not going to get in the lineup. Someone had to make the tough call for the good of the team and tell Conroy the truth - and Acting GM Jay Feaster did this last week. He could either accept assignment to the AHL farm team in Abbotsford or retire (because no team picked him up on waivers). You know this had to be tough on everyone and yet they did what was needed for the organization. Conroy admitted it was hard to take and wisely, he took about a week to decide what his next step would be.

Once it became clear that Conroy's choice was retirement, the Flames then took this very classy man and multi-favorite and offered him a "get a taste of everything in hockey management" position - something he will be good at and something the Flames and Feaster specifically at this time need. Conroy, of course, thinks he has won the proverbial lottery, getting to stay in Calgary (avoiding uprooting his family), stay involved with hockey and specifically the Flames, and get his feet into various aspects of hockey management and operations. In many respects, he did get a "golden job" - and every fan, player and media person agrees that it couldn't happen to a better guy.

Best of all, the team - no doubt led by their captain Jarome Iginla - all showed up today at the press conference where Conroy announced his retirement. Yes, this shows how much Conroy means to them as a friend, yet it is so much the "right thing" for an organization to see, for young players to see/experience.

Speaking of Jarome Iginla, the Flames captain who declined the invitation to the All-Star Game to spend time with his elderly grandmother, today's Calgary Herald article shows just what a good, classy guy Iggy is.

So I am proud to be a Flames fan today because their organization is truly classy.