Darth Raider Culture

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What It’s About: This Saturday New York Times had a devastating story about the totally dysfunctional culture of the NFL’s iconic Las Vegas Raiders. “The Disarray and ‘Stone Age’ Dysfunction of the Las Vegas Raiders… Former employees described an N.F.L. franchise bedeviled by executive departures, poor financial management, unpaid electric bills and a raft of firings, payouts and N.D.A.s.” Even the last HR leader is in a dispute with the club based on discrimination and the anecdotal information that morale is getting even worse.

I remember when I joined the L.A. Kings Hockey Club, just after billionaire Phil Anschutz bought the team in the early 90’s, the franchise had been teetering near bankruptcy and the place was a demoralized s%* show. My assistant was using a borrowed computer from a friend. The board room looked like a bad attic, old trophies on the floor, team pictures unhung, etc. It was a sad scene, and more like a flea market than a professional sports franchise.

You CANNOT “win” in sports or anywhere without the entire organization thriving. Years later (2012), after an intensive focus on building a winning culture, the Kings did win a Stanley Cup. It’s humbling and very hard to go from toxic to thriving, however it can be done.

So What?: I genuinely believe (with the help of key others of course) that I could turn the Raiders or any other toxic culture around in three to five years. The key factor is the TOP leader. In the case of the Raiders, the family ownership head Mark Davis has to believe in and want to put People First. He also has to behaviorally model the change and culture he wants. If not, two steps forward can be unraveled by leadership behaviors that contradict stated intent. You ARE what you DO much more than what you say.

I am very confident, and have the data to prove that applying this framework is a winning recipe and formula for building a thriving culture. I would happily take on the opportunity to work with the Raiders for NO FEES in exchange for a 10 percent of the market value increase of the Raiders by 2026. My argument is that a high performance, thriving culture impacts the play and results on the football field.

Now What?: Think of the group you are part of as a sports franchise. You may not be able to have a major impact on the organization's culture, but you can directly determine the way people experience working in your area of influence. Lead from where you are! Do not be the Las Vegas Raiders in your organization.

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

One Millennial View: Just because they’re located in Sin City, the Raiders don’t have to be the worst behaving culture in the NFL. Where do they think they are, Miami?

- Garrett

Edited and published by Garrett Rubis

Darth Raider Culture

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