I read an interesting article recently about a pro sports team in the northeast.  Seems they traded away their most talented (and most expensive) player.  In return, they received what could generously be called “prospects”; that is, largely unproven early career players.  To say this move raised some eyebrows, especially among the team’s loyal fans, is putting it mildly.

The problem began in the off season when the team signed a highly regarded free agent who played the same position as the established star player.  The issue escalated when the player was asked to move to another position.  He refused. This caused a rift inside the locker room. Not surprisingly, the team struggled on the field and their poor record reflected this.

The general manager who orchestrated the trade had this to say.  “As we think about the identity and the culture and the environment that is created by great teams, there was something amiss here.  It was something we needed to act decisively to course-correct”.

Few things can derail a general manager’s career faster than a trade that does not go well. It takes no small amount of courage to part ways with an established star, but that happened here. The results?  The team’s play improved as did the atmosphere in the locker room. So has their record and they are in the mix for a playoff spot, something that seemed highly unlikely early in the season. Simultaneously, the former star’s new team saw their performance (and their record) turn in the wrong direction; no playoffs there.

Organizations with a “superior performer” who flaunts policies, procedures and/or puts their own wishes ahead of those of the enterprise face a daunting decision, one that is far easier to delay or ignore altogether than to confront.  But that only magnifies the problem, one that is fully felt by every team member.

So, how is the culture in your organization?

For information on ways to measure and improve your organization’s culture, contact me at joe@ajstrategy.com or visit my website at ajstrategy.com.