The "Redskins": A Brand at What Cost?

In my new book, HUM, I explain why an organization’s brand should not only be strong, but must be authentic and reflect the organization’s core values in order to successfully reach its true potential. Among the many reasons for organizations to spend the time and energy defining, designing, aligning and refining its brand is that business developments and changing times will inevitably challenge every organization’s brand at some point.  In my book, I discuss how Apple and National Geographic have each successfully adapted their businesses to their respective evolving business markets while staying true to their brand.  

But, what happens if an organization’s leaders believe that its brand is entirely dependent upon its past successes, traditions, and even its own name?  What if an organization feels that any change to its name would jeopardize its brand and risk alienating the loyalty of its consumers and fans, despite the knowledge that the name itself has become widely recognized as offensive?  Is it possible for an organization with a brand so rooted in the past to have a future?  Is it possible that the organization’s leaders have defined the brand too narrowly?

As any football fan could guess, a great example of this issue is the ongoing debate over the controversial name of the Redskins franchise. The article below, written by Jack Baer, my oldest godson, first appeared in The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, on October 7, 2013.  He argues that it’s time for the Redskins name to go.     

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Column: Native American mascots need to go

October 07, 2013 11:44 pm • Jack Baer

The debate over the use of Native American mascots in schools is now up for debate in the Wisconsin Legislature.

This is a complicated issue that pits what some would call the irrationality of sports fandom and tradition against the pain of one of the most downtrodden groups in American history.

Before that debate can be fully engaged however, we need to talk about the Washington Redskins. Because as long as we discuss the morality of Native American mascots, the Redskins will loom large as a truly brutal example of what continues to be defended by sports fans.

The Random High School Indians or the Whatever Prep Chiefs won’t really seem that bad as long as the Redskins continue to exist under their current name. It’s like complaining about a leaky faucet when your basement is flooding.

I grew up in the Washington D.C. area. I’m a Nationals fan, I’m a Capitals fan, I’m a Wizards fan, and I’m a Ravens fan. I’m not a Redskins fan, and the name is a big reason why.

Rooting for what was pretty clearly a racial slur just felt creepy to 12-year-old me.

Maybe it would be okay if the Redskins were partially owned or operated by Native Americans, or at least named by Native Americans. But the reality is the Washington Redskins have always been run by white people, and some notoriously racist white people at that.

The man who brought the Redskins to D.C., George Preston Marshall, flat out refused to sign a black player onto his team until 1962. He only buckled when two cabinet members threatened to revoke the Redskins stadium, which was paid for by the government.

When Marshall was lying on his deathbed in 1969 he asked for a foundation to be set up in his name, under the stipulation that not a penny would go to any purpose supporting racial integration in any form. This is the man who named the Redskins.

Maybe the name would be even slightly defensible if it were coined by some sort of Native American interest. But the fact stands—they were named by one of the most disgusting racists in sports history.

Because of that and so many more obvious reasons, it’s pretty clear the time has come for notoriously stubborn Redskins owner Dan Snyder to change the name.

President Barack Obama believes it, saying he would consider changing the name if he were Snyder.

Bill Simmons and Peter King, two of the most influential sportswriters in the world, believe it, even going so far as to refuse use of the name in their columns.

Even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is beginning to believe it, backtracking on previous statements in which he ironically called the name, one that has prompted endless debate, a “unifying force.”

Snyder can cite tradition, flawed opinion studies of Native Americans and a fake “American Inuit chief originally from the Aleutian Tribes of Alaska” (seriously, google this, the guy’s name is Chief Dodson) all he wants.

The day I believe Snyder truly has no problems with the name is when he invites a Native American tribe to FedEx Field and freely calls them by the moniker he himself has judged to be non-offensive.

Until then, Snyder is just an owner of a badly named business which he’s too stubborn to rebrand.

Unless he reverses course, and quick, we’re going to remember Snyder in the same light as Marshall, a man embarrassingly behind the racial realities of his time.

Strengths Finder 2.0

 

Those of you who have worked with me know I have loved the Gallup work on strengths-based leadership, management, and personal development from its inception almost forty years ago.

One of my clients asked me to tie strengths-based leadership into their upcoming strategic planning retreat a few weeks from now.  Every board member was sent a copy of  Tom Rath’s Strengths Finder 2.0, a great summary of the research supporting strengths-based development (actually, as Tom points out, it’s really “talents based” development, as we have the responsibility to invest in our talents in order to turn them into strengths.)  The book also provides definitions of the 34 identified strengths, with examples and steps for improvement for each.  The best part, though, is that each book comes with an access code to a website where you can take a reliable, valid inventory that reports to you your talents, along with ideas about how to apply and develop them.  It’s bound to open your eyes and make you feel great.

Each of the participants in our upcoming board retreat will have taken the inventory and read Strengths Finder 2.0 before they attend the meeting.  We will use their results as a springboard for discussing the strengths members see in one another as well as in themselves, and how these can be used in complementary ways to achieve their business goals.

I confess that I can’t understand why more organizations don’t take the strengths-based approach instead of focusing on what each person lacks, insisting they overcome their weaknesses, or simply ignoring their talents.  I was observing just such an organization recently, where roles were rotated automatically around the group, so each member was required to serve as chair, treasurer, secretary, etc.—regardless of where their talents were.  It was painful to watch, especially since the assumption was that this approach was very egalitarian—giving everyone equal opportunity for each role.  Imagine a baseball or football team where every member rotated through each position!  

High performance can only be achieved and sustained when members are encouraged to play to their strengths. Yet, over the past decade, more than 10 million people have reported to Gallup about how they’ve been engaged at work, and only one-third “strongly agree” with the statement: “At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.”  And, of course, for those who don’t get to play to their strengths every day, the costs are staggering—for them as individuals, for the teams on which they serve, and for the organizations which employ them.

Do you know your strengths, and do you get to use them at work every day?  If you have any doubts, pick up a copy of the book and take the inventory—it just might lead you in a new career direction!

Creating Something Meaningful With What You Have

I have always admired individuals and organizational leaders who can create something magical with whatever they’ve got.  I’ve seen this talent used to create delicious, memorable meals.  I’ve seen it applied to the creation of a breath-taking garden that reveals new dimensions throughout the seasons. And I’ve seen organizations that resist making excuses about what they don’t have, instead using the people and resources they do have to achieve good in the world.

Today, I am especially moved by the accomplishments of Brooke Curran, who in 2009 created a nonprofit, RunningBrooke, to raise money for the children of Alexandria by running marathons.  In brief, her goal for Phase One was to run the major marathons in the world along with one in every state and one on every continent.  She will achieve this goal this month, having raised an amazing amount of money to champion healthy kids to develop the skills and habits they need for success in school and life.

The celebration of her completion of Phase One will be at Brooke's house October 25, 7-9pm with food from around the world, wine, beer, music, and lots of fun!  For more information or to buy tickets online, visit www.runningbrooke.com.  Be prepared to be completely inspired and motivated to get more out of yourself when you witness how Brooke has pushed herself to accomplish this personal challenge in order to deliver on her goals.  And what happens after Phase One?  Visit her website to learn about what she plans to do in Phase Two!

Brooke epitomizes for me someone who takes what she’s got and applies it in the service of others.  I have never heard her complain.  She is always energetic and focused on the next marathon that will get her closer to her goals.  She has a strong board behind her that helps her make sure the funds she raises are given to worthy projects to advance RunningBrooke’s mission.  Keep on runnin’, Brooke.  You’re truly an inspiration!

Mission in a Bottle

 What has inspired you lately?  Last week, I was fortunate enough to be included in the Press Club launch of Mission in a Bottle: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently—and Succeeding, presented by the co-founders of Honest Tea, Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff.  Also participating in the event was  their friend, Gary Hirshberg, founder and chairman of Stoneyfield Farm, Inc.  The conversation ranged from how to launch a socially responsible start-up to the health/food crisis in America, which made for an energizing and inspiring evening.  The presenters were informative, humorous, and filled with memorable anecdotes to illustrate their points, just like their book---a business book written in comic book format!

What made the evening uniquely inspiring was that it was equal parts entertaining and educational.   I was delighted to learn that the values upon which the author-entrepreneurs founded and built their company are in line with the core value of connectivity that I describe as the key to success in my recent book, HUM.  I also really appreciated Seth and Barry’s ability to laugh at themselves, the situations they created, and those in which they found themselves. I laughed out loud at their explanation of how the name ended up to be  “Honest Tea” because Nestea challenged their trademark application, claiming the name could be read, “Ho Nestea.” They went back and put a space between the words “Honest” and “Tea,” and received their trademark approval.  On a more serious note, though, they described their first hand experience of just how tough it is to go up against the big business forces in the food industry, including not only manufacturing, but bottling, distribution, pricing, etc.  

If you are in need some new inspiration of your own,  you should definitely check out the book.  I recommend it highly to anyone interested in social entrepreneurship, food and health policy in the US, balancing work and personal commitments and partnerships—or just in search of a great read that will expand their understanding and appreciation of what it takes to bring about large scale change (or even small scale change, for that matter).  It’s a great read for every member of your family old enough to read a comic book!

'Tis the Season

What’s your favorite season?  I’d love to conduct a survey of nonprofit leaders to discover their answer to that question.  I’d bet more would answer, “Autumn,” than any other season.  Just as bakeries and ballets are their busiest during the winter holiday season, nonprofit leaders seem to get into the spirit of strategic planning in the fall.  

Every autumn, I rejoice at the renewed attention nonprofits give to where they want to go and how they can best get there. I think the reason may be that nonprofit leaders still identify with and relate to the school year calendar.  We take time to reflect during the summer, while members of our staffs alternate time away for summer vacations.  We think about what worked and didn’t in the last year as well as what we want to do differently in the coming year. We think about our strong leaders and how we can use their strengths to advance the organization’s agenda. Of course, we also ruminate on those personnel problems we have left unaddressed, knowing in our guts that they never get better without attention.  Over the summer, we also notice trends and patterns in our external world that send signals about how we may have to adapt to how we serve our members or customers.  And we have experiences that cause us to look at our organizations, cultures, and leadership styles through fresh lenses.  If our organization was a boat, what kind would it be?  If we had to identify our culture as that of an animal in the zoo, which would it be?  If we treated our customers as we are being treated in this B+B, what would we do differently?

Children going back to school at the end of summer triggers an almost salmon-up-the-stream-to-spawn urge among nonprofit leaders to make improvements, start fresh, and tackle neglected issues—all through strategic planning initiatives.  Maybe this is why fall is my busiest and favorite season.  I love the energy nonprofit leaders invest in the interest of better serving their constituents, and am always grateful for the opportunity to be their guide, coach, and facilitator on that journey.  

If you are a nonprofit leader, give in to the spirit of the season and use these next few months to better align your culture, services, structures, and processes with your mission, vision, and core values.  You’ll find it’s like catching a wave and riding it to shore—exhilarating and satisfying.  When you begin the next calendar year, you will be doing so on a firmer foundation with clearer, measurable strategies to achieve the vision and goals to which you and your team have recommitted.

Culture, Culture, Culture

Someone asked me recently why I place so much emphasis on organizational culture.  The simple answer is that it is the most potent and yet most overlooked variable in organizational performance.  If you have a connective culture, you have organizational alignment of your programs, processes, and structures with your purpose.  Most organizational leaders cannot look in a mirror and see where their organizations are misaligned.  In order to be as productive as possible, you need alignment, but this is impossible without a constructive culture in which people can communicate openly with trust; where they all know their roles, and believe they have the tools, authority, and skills to excel; and where they respect their leaders for fairness and dedication.  

I don’t make a practice of sharing negative examples on my blog, but this past week I experienced such a powerful example of a non-constructive culture that I feel compelled to share it.  A dear friend moved to DC last year to work for a highly respected federal agency.  Having spent his career in the private sector, where his work won many awards, he was eager to bring his talents and experience to serve our country.  

Hired at a very low grade level, he was promised that he would be boosted up two grades as quickly as possible.  When this didn’t happen, and it was obvious to all that he was working at a much higher level than his pay grade, he was told to, “Work at grade, and not any better.”  

Devastated, he is now wondering how long he can remain in this agency, in spite of the accomplishments he’s achieved for them.  He was born and probably hard wired to “work above grade.”  He’s now recognizing that, in spite of his achievements and the guidance he’s provided many colleagues during the last year, he may decide to leave if his only choice is to fit into a passive defensive culture where people are punished for doing more than they are paid for—and where his salary doesn’t cover his monthly rent for a studio apartment.

Please look at the signals you may be sending to your family or work group about what you expect of them.  As a leader, you are creating a culture by what and how you communicate as well as what you do or don’t do.  Look at yourself through the eyes of others and discover ways you can promote a more connective culture—one that will benefit the group as well as every member.

"Find a Way"

At the age of 64, Diana Nyad just completed her lifelong dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida.  Asked what was different this time that allowed her to succeed when she had attempted the swim many times before, she replied that she kept repeating the mantra, “Find a way.”

We all know people who have achieved amazing things in spite of tremendous challenges—the single mom who manages to parent her kids while holding down a job and going to school for a degree that will help her pull herself and her family up, the returned vet who suffers PTSD and finds that strength within himself to “find a way” by seeking counseling and accepting support to move through the recurring nightmare he faces, or the physically challenged friend who has such a positive attitude in spite of her pain that you’re inspired to better yourself.

The same is true for organizations.  So many of my clients who have succeeded—some against seemingly impossible odds—have done so because they embraced that same attitude—“No matter what, we will find a way.”  They do not mean finding a way by cheating, or at the expense of their employees or customers.  They mean they won’t make excuses or look for scapegoats.  They won’t take the common “cop out” that they could excel if they only had more resources.  They work with what and who they have and, through innovation, collaboration, and persistence, find a way to achieve their collective vision.

Is there something you really want that you have failed to achieve?  Maybe it’s time to take it on and find a way.  Take advantage of the “Back to School” energy that permeates the air at this time of year and tackle something important, finding a way to see it through, no matter what.