I have been there – a leader in trouble. Chances are so have most leaders. The question is are there warning signs that if recognized early enough would allow you to make adjustments to regain lost momentum? The answer is “Yes!”
In the September 16th edition of Sports Illustrated Andy Staples profiles two leaders in trouble; so much trouble in fact that they may actually shortly lose their jobs if their teams doing start winning.
Those two leaders are Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown and USC head coach Lane Kiffin. After reading Staples’s article, the following are 11 Signs When A Leader Is In Trouble I gleaned from the article:
- You Are In Trouble When Your Team Has Showed Dramatic Decline – Texas began the season losing in record-setting fashion to BYU while USC lost to the Pac-10’s traditionally worst team Washington State.
- You Are In Trouble When People Lose Confidence In You – Geoff Ketchum who runs the influential Longhorn website www.Orangebloods.com says, “There is no Mack Brown support whatsoever.”
- You Are In Trouble When You Blame Others For Your Poor Performance – After losing to BYU in embarrassing fashion, Brown made defensive coordinator Manny Diaz the sacrificial lamb firing him and replacing him Greg Robinson.
- You Are In Trouble When Your Replacement Has Already Hired – It sounds funny to say but it is true – if your company hires your replacement while you are still in your position, you are on a very short leash. Robinson was hired and brought on the staff in July in the role of “analyst”.
- You Are In Trouble When You Surround Yourself With Poor Performers – Robinson is now viewed as a solution to the team’s defensive woes despite previous poor tenures as Michigan’s defensive coordinator and Syracuse’s head coach.
- You Are In Trouble When You Are Constantly Losing Your Top Talent – Kiffin is saddled with limited talent and depth because of scholarship limitations stemming from the Reggie Bush penalties from 2010.
- You Are In Trouble When You Are Grasping For Straws In Search Of Answers – Having been unable to find a suitable quarterback since Colt McCoy, the Longhorns have been searching for an identity. The team has tried being a power offense like Alabama and even creative defensive schemes from Diaz’s teams at Middle Tennessee State. Nothing has worked and ideas are abandoned quickly in search of answers.
- You Are In Trouble When You Make Extremely Poor Personnel Decisions – It has been widely reported that both Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel wanted to attend Texas and play quarterback. In arguably the worst evaluation of talent in recent memory, Texas told both future Heisman Trophy winners they were better suited to play safety rather than quarterback. Sadly, star Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston was also not offered a scholarship though he wished to attend the university as well. Brown’s status at Texas would be in a different place had he been able to properly recognize and deploy talented personnel.
- You Are In Trouble When You Are Losing Customers – In a trend seen as heresy at the University of Texas, Texas A&M is now seen as the hottest brand in the state by top high school recruits who are wishing to play for head coach Kevin Sumlin.
- You Are In Trouble When You Are No Longer Invited To Important Meetings – In a shocking move following the BYU loss, the Longhorn Network chose to replay a women’s volleyball game rather than the Texas football game. Though not a “meeting”, when your presence is no longer desired at important times and meetings, you’re in trouble as a leader.
- You Are In Trouble When You Get Used To Being Criticised – When criticism is so frequent it seemingly becomes part of the job, you’re in trouble. Kiffin said, “I think I heard those before the game started. Actually, I’m getting used to it.”
If any of these 11 Signs are apparent in your leadership, you’re in trouble. The time to make adjustments and regain momentum in now!
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