NFL Negotiations – The Advocate Leader

15. Feb, 2011 0 Comments

There are some who think the latest round of NFL negotiations between the players and owners took a hit recently. It looks like a few are coming to the table with egos bigger than the Redskin’s stadium.

It probably shouldn’t be surprising that in this tough man’s sport there are some who may think negotiation is primarily about intimidation. Jerry Richardson, Carolina Panthers owner an apparent spokesman for the owners, allegedly tried the intimidation play in the latest meeting.

The February 5 meeting took a turn for the worse when quarterbacks, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, were mocked by Richardson. According to Yahoo’s Jason Cole, “Richardson was particularly sarcastic when Manning started to talk about players’ safety. At one point, Richardson evidently said, ‘What do you know about player safety?’”

If the allegation is true, Richardson didn’t realize that leaders who go on the attack legitimize the concerns of those they attack. Richardson’s tone implied to some that Peyton was ignorant. The moment he avoided answering the question, Manning became a trusted voice for the players. Manning stepped into the role of an advocate leader.

There is a stark difference between a leader who intimidates and one who serves as an advocate. A leader who intimidates breeds distrust and animosity. Their attitude slows down progress. Who wants to shake hands with the one who leverages personal attacks to gain the upper hand? This kind of foul deserves a penalty and will bring the players to their feet in protest.

The advocate leader speaks on the behalf of others for good. They ask probing questions and their voice is leveraged in the interest of justice. A thoughtful response to their questions results in trust. Where there is trust there is greater potential for progress. The advocate leader is willing to engage in the hard conversations for the good of others.

Whether Richardson really intended to talk down to Manning or not, he left some with that perception. His intention may have been to genuinely understand but that isn’t the impression he left.

Leaders must choose their words and the tone carefully knowing that they are closely scrutinized. How a leader treats others in the middle of a disagreement, significantly impacts the progress. It is far better to be viewed as an advocate than a bully who intimidates.

—————————————————–

Drew Brees’s view on the meeting with Jerry Richardson:

Jerry Richardson’s Peyton Manning Confrontation Was Overblown, Says Drew Brees