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By now, I am sure everyone has heard about Cam Newton's one-worded press conference that followed the defeat of the Carolina Panthers to the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl 50. Coming into the game, Newton was known for cracking jokes, taking jabs at the other teams and being "the face of the league" in prior press conferences. Yet, this time, the man known for wearing golden shoes and tiger print pants met the press in a non-descrip hoodie and hardly made any eye contact with the members of the press; ending their time together with "I'm done, bro."
This topic has received some thoughts already by the RallyPoint community but it has also go me thinking over the past few days. Newton, a 26 year old NFL MVP, went from being the example of what it means to be a great winner to the example of being the sorest of losers. Now, let me state that I cannot fully blame Cam for his actions. While I think they reflect very poorly on him as a persona and a leader of a sports team, this conference was held within one hour of him seeing his hopes of winning the biggest game in the NFL slip away. His press conference room was just on the other side of the wall from the Broncos where he could hear them celebrating and talking about him and his actions leading up the game. That had to sting a lot. But it serves as a great teaching point for leaders.
As a leader, either in the military or not, you are often placed in situations where all eyes are on you. We see this more than ever right now as people travel city to city, state to state trying to get others to support their race to be the biggest leader in the land; a position that is truly under the largest microscope. Yes, there is a huge difference between being the President of the United States and being the QB of a NFL team; but nonetheless, people will always look to leaders to set a good example. An example of what they want that organization to be. In the military, leaders are viewed in the same light. I cannot being to count the number of hours I spent ensuring that my uniforms looked good, that I had a fresh hair cut and that I worked my hardest to get as many points as I could during a PT test. All in order to set the example of my Soldiers. I felt wrong trying to correct a service member if I did not have myself together. Following the Super Bowl, fan of the Panthers were looking to Cam for some reassurance that the team will bounce back from their second place finish. They wanted to see their QB stand up and take point stating what he felt he could have done better to help his teammates. Instead, they got one or two word answers as their leader sat there with his face covered.
Newton's next mistake came a few days later, when he held a press conference to try and explain his actions during the conference held after the Super Bowl. He tried to say he hated to lose and that losing is very hard on him. I think as a leader, we all face losing and none of us like the taste of it. We never want to see our team not reach their goal. It does not matter what that goal is, working so hard and having that goal on your finger tips only to see it slip by is never easy. Yet we as leaders cannot sit back and say we hate to lose and expect that to explain away our less than professional actions. We must remember that our actions, now more than ever, stick with us. Cam forgot that and no matter how hard he tries, his actions will continue to follow him thanks to the wonders of Google.
Lastly, we as leaders must always be there for our team. It is not about us as the leader but about the team; the guys around us that make us successful. At all levels, the team is why the leader has the success and failure he/she may face. It is the team that gives purpose to have a person in that leadership role. A leader cannot nor will not ever be successful without his/her team. Cam forgot that. His team was hurting, he was hurting, thousands of fans were hurting; but rather than being their for his team; he left them, sitting in chair with his hands on his face. As leader, we must always remember that our team needs us as much as we need them. Our successes and our failures are joint effort. We are unable to do it alone. We are sometimes called upon to suck it up and deal with the issue. And while I cannot fully blame Newton for his public display of his feelings, I think he can learn a lot from it; as a leader does.
This topic has received some thoughts already by the RallyPoint community but it has also go me thinking over the past few days. Newton, a 26 year old NFL MVP, went from being the example of what it means to be a great winner to the example of being the sorest of losers. Now, let me state that I cannot fully blame Cam for his actions. While I think they reflect very poorly on him as a persona and a leader of a sports team, this conference was held within one hour of him seeing his hopes of winning the biggest game in the NFL slip away. His press conference room was just on the other side of the wall from the Broncos where he could hear them celebrating and talking about him and his actions leading up the game. That had to sting a lot. But it serves as a great teaching point for leaders.
As a leader, either in the military or not, you are often placed in situations where all eyes are on you. We see this more than ever right now as people travel city to city, state to state trying to get others to support their race to be the biggest leader in the land; a position that is truly under the largest microscope. Yes, there is a huge difference between being the President of the United States and being the QB of a NFL team; but nonetheless, people will always look to leaders to set a good example. An example of what they want that organization to be. In the military, leaders are viewed in the same light. I cannot being to count the number of hours I spent ensuring that my uniforms looked good, that I had a fresh hair cut and that I worked my hardest to get as many points as I could during a PT test. All in order to set the example of my Soldiers. I felt wrong trying to correct a service member if I did not have myself together. Following the Super Bowl, fan of the Panthers were looking to Cam for some reassurance that the team will bounce back from their second place finish. They wanted to see their QB stand up and take point stating what he felt he could have done better to help his teammates. Instead, they got one or two word answers as their leader sat there with his face covered.
Newton's next mistake came a few days later, when he held a press conference to try and explain his actions during the conference held after the Super Bowl. He tried to say he hated to lose and that losing is very hard on him. I think as a leader, we all face losing and none of us like the taste of it. We never want to see our team not reach their goal. It does not matter what that goal is, working so hard and having that goal on your finger tips only to see it slip by is never easy. Yet we as leaders cannot sit back and say we hate to lose and expect that to explain away our less than professional actions. We must remember that our actions, now more than ever, stick with us. Cam forgot that and no matter how hard he tries, his actions will continue to follow him thanks to the wonders of Google.
Lastly, we as leaders must always be there for our team. It is not about us as the leader but about the team; the guys around us that make us successful. At all levels, the team is why the leader has the success and failure he/she may face. It is the team that gives purpose to have a person in that leadership role. A leader cannot nor will not ever be successful without his/her team. Cam forgot that. His team was hurting, he was hurting, thousands of fans were hurting; but rather than being their for his team; he left them, sitting in chair with his hands on his face. As leader, we must always remember that our team needs us as much as we need them. Our successes and our failures are joint effort. We are unable to do it alone. We are sometimes called upon to suck it up and deal with the issue. And while I cannot fully blame Newton for his public display of his feelings, I think he can learn a lot from it; as a leader does.
Command Post
Leadership
Leadership Development
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 16
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For many in SEC country, including myself, this is not really a surprise. Cam has always been heavy on talent but light on character. He has grown up in the league, he has matured in the league, tried to be a decent role model, but as we can see he still has some growing to do.
In reference to your evaluation of leadership, I think this is relevant to the classic question of whether a leader is made or born? I think there are certain cultural and social conditions that help someone develop character, humility, selflessness and other attributes of good leaders that don't just appear over night, even if taught. Because when things get tough, muscle memory takes over, and you do what is natural. That is why the military puts people in challenging situations to evaluate them for elite units. When your tired, your hungry, and nothing is going according to plan, the true you comes out and those evaluating see who you really are.
In reference to your evaluation of leadership, I think this is relevant to the classic question of whether a leader is made or born? I think there are certain cultural and social conditions that help someone develop character, humility, selflessness and other attributes of good leaders that don't just appear over night, even if taught. Because when things get tough, muscle memory takes over, and you do what is natural. That is why the military puts people in challenging situations to evaluate them for elite units. When your tired, your hungry, and nothing is going according to plan, the true you comes out and those evaluating see who you really are.
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Good post, SGT Ben Keen! I appreciate your perspective on Cam and how it directly applies to leaders in and out of the military.
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SGT Ben Keen
Thank you LTC Jason Strickland. By the way, I'll be in your neck of the woods next month.
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SSG Audwin Scott
Sometimes in order to be successful, you have to go through a broken period in your life. Hopefully this is Cam Newton's broken moment where he can look back and learn how not to do things in the future.
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SSG Audwin Scott
CPT T F - I think he is having a broken moment of being humbled. Even Superman has a weakness and it was kryptonite. So being broken and let's be clear we are not talking financially, but broken in his pride.
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SSG Audwin Scott
CPT T F - The concept of the post was using this story to show the wrong way leadership should act during times of adversity. A true leader not only keeps their head up high in triumphs, but also in defeat.
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Great post Sgt Keen! I've been retired for almost 13 years now so I know our Army has been completely changed. But do we as NCO's still live by things like " Be , Know , Do"?
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SGT Ben Keen
LTC (Join to see) - Exactly, we are all human which is why I thought about it in the way I did. We are all human, and while I feel there are some great leaders here on RallyPoint, we are not free of making the same mistakes. Personally, I know there have been and will continue that I have wore my emotions on my sleeve as Cam did. Yet, I feel the true sign of leadership is how you function when things are at their lowest.
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SSgt Anne Moor-Lane
[CPT Jason Johnson] -Echoing your sentiments, "Yet, I feel the true sign of leadership is how you function when things are at their lowest." I too have worn my emotions on my sleeve, more so as a civilian. In the military, I was the "mother hen" to my troops, mentoring them to know when to "get a grip" and rise above their situation, regardless if Article 15, LOR, LOC, etc.
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SGT Ben Keen
SSgt Anne Moor-Lane - Prime example of what I meant by the statement. As a leader, we are the ones called upon to maintain a level head when things go south. Regardless if it a SM facing UCMJ or a deployment where things are rough; we are placed into a position to take on those challenges and maintain ourselves so that the wheels do not fall off.
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SSG Melvin Nulph
SGT Ben Keen - If they can not stand by us at our lowest points, they need not be there when we are at the top.
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So, let me get this right, Cam's reaction is the problem?...The only issue in all of this, right? The fact that the Broncos player being interviewed had no consideration that he could be heard by Cam isn't even an issue at all right?...This isn't the first time the Broncos won the Super Bowl, however, it is the first time the two teams were interview in practically the same room at the same time...Showboating on the field after a good play or sack is one thing, but being unsportsmanlike on that same field can also get you a penalty...You may call Cam a sore loser, but there is such a thing as a poor winner...I'm unbiased in all of this because my two team are the San Diego Chargers and the Arizona Cardinals, so I could care less about who won or who loss...I'm just commenting on the fact that I don't believe Cam should take all responsibility about how this press conference was handled. I believe his reaction was taken a bit out context...I do not believe his reaction is a character flaw...but then again, what do I know?...I'm just some jarhead pecking away at her keyboard vying for a thumbs up or two. ;)
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SSG Audwin Scott
I think the post was more the less about how to be a leader when all eyes are on you. He is a great leader when they are winning, but when it comes when his team loss, as a leader you accept responsibility and move on. I understand what you are say and that was brought up to the fact that the Broncos were also on the other side of the wall doing their conference at the same time. I will say on the record that Peyton Manning did say that Cam Newton came to him personally and congratulated him on his win after the game.
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SGT Ben Keen
Sgt Tammy Wallace - I am not trying to place blame on anyone. I am just merely trying to show how the actions of one person can act as a teachable moment for other leaders. I am not sure if I would have reacted any better if I was sitting in his shoes but at the same time, as a leader, I think it is important to remember that our actions reflect on everyone not just ourselves.
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Sgt Tammy Wallace
SSG Audwin Scott - oh nice, first time i'm hearing about that...well then, Cam sounds like a stand up loser to me... (: I don't want any of you guys to get me wrong...all I'm asking of us is to examine the possibility that maybe Peyton could've shown a little more consideration during the press conference...He's a leader too...this isn't a debate, I'm not pointing fingers, finding fault or blaming anyone for anything...I'm just trying to expose a different perspective, that's it....I promise.
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On the broad issue of leadership, we can all learn by reflecting to the comments of other coaches, QB's, and those military leaders who've we all looked to for the example. One of the things that defines a good leader it their ability to shower their supporting cast with kudos and compliments in the victory. Similarly, we've seen those same folks shoulder 100% of the responsibility in the loss.
Mr. Newton isn't "there" yet. Unfortunately, he may have revealed a side we'd rather not see. Great perspective & question, SGT Ben Keen
Mr. Newton isn't "there" yet. Unfortunately, he may have revealed a side we'd rather not see. Great perspective & question, SGT Ben Keen
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If I recall correctly, he left college under investigation for possible NCAA rule violations that his "dad" caused. That speaks volumes about his and his family's character. Unfortunately, the NFL causes this type of character environment by allowing them into the league and tacitly supporting them during criminal investigations. Of course what do I know.
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I don't agree with his actions, but I agree with his words. Show me a happy loser, and I will show you a loser. Sh..I saw many military personnel angry and yelling when they were passed over for promotion! When you don't win, the last thing you think about is being a happy loser!
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Suspended Profile
True.....sadly to often we don't take the time let people fail....simply put failure is the best teacher out there. Use to argue with my commander about this all the time...and simply put if mission won't stop and people wont get hurt sometimes it's good to let young leaders fail....it keeps them humble, sharp, and always looking for options.
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