21
21
0
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
1
1
0
Very good analogy of what it means to be a true leader. Sometimes you must lose to win!
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
A good leader learns from his mistakes, and does not make the same mistake twice.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Very good blog~ My take is that he could not keep up with the excitement. Meaning that, the emotions ran so high, and the expectations he created for himself, was too much. I also remember the relative peace that Joe Montana, Roger Stabauch and John Elway had.
The histrionics were something akin to Billy White Shoes Johnson and Joe Gastineau played with. Even the media fed into the hype. When Steve Smith left, the big playmaker was gone. Teddy Ginn Jr, is pretty good, but he is not in the Irvin, Rice and Smith mold, who baled out the QBs
So, when Cam needed the big play, it was not there. And Ware and the defense confused him. If you saw, the Broncos players mocking him with the Superman thing. He needs to grow up some because paybacks can be tough and he found that out. The greats never did that.
Superman faced met his kyrptonite without his lead sheet, a great defense. Team game. not just him.
SGT Ben Keen
The histrionics were something akin to Billy White Shoes Johnson and Joe Gastineau played with. Even the media fed into the hype. When Steve Smith left, the big playmaker was gone. Teddy Ginn Jr, is pretty good, but he is not in the Irvin, Rice and Smith mold, who baled out the QBs
So, when Cam needed the big play, it was not there. And Ware and the defense confused him. If you saw, the Broncos players mocking him with the Superman thing. He needs to grow up some because paybacks can be tough and he found that out. The greats never did that.
Superman faced met his kyrptonite without his lead sheet, a great defense. Team game. not just him.
SGT Ben Keen
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Zun Tzu Art of War, says never be over confident in your abilities and recognize the better tactics of your enemy, because it will lead to defeat and Humble Pie. So what have we learned from 11 plus years of constant war?
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google