The Good is the Enemy of
the Great �A Bugs Eye View � by
Steel Termite
The Good is the enemy of the Great.
Those are the opening words of an excellent book written by Jim Collins.� His book, Good To Great, examines a wide variety of companies that made a leap from being a mediocre or good organization, to a great and long-lasting corporation.
While not 100% applicable to a sports franchise, there are a few points that Collins identifies that I think carry over to the current predicament of the Steelers. �I was especially interested in what Collins describes as �Level 5� leadership at each of these companies
According to Collins, these great companies have leadership which exhibits certain qualities.� Among these are:
1. They are near fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results.� They will do what it takes to make the company great, no matter how hard the decision.
2. They have a workmanlike diligence.�
3. When things go bad, they look in the mirror and take full responsibility for failures.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have an overwhelming problem in that the Steeler front office, from Dan Rooney to Bill Cowher, exhibit few of these traits and therefore, the Steelers suffer from being a perpetually �good� team, but remain unable to make the jump to a �great� team.
League-wide, there is a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Rooney and the Steeler FO.� Yet, one cannot make the claim the Steeler FO is �infected with an incurable need to produce results.�� The Steeler FO is unable to make the hard decisions, especially when it comes to making changes from what is comfortable, ie, cutting over-priced veterans, coaching changes etc.
Secondly, the Steelers FO is unable to take blame for failure.� In particular, the long list of excuses presented by Bill Cowher for each year�s disappointing end.� Whether the FO agrees with Cowher�s excuses or not is irrelevant.� They let him pass blame for failure to virtually anybody or anything rather than himself.�
Collins further points out how many of those companies took great risks when they made a transition from being just a �good� company, to one that became �great.�� In some cases, they sold or closed huge revenue generating divisions because they realized the future required a change of direction.� Often, this meant severe personnel cuts or changes in product lines.� Collins calls this getting the �right people on the bus and getting the wrong ones off.�
The Steelers FO and Bill Cowher, have become complacent or content with being a �good� team.� Making a major change is not within the Steeler mindset. �It�s the most comfortable thing to re-sign Bettis, keep Bill Cowher and sign a no-name free agent WR.� It�s the most comfortable thing to make as little course corrections as possible.� The conservative, most comfortable way of thinking says, �we will build upon last seasons 16-2 record, why change?�
It might be a �good� way.� But is it enough to make this team great?�
Change our offense to incorporate a TE or a good-hands RB into the passing game?� Naw, why do that?� We�ve never needed to in the past, why do it now? The Bus is back and we can hand the ball to him anytime we want.�
Aggressively try to sign Plex, especially when our star QB wants him back? No way! Plex has a bad attitude and we don�t want that around here!� (BTW, can you imagine the Colts not doing everything in their power to sign a WR that Peyton publicly lobbied to re-sign?)
This attitude is also demonstrated on the field.� Go for it on 4th and Goal, down by 14? Too risky, just send out Jeff Reed for a sure three points.� Learn from that mistake? ��I�d do it again,� was the comment from Bill Cowher at the post-game press conference.
Just like businesses that made the leap from been �good� to �great,� the Pittsburgh Steelers need to make a major change in the overall atmosphere of the entire team.� From the FO, the coaching staff, the team and even the fans, this team needs to rid itself of the �just making the playoffs most of the time is good enough� mentality that permeates the organization.�
The battle-cry of the Pittsburgh Steelers needs to be, �the Good is the enemy of the Great.�� Until that happens, a successful trip to the Super Bowl will be just a dropped pass, a missed blocking assignment or a poor playcall out of reach.