A Real-Life Leadership Conundrum

The recent unretirement of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre illustrates a not uncommon leadership conundrum often seen outside sport. For those who have been off the grid for the past few weeks (or at least not reading the sports section of the newspaper), Favre is a sort of living legend--a future hall of famer--who retired after last season, only to unretire as the summer advanced toward the start of training camp. The Packers, in the meantime, named a new starting quarterback and began preparations for the post-Favre era.

Favre's unretirement presented a real-life choice between competing horribles: do the Packers accept him back and thereby chop management off at the knees by proving that a legendary player's wishes trump "official" team leadership, or do they politely decline to accept him back and thereby risk angering hordes of die-hard fans? Talk about a leadership moment! And, just to complicate matters, every action is played out in newspapers and on ESPN.

A similar thing happens all the time in schools and universities. A long-tenured teacher beloved of many parents and students foments a revolt against the new head of school. Or, a stellar researcher who generates vast extramural funding conflicts with the department chair or dean. While the newspapers and news networks rarely become interested in academic tempests, the daily drama--not to mention rumor and innuendo--play out in the just-as-dangerous carpool lines and e-mail caucuses.

At this writing, Favre has joined the New York Jets after being told he was unwelcome by Packers management. The Green Bay fans are, predictable, furious. I suspect team leadership made the assumption that, once the season starts, fans will refocus attention on the current team, especially if they win. But, if they lose ... all bets are off.

It's an interesting case study even for those allergic to sport as a metaphor.