Hire someone with the “don’t cares”

This morning I read a piece about how New York Jet’s head coach Rex Ryan is in trouble because the style he implemented has backfired.  The author suggests once this happens, there is no turning back.  An interesting discussion for a different day.  What really caught my eye, because it’s essentially what started this quiet notion that the Jets are in trouble, is what their 4th string, rookie quarterback said on public radio a couple days ago.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been around extremely selfish individuals . . .’’ he said on 97.3 The Zone. “There were people within our locker room that didn’t care whether we won or lost as long as they … had good games individually.’’

“Quite frankly, if you go down the roster this year, there’s no reason we shouldn’t have made a Super Bowl run.’’

“The disappointing thing is . . . it doesn’t matter how much talent you have. If you don’t come together as a group and just figure things out and kind of withstand difficulties of the season, you’re never going to amount to anything.’’

Wow. Just wow. The guts Greg McElroy had to say this publically about the Jets, a veteran team, is remarkable to me.  He basically just called out everyone on the team, literally all of which are currently ahead of him in job security.  Wow.

So besides having a “brass set”, why would he do this?  I think it’s for two reasons.  He is a QB so by his very nature he is a leader. I think one way to contribute to making your team better from a 4th string QB’s perspective is by doing something brash such as this. I think he wants his team to get better and I think he knew what he was saying.  He was trying to light a fire for change and thus far it is working. Secondly, and more importantly,  McElroy has a case of the “don’t cares”.  He went on that radio program with the attitude that I’m going to do my part and I’m going to say what needs to be said and I don’t care if there are reprocussions.  He figured the worst case is he loses his roster spot on the team….who cares.  (Incidentally, the reason I think this was very calculated and the reason I think he can have the “don’t cares” especially as a rookie is because he was a candidate to be a Rhodes Scholar at one point.  Football is not his only outlet to being successful…and he knows it.)

I say congrats to him. He is the exact type of guy you need to have on your team and in your company.  Why?  Because you get his educated opinion…unfiltered.  There is no office politics, there is no kissing up, there is no hesitation.  That person is going to tell you what they think whether they think its what you want to hear or not.  That doesn’t mean you need to listen.  That doesn’t mean you are going to be happy about it or that the rest of your team is just going to accept it and move on.  But it does mean you know you have at least one person in your camp who is going to challenge you at all times and keep you honest.  He is going to force an conversation to be had.  You say one thing and do another…guess who is going to call you on it.  You made a tactical error in a critical marketing vertical by overriding your Marketing VP and now you are weighing another override?  Wrong, because I’m going to let you know about it.

I say “I” because I I can relate to the “don’t cares” as I try to live this mindset myself.  The longer I’ve applied it, the more powerful I think it is.  If you can go into a situation, work or otherwise, with the “give it your all” attitude and don’t worry about being PC or the amount of panties you are sure to bunch up, your message is more powerful and true.  Most people can’t fathom this and frankly, disagree.  I say, make people think differently, play devil’s advocate…if that makes people uncomfortable then so be it. Comfort is the root of all trouble in companies. You must constantly challenge and reinvent.

The one caveat I have learned along the way is that this maverick way of conducting business ONLY works if you have the company’s best interests at heart at all times.  That must be what’s guiding your thought process.  If you are just a hot air spewer, like to hear yourself talk or are simply trying to impress the boss, it doesn’t work.  Your intentions must be pure.

The best teams are the most diverse teams. I’ve written about championship teams having ”glue” guys to make them better.  Hiring someone for your team who has the “don’t cares” but has your company’s future at heart, is one of the best things you can do.  Resistance to this idea is most likely rooted in comfort….comfort to underachieve.  Just ask Rex Ryan and the Jets.