Coach Bill Belichick addressing the press after the Super Bowl
Of course, everyone knows that the Eagles defeated the Patriots in this year’s Super Bowl. What remains a mystery is why Bill Belichick, the legendary head coach of the New England Patriots, decided to bench one of his top defensive performers for the entire game.
Throughout the 2017/2018 season, Malcolm Butler was on the field 98% of the time when the Patriots defense was on the field. Despite being one of the team’s top defensive players, Butler saw zero playing time in a game where his skills were sorely missed. This was not just any game. Did I mention that this was the Super Bowl?
Butler had no injuries. He was healthy.
Up to the time of this posting, Belichick has not given an explanation for his decision. Belichick is known to be extremely tight lipped. The truth is this mystery may never be solved.
After the game, there was immediate speculation that Belichick’s decision may in fact hurt the team going forward. Many current players showed their support of Butler through social media.
Would the Patriots defense have fared better if Butler had played? Very few pundits say otherwise. Was Butler’s absence on the field the difference between winning and losing the Super Bowl? We’ll never know.
Butler holding back tears during the National Anthem. (He was just told that he would not be playing)
The bigger leadership question is: Did Belichick make the right decision?
While we may never know the answer to that question, any seasoned leader recognizes that meting out punishment in an effort to either change an employee’s behavior, improve their or the team’s performance, or send a message to the organization, is one of the toughest and most gut-wrenching decisions they’ll have to make.
The circumstances surrounding “the issue” are usually murky. They’re rarely black and white. However, the consequences, both intended and unintended, are enormous. The action the leader takes can have momentous repercussions. These are crucible moments, and lonely ones.
…meting out punishment…is one of the toughest and most gut-wrenching decisions a leader will have to make.
Early in my Navy career I’d shy away from taking action when an issue popped up. Hoping it would resolve on its own, I’d ignore it. In retrospect, I don’t recall any of them resolving on their own.
Take tardiness. An employee would start coming in late once a week. Then twice a week. Then another employee would catch on – heck, if he can make his own hours, I can too!
When I finally come around to addressing the issue, I usually overreacted. Out of anger and frustration, my thoughts were, “They know the rules, why are they testing me!”
Later in my Navy career, a good mentor gave me some sage advice that I’ve never forgotten. I relied on her wise counsel often during my tour as Commanding Officer, a position that grants an unusually wide latitude of disciplinary power.
Her advice:
- If your gut is telling you that the status quo regarding someone’s behavior and/or performance is unacceptable, the dynamic has to change. You need to change the dynamic.
- Ask the advice of a trusted friend or colleague before taking any action [The key is to choose wisely – ask someone you trust]. Often times you are simply too close to the situation. In the pressure cooker of the leadership cauldron, pride, impulse to control or overzealousness can insidiously rear their ugly heads and cloud sound judgment.
- Don’t overreact or underreact.
- Be measured in your action. Minimize energy and drama. The objective is to change behavior while positively impacting team performance.
The consequences of your actions almost always have momentous repercussions.
Did Bill Belichick make the right decision to bench Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl? Did it positively impact the team during the Super Bowl…or will it in future seasons?
These are questions that New England sports pundits will argue for many years.
What’s the lesson for us leaders? Meting out punishment is inescapable – it comes with the territory. At the same time, it is one of the toughest leadership challenges. These are crucible moments. The consequences of your actions almost always have momentous repercussions.
Be a great leader and be deliberate when dishing out punishment. Keep the objective at the forefront of your thoughts: to change behavior while positively impacting team performance. Seek counsel from a wise colleague. Be open to other ideas and be measured in your action.