In the Heat of Battle

Sports, it seems, can be a reflection of the warrior spirit that hides inside of us. Like anything, each person is gifted with different portion of warrior spirit--some are blessed with an almost self-destructive portion of warrior spirit.

RGIII on Sunday January 6, 2012

I was moved on Sunday during the Washington Redskins game. As he was laying on the turf after his already damaged knee which had hobbled him for much of the game, I saw that warrior spirit in their quarterback--RGIII. And it may not be a good thing.

The warrior spirit, unchecked, can cause rational people to make irrational and ill-advised choices. The ability to decide to take a path to self-destruction, while sometimes viewed as heroic, can also extract a high toll upon self and those in the vicinity.

While he was clearly heroic on Sunday in trying to lead his team to victory in the face of every increasingly over whelming odds, the decision to remain in the game and face a potentially career ending injury probably was not the right decision. Unlike warfare where there may not be a tomorrow or a next year, in sports next season holds the promise of even greater achievements--if able to participate.

But, in the hear of battle those decisions are not so clear. The harsh morning light of the day after, though, provides the illumination to evaluate decisions.

Leaders need to be sensitive to heat of battle decision making and keep the strategic objective in sight. Needlessly throwing human or fiscal capital into a losing position may have greater a negative impact on the organization than just accepting the position at hand.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD