It has been about a year that USA Gymnastics has been embroiled in crisis and controversy. The problems have roots which reach back decades. The question is, Where do we go from here?
While vacationing in the Caribbean in 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King wrote the first draft of his final book Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?
hmmmm… Chaos or Community? There are still a great many people who want to burn down USA Gymnastics. It is always easier to destroy than to create BUT USA Gymnastics is about creating. I am not ignoring the issues. I want to face them dead on. If gymnastics is our garden, we want it to grow and flourish- we do need to weed some things out. We need to continue to plant the seeds of success and tend to it on a regular basis.
To those who are screaming for the dismantling of USA Gymnastics- What do you want to replace it with? There are SO many great things going on. The Trampoline and Tumbling Program have increased their numbers nation wide and are involved in areas in the country where they never have before. The Men’s program continues to move forward and the Women’s program looks like it will continue to dominate. Junior Olympic Nationals in all disciples were successful and I was impressed by the level of difficulty. (My sincere apologies to Acro, Rhythmic and Gymnastics for All. I do not have any information on those disciplines).
Any organization will need to make adjustments. USA Gymnastics needs strong individuals to be part of a team. Those who can stand in the face of criticism and work for solutions. Not everyone is going to be pleased with the solutions. That is how business is done.
In my lecture on ETHICS given at the USAG Idaho state clinic I asked everyone who their hero was. We all need heroes. People we want to emulate. It could be anyone, fictional, real, living or dead. I said my fictional hero was Jeb Bartlet. Martin Sheen’s character in the TV show “The West Wing”. He was a person with a strong moral compass faced with many difficult questions. A strong and charismatic leader who took advice from those around him before he made decisions. One of my favorite quotes is:
We don’t need martyrs right now. We need heroes. A hero would die for his country, but he’d much rather live for it.
Moving forwards let’s focus on the Gymnastics Community. Here are some things that need to happen. Many of these are already in the works!
ADMIT THE PROBLEM
For many businesses, the hardest struggle was figuring out when it was time to retool. This became clear with all the allegations surrounding gymnastics this last year. USAG needs to now focus on building morale and our brand. Make gymnastics the leading NGB with coaches education and athlete safety.
Gymnastics is a tough business, and no club has perfectly figured out the best way to appease customers while actually netting real income. I feel as soon as I figure something out in my clubs- the needs of the customer changes. Gymnastics is a dynamic sport. Otherwise we would still be tumbling on horse hair mats and vaulting over a side horse. You are either getting better or getting worse. There is no such thing as staying the same. We need to stay flexible and continue to move forward.
COMMUNICATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
We are in a 24/7 news world. If USA Gymnastics isn’t putting out information on a steady basis- the market will fill the vacuum with less than flattering “news”. While I have been writing this I have seen 2 or 3 tweets from USAG. Great Job to whomever is doing this!
I envisioned the communication strategy as a way to keep everyone in the gymnastics community engaged and invested in the sport. We need to figure out a way to not just distract people but to continue to be honest and authentic, you don’t want to tell untruth or “alternative facts”. There are so many great things happening in our sport every day. Everyone needs to know these.
There will always be predators out there. This is not just a “gymnastics thing”. Look at other national sports in North America or even in the church. When someone crosses the line, there needs to be communications to the community with the facts.
STRATEGIZE BEFORE
Even more important is being prepared for these kinds of moments. We should develop scenarios so that we are prepared for crises before they happen.
No CEO/president wants to think about the hard times. So it’s hard to create a plan that hinges on things going poorly. This, however, is the new reality .
PREPARE FOR WHAT COMES AFTER
Chaos or Community? Perhaps most jarring is the fact that after a crisis hits, business doesn’t abruptly end. There is still business to be done. Indeed, if the CEO/president is settling lawsuits or even perhaps filing for bankruptcy the show must go on. Tying up loose ends like insurance and debts takes time, and this all happens after already dealing with the trauma of what has happened.This is one of the biggest lessons to learn–being ready for what comes after the fallout.
There’s no map for how to operate when in the midst of gargantuan changes, yet there are tools and strategies that can help a leader conceptualize the challenge and move forward. And the scars may feel exposed, but they do help steer and educate future endeavors.
