For the Redskins, the culture actually isn’t “damn good”

Bruce Allen, general manager of the Washington Redskins, made the comment that the Redskins culture was “damn good”. I question, in what world would this be acceptable?

Compare and contrast winning organizations across professional sports with the Washington Redskins.  Culture is not only defined by a winning record, but equally important is the conduct on and off the field, the way you are perceived by colleagues and competitors, the level of employee turnover, and the way you treat people, both on the way in the door and the way out.

Washington professional sports is on a positive trajectory and the performance of the Capitals, Nationals, and Mystics has now permeated to the Wizards.  Bradley Beal of the Wizards stated about Washington sports teams, “They’re having success and continuing to have success over the last couple of years. I can’t ignore it. It’s kind of cliche and people may think (that) – but hard work pays off”. Look at how the attitude and culture of other sports affected Beal’s mindset and decision to stay in D.C. and right the Wizards’ somewhat listing ship.

All this, and yet, Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen seems incapable of seeing the success of the Caps, Nats and Mystics.  People associated with the Washington sports scene have insisted Snyder and Allen privately fume about the Capitals success, and based on their performance and manner in which personnel were hired, maligned and fired, is it so far fetched this may be the case?

I’ve frequently articulated to friends and family that the quickest way to build success is to emulate successful practices.  The quickest way to build a positive culture is to emulate a successful culture.  Notice the more-than-friendly relationship between the Nats and Caps.  Think that’s a coincidence? The Nats and Caps have a symbiotic relationship which results in great success for both teams.  There’s a respect that transcends the sport and goes to the very culture of the organizations.

The Caps brought in Brooks Orpik, a perennial winner with the attitude and demeanor that rubbed off on the younger players.  Gerardo Parra of the Nationals was acquired because of his positive energy.  The Redskins have rarely acquired a “character” player like Darrell Green since Daniel Snyder bought the team.  Joe Gibbs, Round 1, had a team full of these.  Joe Gibbs, Round 2, not so much.  These are the wonderful intangibles that aren’t captured in metrics, but bring a sense of team, culture, dignity, and ultimately, winning.

Can you find a team in any major sport, or for that matter, any competent business that conducts themselves like the Redskins? You cannot, and because there aren’t shareholders to answer to, Daniel Snyder has no one to answer to but himself.  And according to him, he’s never been wrong, always been right, and is only one more season away from extinguishing his self-lit dumpster fire.

So as the Nats get one step closer to a World Series, the Redskins continue to be content with almost.