Sport organizations are dependent on the culture created from ownership. Those at the top of an organization set the standard to which employees of the organization hold themselves by. However, exceptions dominate the narrative around the perspective of an organization. The most recent Las Vegas Raiders issue, centered around their former interim team President Dan Ventrelle, is another example of the culture issues within the team’s management staff. According to NFL.com, Ventrelle was let go due to raising concerns about the team’s hostile work environment to the league body, which would not be a just cause for firing. Looking into the Raiders’ owner Mark Davis’ comments on the firing, he purposefully did not address Ventrelle’s comments and instead focused on the fact that Ventrelle was never the actual President of the team, but the interim. The fact that Davis cares about continuing to foster a toxic relationship with Ventrelle than raising transparency about the comments speaks to how this was most likely a personal issue between Davis and the former Raiders employee.

Teams that win off the field win on the field. The opposite can be true as well, in which a losing culture extends throughout the entirety of the organization. The claims of culture issues in the Raiders management staff are enough of a red flag but factoring in Davis’ lack of social awareness about the morality of a toxic culture speaks to his stubbornness, which most already knew, that extends into the organization. Organizations are only as strong as their leaders.

Regardless of if Ventrelle’s comments about the team are truthful, dysfunction from the league body trickles onto the field, whether subconsciously or purposefully. Players reflect the team that acquired them and the identity of the team. The Raiders are predicated on unhealthy communications, with fears about toxicity creating a team atmosphere in which those not in positions of power are fearful of what those in power can do.

Along with the reflection of a team’s identity, players themselves can be affected by higher level turmoil. They may have trouble buying into an unhealthy atmosphere, creating a culture of miscommunication and toxicity at all levels. Teams cannot run on dysfunction because it will spread to all levels of the organization and communicative relationships, in which criticisms and feedback are in the clear, are dedicated towards improving the culture rather than harm.

All employees of an organizations must be on the same page with long term goals, and everyone must buy into what they are doing, or there is a higher margin for error, leaving more room for failure, which should not be accepted. Bridging the gap between employees and their motives determine the fate of an organization. Transparency, honesty, and communication are critical towards determining the fate of an organization.

Reference Page

• Image Courtesy of Getty Images