by Luke Thomas on Nov 24, 2008 4:05 PM EST in News
One certainly wants to avoid sounding conspiratorial, but this seems to be at least a reasonable concern:
I’m having a difficult time pointing to any significant precedence for this sort of management philosophy and probably for good reason: the inefficiencies and impracticalities of executive micro-management at the multinational level can severely hinder firm performance.
I see in Dana White a man under enormous pressure and duress due to an overwhelming slate of travel and responsibility. He has proved his competence time and time again, but even the most competent of individuals cannot perform at their peak without the requisites of a healthy life – rest, diet, and free time.
If burn out hasn’t already arrived at White’s doorstep, it will shortly.
The increasing frequency that disputes with fighters, agents, other organizations, TV networks, and retail organizations have gone public is alarming. So, are the questionable negotiating tactics from the sometimes openly frustrated White.
While certainly, there are two sides to every story, one cannot help but wonder if the end-goal of the UFC couldn’t be accomplished without the fist pounding and ultimatums. An individual well-versed in the art of negotiation, especially within the sports industry could be an extremely valuable asset.
The UFC has brought in some extremely talented people over the last few years – Marc Ratner, Craig Borsari, and most recently, Lorenzo Fertitta – and not only is it important for this talent acquisition to continue, it’s also important for these individuals to be given larger roles and responsibilities within the organization.
The wisdom, trust, and patience necessary to surround oneself with quality people and then actually allow them to do what they do best are what separate the good leaders from the truly great leaders.
There’s no doubt that White is wise enough to surround himself with great MMA talents – he already has - but does he possess enough trust in and patience with these individuals to hand over some of his decision making responsibility?
Well, part of White's negotiating tactic is simply an extension of White himself. In other words, I think there's a measure of heavy-handedness we could expect from White, frustrated or not. I also don't think burn out is necessarily a foregone conclusion.
What I do worry about, though, is that while we need Dana White's oversight to ensure the product is as good as it needs to be and touches all the right notes, we also need White to train others around him. White cannot do what he does forever. Eventually others will have to take over, be it piece by piece or all at once. I'm sure White himself knows this, but for the sake of MMA we need White to find successors whose judgement he can trust to make the right decisions in his absence. As White takes on more and more responsibilities, the necessity he teach his experience and insight to others is more imperative than ever.
