Brett Favre - Leadership Stumble

Now that a week has passed since the Minnesota Vikings lost the NFC championship game to the New Orleans Saints, all the foot stomping, grumble-muttering and door-slamming has dissipated at my house.  I look back on that game and I realize that it was an amazing example of leadership that stumbled. 

There is no question that Brett Favre (not only one of my favorite arms of all time) is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.  That having been said, it was a fundamental hiccup in Favre’s leadership that lost that game.  Now, hear me out.  I understand that there were irritating fumbles (the football seemed to be greased on critical Vikings’ possessions in the last quarter).  I’ve heard whining about the officiating in the last quarter and in overtime.  I understand that the offensive line should have taken better care of their star quarterback and not let him take such a beating. I also understand that the New Orleans Saints are one heck of a great football team this year and deserved to go to the big bowl just as much as the Vikings did. 

Putting all that aside, leadership involves making the right decisions for the team – every time.  With seconds left to play, all Favre had to do was run through the gaping hole that had been plowed open for him to gain an additional five to eight yards and then give Longwell the opportunity to win the game for them with a field goal.  Instead he chose to pass across his blind side, a maneuver that not only turns out badly traditionally for all quarterbacks, but more often turns out badly for Favre.  Yes, I’ve heard that he didn’t want to win the game on a field goal -  he wanted one more chance to put it into the end zone.  It was a split second decision – a split second decision that ended the season for his entire team.   Leadership-wise, it was a poor choice that ultimately let the team down.

Sometimes being a leader involves doing what needs to be done to allow your team to shine.  Sometimes it means taking the simple over the eloquent.  With all his amazing accomplishments already this season, Favre could have given Longwell that spotlight moment to kick a field goal and win the game sending the team to the Superbowl.  That would have been the right leadership choice.

All great leaders stumble.  Dr. John C. Maxwell calls it “failing forward to success.”  Fortunately for the rest of us, our leadership stumbles are not broadcast on national television for the entire nation to pick apart and discuss ad-nauseum.  Unfortunately for Favre, this was a nationally broadcast stumble that he will have to live with for the rest of his life, whether he returns to the game or not.

Leadership involves always putting the best interests of the team primary in all decision making.