3 Lessons Arkansas Businesses Can Learn from the Razorbacks
By Larry Alton
While dozens of globally-recognized brands and corporations call the state of Arkansas home, it’s possible that a state university is the organization with all the answers. In particular, the University of Arkansas’ once maligned athletic department may be able to teach state businesses a few helpful lessons on how to correctly run a multi-million dollar operation.
The Least Likely Example
Rewind to 2012 and it would seem pretty improbable that the Arkansas athletic department would be anything more than the butt of a joke. Athletic director Jeff Long had just announced the firing of successful head coach Bobby Petrino after his involvement in a motorcycle accident revealed he had been in an inappropriate relationship with a 25-year old female whom he had hired only four days earlier. In addition to the administrational issues, the football team, which was coming off consecutive 10 and 11 win seasons, was about to embark on a two-year stretch where it would only win a combined total of seven games.
What You Can Learn from the Hogs
However, fast forward to 2015 and Long and his staff have proven that it is possible to turn a bad situation into a good one. Specifically, the Razorback’s athletic department has provided local and state organizations with a few valuable lessons in business.
- Team first. After firing Petrino, Long explained to reporters the importance of putting the organization above the individual, saying, “Our expectations of character and integrity in our employees can be no less than what we expect of our students. No single individual is bigger than the team, the Razorback football program of the University of Arkansas.” Unfortunately, so many don’t take this value to heart. Instead, they seem to reward the individuals at the top of the food chain and ignore the hard workers at the lower levels. While everyone has different responsibilities within an organization, it’s important for businesses owners to put the good of the business ahead of what’s good for a single individual.
- Facilities matter. In the fall of 2012, the university opened the doors to a new 80,00 square-foot, state-of-the-art football center with team meeting rooms, equipment rooms, spacious locker rooms, coaches’ offices, a student-athlete lounge, and more. This investment in top-notch facilities has paid off, as the Razorbacks have been able to recruit some of the top athletes in the country. The lesson for businesses is that facilities matter. You can’t continue to thrive unless you invest in quality and progress. The Arkansas athletic department got this one right.
- Integrity is critical. Anyone who knows Bobby Petrino’s track record knows that he’s a very good coach, but with questionable integrity. After the Petrino debacle, AD Long and his peers conducted a search for high-integrity coaches that could not only win football games but also impact student athletes in a positive manner. They found their guy in Bret Bielema and are now showing improvements on and off the field. For businesses, the takeaway is this: skill and expertise aren’t enough on their own. When hiring top-level managers and employees, it’s important to invest in integrity and class.
Learn from Those Around You
No two businesses are the same and each model presents its own unique challenges and issues. However, by looking at successful organizations around you, you can better position your business to succeed in the future. As proud Arkansas-based businesses, it’s important for local companies to band together for the greater good of the state. While the Razorbacks athletics department was in a dark place three years ago, a commitment to putting the team first, building quality facilities, and focusing on integrity has once again placed them at the top.
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Author Bio: Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business and entrepreneurship based in Des Moines, Iowa. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.