Doing the right thing – short-term vs long-term costs

When I started this blog, my first blog was football related.  Thanks to all of you for all the great feedback on my salary cap budget blog!  I promised myself this wouldn’t be a “football” blog.  It’s a Finance blog!  About the people side of Finance – the thought that people and profits can indeed co-exist.

And then the Chicago Bears went and traded QB Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a Saturday night.

Inner voice:  Don’t do it, Diane….stick with the original blog idea…….you’re not a football blog……

Me:  I know, I’m almost done with a totally normal Finance blog.   But……..

Inner voice:  Don’t say it………don’t you say it……

Me:  What the heck are the Bears doing???

Inner voice: ……

Me: ……..

Inner voice:   We’re writing a football blog again, aren’t we?

Me:  I think you already know the answer to that question.

Justin Fields was the 11th pick in the NFL Draft in 2021, taken by the Chicago Bears. A quarterback out of Ohio State with a ton of promise, he was originally regarded as the #2 QB in the draft that year but slid down the draft until the Bears grabbed him at #11.  In his 3 years with the Bears, Fields was a frustrating project.  Flashes of brilliance, especially with his scrambling ability, he just couldn’t ever seem to put it all together. 

But the Bears also didn’t seem to be able to help him.  Maybe he wasn’t right for their offensive scheme. Maybe the coaching staff wasn’t the right one to motivate him. Maybe the rest of the Bears offense wasn’t good enough and despite Fields’ efforts, it’s not a one-man sport. Maybe all those things, maybe none.

And so on a Saturday night in March, when everyone else is focused on college basketball or pre-St Patrick’s Day parties, the Bears traded Fields to the Steelers for a 6th round draft pick.  That’s it.  One 6th round draft pick.  (It can go up to a 4th round based on certain criteria…..but today it’s a 6th round pick!). 

Sometimes, a team member just doesn’t fit.  Don’t overanalyze it – sometimes it really is just that simple.  They can be smart, talented, hard-working – but every once in a while those things just aren’t enough.  Could be they’re in the wrong job.  Could be they’re in the wrong company with a culture that doesn’t motivate them.  As leaders, it is important to address the situation quickly.  And if you’re feeling it, they probably are too.

So have the honest conversation.  Maybe there is a different position in the company that might be a better fit.  Or maybe it's best to part ways and move on.  That doesn’t have to be a bad thing!  And even if it hurts in the short term, it will be better for both parties in the long run.  Keeping underperforming talent on staff is frustrating for you, for them and for the others on the team. Acknowledging when something just isn’t working is the right thing to do.  Doing the right thing isn’t always easy.

So what does this have to do with Finance?  Well, a story came out overnight via ESPN that the Bears actually had a trade offer for Fields that was better than what they got from the Steelers.  And they turned it down.  Why?  Because the Bears wanted to do the right thing.  And going to Pittsburgh gives Fields a chance to learn from Russell Wilson, an experienced QB, and eventually win that starting QB job. The other teams weren’t going to provide him that opportunity.  And I really hope this part of the story is true, because the Bears had (at least) an equal hand in Fields underwhelming performance over the last three years.  He worked hard for them and seemed well regarded by his teammates. It just didn’t work out.

And so ironically, that’s how this is about Finance.  It’s true that sometimes you have to make the tough, unpopular decisions that impact people in a negative way to manage the bottom line.  But in other circumstances, you can make the choice to do right by your people even if it costs you in the short-term.  Because not doing so will prove more costly in the long run.  Be like the Bears – take the hit now so everyone has the opportunity for a better future.   

Good luck Justin – I hope you thrive as a Pittsburgh Steeler (except when you play the Buffalo Bills, of course).