Now that the 13-week nightmare is over Card fans can look forward to the future and the positive feelings that accompany winning. It's been too good the past few years for Louisville fans to have to endure the depressing feelings that have been part of this football season. So what happened?
Since I left UPS 15 years ago I have spent much of my time consulting with organizations in the area of management and operations. With help from some inside information and my own experience observing failed businesses I can point our several shortcomings that caused the demise of Cardinal football:
1) Lack of clear and cohesive details on the organizational objectives of the operation from the top.
The head coach didn't communicate truthfully with the other coaches and players and define clearly stated rules on dealing with each other.
2) Treating all employees the same. That is the reason nepotism can disrupt an organization as it did with this football team. The relatives of the head man become more 'equal' than their peers. That problem infected this team.
3) Lack of equal discipline for all. That problem was highlighted in the Kentucky game when the coach told a player to go to the locker room and two plays later he was in the game. Players were suspended for the game for much lesser infractions.
4) No person in management to be a sounding board for problems. The players had no one to go to for counseling or intimate conversation about personal issues.
5) Fully engaged leadership at the top. Coach Petrino had an 'ivory tower' mindset and wasn't cognizant of problems within the organization or tended to ignore them.
I am sure there were many more problems but this is a start.
Since I left UPS 15 years ago I have spent much of my time consulting with organizations in the area of management and operations. With help from some inside information and my own experience observing failed businesses I can point our several shortcomings that caused the demise of Cardinal football:
1) Lack of clear and cohesive details on the organizational objectives of the operation from the top.
The head coach didn't communicate truthfully with the other coaches and players and define clearly stated rules on dealing with each other.
2) Treating all employees the same. That is the reason nepotism can disrupt an organization as it did with this football team. The relatives of the head man become more 'equal' than their peers. That problem infected this team.
3) Lack of equal discipline for all. That problem was highlighted in the Kentucky game when the coach told a player to go to the locker room and two plays later he was in the game. Players were suspended for the game for much lesser infractions.
4) No person in management to be a sounding board for problems. The players had no one to go to for counseling or intimate conversation about personal issues.
5) Fully engaged leadership at the top. Coach Petrino had an 'ivory tower' mindset and wasn't cognizant of problems within the organization or tended to ignore them.
I am sure there were many more problems but this is a start.
