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Hockey fan or not, you’ve more than likely heard about Wayne Gretzky and his supposed illegal gambling connections from the media last week. Although it appears that he had no knowledge of the situation now being investigated, nor, according to the police, will he be charged with anything, media across the world leapt into a frenzy over the news.   

To me, what is interesting about the story is not what happened, but the kind of advice Gretzky received from a number of outspoken individuals after the fact. Michael Farber, a Sports Illustrated writer, went so far as to suggest that Gretzky not attend the Olympics because his presence would be a distraction to the Canadian team.

Clearly, Farber knows little about team dynamics or the opportunity that adversity provides for teams to break through with great performance. Our studies of managers and leaders here at the Institute for Health and Human Potential indicate Farber is not alone in his beliefs.

Most leaders, it seems, fear the impact that adversity will have on their teams. If faced with a slow quarter or a new competitor on the block posing a threat, leaders feel the need to protect their people from the news for fear it will get in the way.  Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

When a team or business unit hits rough water, leaders must be upfront with what they know or they risk losing their team’s focus and taking a hit on performance.  With little or no information, people tend to ‘awfulize’—that is, blow a small amount of information out of proportion and start to worry. This is what happens when leaders don’t come clean with the bad news. They must then deal with the small leaks that often cause even greater damage by becoming a flood of panic that spreads throughout the organization.

Let’s face it; we’ll never be able to avoid bad quarters, new competitors, or other kinds of setbacks and adversity. These are as inevitable as death and taxes, so to speak.  What matters, then, is how we respond to the inevitable.

Most people can handle bad news. And not only that; if they are included, they will feel that their leader or manager trusts how they’ll respond.  They’ll get the message that their leader believes the team can bounce back to handle the challenge. This action infects others with belief about their ability. 

If framed right, adversity can work to get people to dig down and reach a level of commitment and emotion they wouldn’t ordinarily achieve without it.  If managed intelligently, the emotion attached to a difficult event can have a galvanizing effect and lead your team to a higher level of performance.

This is my hope for Gretzky and the Canadian Olympic Hockey team. Far from being a distraction, Wayne Gretzky’s presence, in my opinion, has the potential to be a powerful force in bringing the team together to push it to another level.

This is a team that loves its leader. And because of the way in which Gretzky handled the news; speaking publicly about the personal cost as he said, “This has been a very difficult week for my family,” the team is onside, wanting to turn things around.  Wanting to win it for him. 

His response—a show of personal vulnerability—may have the potential to bring this team together in a profound way, creating a level of commitment perhaps not present before. (Or maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part!)  By the time this reaches you, you may have your own conclusion.

Next time you hit a challenging time, meet it head on, take a risk and be vulnerable about it with your team, rather than protecting them. While you must be strategic, especially when jobs are on the line, running away from adversity instead of naming it might sabotage the only thing your team can control—their response.   And it might get in the way of something truly magical happening … like a gold medal performance!

Editorial Note: As a big Canadian hockey fan with a definite rooting interest for Gretzky and his team, this EQ Tip may include some bias. In fact, as you read this, I am cheering on the team at the 20th Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy! Go Canada Go!

Dr. J.P. Pawliw-Fry

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