Branding Excellence: Brian Cashman

Everybody wants to be the big man in charge and in sports it no different, except for one problem, setting yourself apart and truly making everybody happy becomes a harder task everyday with the desire to be the best team in the league, year after year. Adding on to this, lets talk about the rising aspect of Fantasy Leagues that have developed in recent years, and makes “you” in charge of everything, from player contracts, and personnel to the head coach. But what has this done to the role of general managers and coaches in the real sports? It’s often debated who has more control in the professional ranks, the owner, the general manger, or the head coach, but the question is who doesn’t have the power? But what does this have to do with identifying a level 5 leader? Because of the tremendous growth of such fantasy leagues as fantasy football, the general public becomes your competition, and your competence as a leader is no longer questioned by those on the team, but those outside as well, and sometimes fans can be your worst enemy and critic in the sports world. So with this in mind, my vote would nominate the team general manager as the hardest working leader in the professional ranks, but with thousands of professional teams in a variety of sports how can you find the best of the best, that one person that could qualify as a level 5 extraordinaire?
Jim Collins describes level 5 leadership as a study in duality: modest and willful, shy and fearless, and further states, “Level 5 leaders build enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility and professional will.” And finding this combination can sometimes be a hard task, but for the Yankee’s, this prayer was answered when Brian Cashman became the general Manager in 1998. Although he may not be the most liked executive in the Yankee’s camp, his presence has made a tremendous impact in the franchises recent years and success, with five World Series appearances in his eight years as GM. Being a level 5 leader is not about how much success you can bring to the business, but how effective you are in creating vision, strategy and team dynamics. Level 5 leaders are more than name they became a brand, behind a name, and Cashman has done just that, with his sometimes perceived arrogance, he has managed to brand the Yankee franchise as the best major league baseball team, and has arose to the challenges of facing an angry owner, he has managed to build the team from the inside out, realizing that without a committed executive office, it doesn’t matter what player you have on your team.
“As commanding leaders go, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, who demanded and received more autonomy from Steinbrenner two years ago, has the look of a student crossing guard with an orange patrol belt and a tinfoil badge,” according to a recent New York Times article. Although many may dismiss his demeanor as humble and meek not being able to survive the pressures of George Steinbrenner’s franchise ownership he proven everyone wrong, being the longest lasing Yankee GM, and stone cold fighter. Cashman isn’t afraid to step up and bat, and challenge the norms within the industry. No longer are the players Cashman doesn't want foisted on him, as Raul Mondesi and Kenny Lofton once were. "For the last two years I've been able to set course on how we should proceed," Cashman said by phone from Tampa. He isn’t afraid of challenge and does whatever is necessary to make the team a successes in his eyes; even it means possible losing a valuable asset. Seeking the respect of a contract extension with one year remaining on his contract, Mariano Rivera began spring training by challenging Cashman on his quaint egalitarian notion of fairness. “We treat everyone the same,” Cashman said in an attempt to break norm of the Yankees' tradition of overpaying for sentimental value, and just the same Rivera responded that he was not everyone and threatened to exit next year if his contract wish was ignored. However it is his perseverance and will that set him apart from most general managers; he understands the business will stop at no end to achieve in the business. USA Today states, “Cashman is philosophical about the pressures and likens the demands of the job to life in New York. “Nothing less than top shelf, that's what everybody, wants. That's the fabric of being in this city," he says, "You've got to be tough to get through it." So whether he’s classified as an Enigma or one as having one of the worst jobs in sports, Brian Cashman will stop at nothing to build his brand name, the New York Yankees.

Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tenworstjobs-7-yankeesgm.htm

http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/sports/features/9611/

Roberts, Selena. Cashman Is the Answer To Multiple Enigmas. New York Times [New York, N.Y.] 18 Feb. 2007, Late Edition (East Coast): 1