Ravens Way

 

The Raven Way

 

I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Eric DeCosta, the general manager for the Baltimore Ravens, and wanted to pass along some valuable nuggets of information.  Whether or not you are a fan of the Ravens, they are considered one of the best-run franchises in the NFL, and DeCosta gave us a glimpse behind the curtain.

When asked about what he learned training under Ozzie Newsome (the previous GM), he mentioned patience.  He then told a story about a time he lacked patience, and it cost the Ravens.  When he was first promoted to GM, the team had lost some veteran players to free agency, so he wanted to make a big signing.  He rushed into a deal without doing the proper due diligence on the player.  While that player was good, he did not fit into the team chemistry.  It was refreshing to hear someone in that position admit to mistakes.

He also gave insights into how he hires. When he was on the search committee for a new coach,  he looked at how much the coach wanted the job.  What was important to him was the candidate’s enthusiasm for the role combined with his intelligence and how his work ethic fit the organization.  While the Ravens might have been able to hire a more experienced coach than John Harbaugh, they felt in the end that he was the right fit.  What came across was that the organization not only thinks about the day-to-day but are truly invested in the long-term success of the team.

DeCosta went on to discuss the importance of how you judge people.  For example, you might have in a defensive coordinator’s contract a bonus if the team has a top-five defense.  But say the team is winning a game 42-0—you look out on the field, and your best players are still playing, risking injury.  DeCosta stressed the importance of having the entire organization’s goals aligned.

He then talked about how the fans want the sexy signings.  Fans (myself included) love the skill position players because it is easy for us to keep track of.  However, the key to winning in the NFL is to have great lines on both sides of the ball, he said.  Similarly, I find that in education, we are sometimes looking for the silver bullet when the real answer is usually rolling up your sleeves and working hard.

I was a Ravens fan at the start of the night, and I walked away with an even greater admiration for the organization.  They take risks, they learn from their mistakes, and they think about how each decision affects both the short and the long run.  They do not get every choice right, but they have built an excellent organization.