Justify Your Own Salary, Mr.Program Director, Before Asking the USOC for More Money:
A funny thing happened at the USSPEEDSKATING board meeting. The discussion of money came up, and USS was complaining about how their sponsors were withdrawing their support, and they were so low on funds that they were going to have to eliminate all of the regional development programs. At this point, Program Director Mike Crowe jumped in and said, "We'd be fine if only the USOC would give us more money."
(*NOTE:* I found out later that it wasn't Crowe who said this after all, but rather former USS President Bill Cushman.)
The USOC representative who came to the meeting apparently turned livid at this suggestion. He proceeded to point out how many millions of dollars the USOC had given USSPEEDSKATING over the past few Olympic cycles, and demanded to know exactly how that money was being spent.
Personally, I'd like to know whether people really believe Mike Crowe deserves to be paid for the job he has been doing as Program Director. What was his plan for the past 4 years? How did he do? Does he evaluate the performance of his coaches on a regular basis? Does he evaluate the performance of his athletes on a regular basis? Is he capable of interpreting his findings, and using them in a meaningful way? Does he give direction to the National Team programs? Does he try to get the best athletes to train together and help each other? Does he enter skaters in events they are capable of skating, or does he do stupid things like putting someone who can barely finish a 1500 meters into a 6-lap pursuit? Does he take the mission statement and goals of the federation and develop a plan to carry them out? How do his actions, decisions, and finally, results, reflect on his own performance as Program Director?
Many people like to say, "Crowe knows what is right, but he doesn't always say it." They think he has enough experience and knowledge, and all he has to do is stand there and observe. Is this enough for you? I would encourage you to actually ask him some questions, force him to give you a straight answer, and, once his jaw starts flapping, you will see what a genius he really is -- like the time he adamantly argued that a World Cup qualifier should not be able to see a trainer for evaluation of her back injury two weeks before an event.
You shouldn't tolerate any disconnection between "what you supposedly think he knows," and his actions and results (or lack thereof). You shouldn't tolerate any disconnection between his actions and decisions as Program Director and the goals of the federation, in terms of the performance of its athletes.
Do you think you are paying $70,000 a year for the "brain" of your operation? I think you're paying $70,000 a year for a sphincter on your elbow; an appendage that is both redundant and produces nothing but a whole lot of extra crap.
Do you know what I think? I think Crowe is absent too much of the time. I think he lives like a king up in Butte, Montana, takes an occasional trip with the team, and collects his salary for doing nothing but making life as difficult as possible for real, hardcore speedskaters with true potential. I think he is going to ride the USSPEEDSKATING gravy train for all it's worth, until and unless people realize what a waste he truly is.
But I believe his job is safe, and do you know why? Not because he has been a success. Not because he has been doing what he is supposed to be doing. His job is safe because not enough people care about speedskating in America, and so no one is going to hold him accountable for his performance.
If I were the person overseeing Crowe's position, the first thing I would do is to make him defend his salary. Considering his lack of leadership during and leading up to the 2006 Olympic Games, I think the burden of proof is on him. If he'd want to keep his job, I would want him to point out which, if any, of the positive outcomes that happened for USS happened because of his input, and which would have happened anyway. I would need him to prove that he has developed more than he has destroyed. Because I believe the only thing he succeeded in doing is "bringing his own taco to the Italian buffet."
If I somehow decided that Crowe deserved to keep his position, or was absolutely unable to find a replacement, I'd have someone take him by the hand and lead him to "Program Director Preschool." I'd make him re-learn the reality of what is expected of him in his position. Then, I'd make him write out a detailed plan for the USSPEEDSKATING Team for the next 4 years, through Vancouver. I'd make him rewrite it until he got it right. Then, once the training started, I'd make him write regular progress reports.
Yes, I hate Mike Crowe. Through the weeks following the 2006 Olympic Trials, I punched the palm of my left hand until it was black and blue, pretending it was his face. But not only did his decisions harm me, I also think they harmed the entire American women's contingent. And anyone who cares about how the U.S. women's speedskating team does in the future should give a serious thought to what I have said.
A funny thing happened at the USSPEEDSKATING board meeting. The discussion of money came up, and USS was complaining about how their sponsors were withdrawing their support, and they were so low on funds that they were going to have to eliminate all of the regional development programs. At this point, Program Director Mike Crowe jumped in and said, "We'd be fine if only the USOC would give us more money."
(*NOTE:* I found out later that it wasn't Crowe who said this after all, but rather former USS President Bill Cushman.)
The USOC representative who came to the meeting apparently turned livid at this suggestion. He proceeded to point out how many millions of dollars the USOC had given USSPEEDSKATING over the past few Olympic cycles, and demanded to know exactly how that money was being spent.
Personally, I'd like to know whether people really believe Mike Crowe deserves to be paid for the job he has been doing as Program Director. What was his plan for the past 4 years? How did he do? Does he evaluate the performance of his coaches on a regular basis? Does he evaluate the performance of his athletes on a regular basis? Is he capable of interpreting his findings, and using them in a meaningful way? Does he give direction to the National Team programs? Does he try to get the best athletes to train together and help each other? Does he enter skaters in events they are capable of skating, or does he do stupid things like putting someone who can barely finish a 1500 meters into a 6-lap pursuit? Does he take the mission statement and goals of the federation and develop a plan to carry them out? How do his actions, decisions, and finally, results, reflect on his own performance as Program Director?
Many people like to say, "Crowe knows what is right, but he doesn't always say it." They think he has enough experience and knowledge, and all he has to do is stand there and observe. Is this enough for you? I would encourage you to actually ask him some questions, force him to give you a straight answer, and, once his jaw starts flapping, you will see what a genius he really is -- like the time he adamantly argued that a World Cup qualifier should not be able to see a trainer for evaluation of her back injury two weeks before an event.
You shouldn't tolerate any disconnection between "what you supposedly think he knows," and his actions and results (or lack thereof). You shouldn't tolerate any disconnection between his actions and decisions as Program Director and the goals of the federation, in terms of the performance of its athletes.
Do you think you are paying $70,000 a year for the "brain" of your operation? I think you're paying $70,000 a year for a sphincter on your elbow; an appendage that is both redundant and produces nothing but a whole lot of extra crap.
Do you know what I think? I think Crowe is absent too much of the time. I think he lives like a king up in Butte, Montana, takes an occasional trip with the team, and collects his salary for doing nothing but making life as difficult as possible for real, hardcore speedskaters with true potential. I think he is going to ride the USSPEEDSKATING gravy train for all it's worth, until and unless people realize what a waste he truly is.
But I believe his job is safe, and do you know why? Not because he has been a success. Not because he has been doing what he is supposed to be doing. His job is safe because not enough people care about speedskating in America, and so no one is going to hold him accountable for his performance.
If I were the person overseeing Crowe's position, the first thing I would do is to make him defend his salary. Considering his lack of leadership during and leading up to the 2006 Olympic Games, I think the burden of proof is on him. If he'd want to keep his job, I would want him to point out which, if any, of the positive outcomes that happened for USS happened because of his input, and which would have happened anyway. I would need him to prove that he has developed more than he has destroyed. Because I believe the only thing he succeeded in doing is "bringing his own taco to the Italian buffet."
If I somehow decided that Crowe deserved to keep his position, or was absolutely unable to find a replacement, I'd have someone take him by the hand and lead him to "Program Director Preschool." I'd make him re-learn the reality of what is expected of him in his position. Then, I'd make him write out a detailed plan for the USSPEEDSKATING Team for the next 4 years, through Vancouver. I'd make him rewrite it until he got it right. Then, once the training started, I'd make him write regular progress reports.
Yes, I hate Mike Crowe. Through the weeks following the 2006 Olympic Trials, I punched the palm of my left hand until it was black and blue, pretending it was his face. But not only did his decisions harm me, I also think they harmed the entire American women's contingent. And anyone who cares about how the U.S. women's speedskating team does in the future should give a serious thought to what I have said.
posted by Eva at 7:54 AM
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