Outlier

The month of January is almost over and in my part of the world it is only 92 days until golf season starts. Just in case you are interested!

Ken Holland GM of the Edmonton Oilers hockey club has made the choice to sign Evander Kane. I have previously written about Kane in an article called Buyer Beware. Holland is a very experienced and respected GM. Lately, the Oilers have been struggling and went into an awful slump. When this happens a GM has a few choices. Fire the Coach to change the message. It worked in Vancouver, for now. That was an easy one. Two make a trade. This does not make sense in Edmonton’s case. When you are in a slump every GM is your best friend so chances are you are taking on someone’s problem. Three do nothing and stay with what you have. Four look for the Outlier. That is what Holland did by signing Kane. It was a choice and by understanding the anatomy of of choice this what makes things so interesting. It was his choice to explore talks. It was his choice to speak with his owner about it. It was his choice to discuss it with his leadership group. Choice(s) as I am finding out are smaller items. Choices influence the decisions we make, which creates along lasting action. As Dr. Bhrett McCabe writes “decisions require more effort, attention, and have significant consequences good or bad. Choices put you in a position that can change your course”.

Signing Evander Kane has changed the course of the Oilers season. The season can go in a number of directions. The advantage is the deal is only for the remainder of the season. The Oilers could benefit with Kane’s size, speed, and offensive up side. He has talent. The consequences are he brings in a reputation as being a cancer to the dressing room, which if it happens would further put the Oilers at further disadvantage with the community. Holland could have not made that decision with the hope that the team self corrects itself and grows on its own. If that was to happen the benefit would have been that the team found itself, grew and fans would relate that to Oiler glory days. Do you hear Springsteen playing ! The disadvantage of Holland not doing anything the perception is that he is doing nothing to make the team better and apathy grows with a frustrated fan base.

What is interesting about this situation is that there are so many distractions going on. Holland , on the surface appears not to be distracted by the drama of Kane  and the Oilers downward decline, and is trying to get his hockey team more focused and aware on the ice. He is trying to of get some positive momentum for a playoff push. The addition of Kane may do this. I know it will be interesting to watch.

There is an old saying in sport. Winning is like a good deodorant , it solves a lot of problems.

Until next time.

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