Super Bowl LV. You know, the historic one where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium AND win the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy. It was also historic because, after 20 seasons (2001-2019), Tom Brady was the quarterback for another team besides the New England Patriots. This win silenced the critics who believed Tom Brady was only great (and a Super Bowl Champion) because of Bill Belichick and the powerhouse they were for so many seasons.
In hindsight, this is unprecedented because I can tout that not only was a part of the Host Committee Leadership team that planned this historic Super Bowl. Clearly, I had no idea that any of the above would happen when I accepted my position. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic conversation started!
I joined the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee in September 2019 as the Director of Business Connect and Community Outreach. My role was responsible for implementing the National Football League’s signature supplier diversity program, Business Connect. A program designed to recruit diverse-owned businesses to fulfill contract opportunities for hosting Super Bowl.
I could write an entire blog on each of the below takeaways and add another dozen to the list, but I don’t have time for that today. Instead, here are my top 6 takeaways from my time with the Super Bowl LV Host Committee. Happy Reading!
There has always been an air of divisiveness in our society based on our country’s dark history. With the racial uprising because of George Floyd’s murder and the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention the looming effects of Colin Kaepernick’s public protest of police brutality of Black people, this country’s divisiveness was amplified and more prominent than ever in 2020.
Despite all this, people of all races, ethnicities, genders, faiths, etc., that I encountered were enamored with all things Super Bowl. Whenever Super Bowl was the topic of discussion, I could physically see the worlds cares lifted off people’s shoulders. Nothing and I mean nothing, mattered at that moment other than people’s deepest sports dreams coming true.
The only other active league that year was the NBA, so people were itching to experience that euphoric feeling that comes from rooting on your favorite team next to a seemingly perfect stranger that shared your enthusiasm for sweet victory!
Some people have the audacity, and others don’t. Audacity often gets a bad rap. Usually, it is associated with its more negative association of exhibiting “rude or disrespectful behavior,” and before 2020, I would wholeheartedly agree. However, after being in the trenches of an experience that no one on the planet had ever experienced before and seeing how people reacted to that, I had a newfound appreciation for the word. In fact, I spent some time “unpacking” the word and found that audacity also means “a willingness to take bold risks.”
I realized that I have audacity that others don’t, simply because I took the bold risk of leaving my cushiony, high profile, well-paying job while being eight months pregnant with my second child for a high profile, lower-paying, 18-month temporary position that may or may not yield the type of results I hoped for. This was confirmed after I spent so much time talking to other people, many of whom I respected and admired, and them saying to me, “I would never take a risk like that! That’s insane!”
Based on people’s social media, I thought people were out here taking significant risks, thus leading these IG-worthy lives. I didn’t know that most of them were clothed with this cushion of family money, an actual 9-5 job, a wealthy spouse, etc. They don’t have audacity; they have a safety net. *shrug*
As annoying as the word “pivot” was in 2020, it is necessary to embrace it to succeed in business. Pivoting means changing your environment to improve your chances of success. I watched as companies changed their products and service offerings to match the market’s demands. Businesses found creative ways to retain their staff, and for those business owners who had to make the difficult decision of downsizing, they still found ways to honor the hard work and sacrifice of their team members. It is flexibility that rules the game.
Quickly thinking on your feet, paying attention to market trends, and acting on them, puts you at the forefront of leading the rest of the world into the future. So yes, the word pivoting is grotesquely overused now, but don’t let that stop you from embracing its meaning.
Phenomenal Leadership Makes the Difference. The leaders of an organization set the tone for the organization. They are the face and lead the company’s priorities, strategic focus, advocacy efforts, etc. However, most don’t realize that the leader’s personality, emotional intelligence, reaction to undesirable situations, etc., also affects how successful a company comes out of a crisis.
The CEO of the Host Committee is the coolest, calm, and levelheaded person I know. Seriously! No matter how bleak the situation looked for us or how stressed out we would be leading our respective initiatives, he always found a way to keep us focused and in good spirits. Whether through jokes, engaging in interesting conversation, or simply being transparent about where we were at the moment, I couldn’t imagine having to work through a Super Bowl or a pandemic under any other type of leader.
“Self-Care Sundays” is an entire Instagram mood. I mean, I love watching people pamper themselves on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. Manicures, pedicures, facials, fancy brunches with friends! Yaassss… do you boo! It wasn’t until I tried to adopt these strategies to cope with the downward spiral in which I was entrenched post-Super Bowl Sunday that I realized “Self-Care Sunday” was less about care and more about regular beauty maintenance.
Having a spa day or drowning my tears in champagne was a temporary fix and didn’t address or heal the post-event grief, mental anguish, anxiety, and emptiness I was feeling. Self-Care Sunday quickly turned into “self-care every day of the week” as I sought professional help to begin to feel whole again. Maybe you should too. Bottoms up!
At the time of hosting, Super Bowl LV was the first major in-person event with thousands of fans since the pandemic began. All eyes were on us. Everyone speculated, and rightfully so that the Super Bowl would be a super spreader event. Everyone, including us, were thinking about it.
Safety was the top priority for our team, and we took special care to create a fan experience that severely reduced and eliminated the possibility of ‘super spreader’ status. We planned for at least a dozen scenarios and were ready to execute any one of them at the drop of a dime. Pay close attention to the small details, discuss your ideas with a few trusted advisors, so you have a wide variety of perspectives, and consider all options. If you do that, you will create the best possible outcome for success.
Dedicated to shifting focus from antiquated ideals to more progressive and deliberate actions. The Orenda Collective actively challenges organizations and individuals to view their community through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive lens and deliver innovative solutions that live on in perpetuity. To learn more about The Orenda Collective and our services, contact us today!
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