Dana White has almost single-handedly navigated a tarnished brand and a banished sport from the brink of death to the brink of mainstream acceptance and international popularity.
Along the way, he has used an unparalleled level of cunning skill and unrelenting passion to micro-manage every detail of the UFC in order to carve it a sporting niche. The UFC President is quite literally involved with every aspect of the UFC from matchmaking to fighter relations to public/media relations to marketing to event production to…well, you get the point.
But, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the UFC needs to move away from this micro-management philosophy.
In this day and age of rapid globalization, how many other CEOs of multinational, half-billion dollar firms can you point to that are involved in as much of everything as Dana White is with the UFC?
I’m having a difficult time pointing to any significant precedence for this sort of management philosophy and probably for good reason: the inefficiencies and impracticalities of executive micro-management at the multinational level can severely hinder firm performance.
I see in Dana White a man under enormous pressure and duress due to an overwhelming slate of travel and responsibility. He has proved his competence time and time again, but even the most competent of individuals cannot perform at their peak without the requisites of a healthy life – rest, diet, and free time.
If burn out hasn’t already arrived at White’s doorstep, it will shortly.
The increasing frequency that disputes with fighters, agents, other organizations, TV networks, and retail organizations have gone public is alarming. So, are the questionable negotiating tactics from the sometimes openly frustrated White.
While certainly, there are two sides to every story, one cannot help but wonder if the end-goal of the UFC couldn’t be accomplished without the fist pounding and ultimatums. An individual well-versed in the art of negotiation, especially within the sports industry could be an extremely valuable asset.
The UFC has brought in some extremely talented people over the last few years – Marc Ratner, Craig Borsari, and most recently, Lorenzo Fertitta – and not only is it important for this talent acquisition to continue, it’s also important for these individuals to be given larger roles and responsibilities within the organization.
The wisdom, trust, and patience necessary to surround oneself with quality people and then actually allow them to do what they do best are what separate the good leaders from the truly great leaders.
There’s no doubt that White is wise enough to surround himself with great MMA talents – he already has – but does he possess enough trust in and patience with these individuals to hand over some of his decision making responsibility?
Thus, it seems quite apparent that the ability of Dana White and UFC management to adapt their management style to the growing needs and demands of their increasingly international business will largely determine their success moving forward.