The Three Envelopes

[IntangibleBeer]

I think it's time to tell this story. Many of you have probably heard it. It's one that has been floating around military / program management environments for decades. I didn't create it. I just think it's appropriate. We can easily substitute head coach for program manager or executive.

Here’s how it goes.

A newly promoted program manager (think any hockey executive or head coach) walks into the office of his just-fired predecessor. He’s rummaging around in the desk and finds a large manilla envelope addressed “To the new coach”. He opens it and finds 3 white envelopes inside marked “Open Me First”, “Open Me Second”, and “Open Me Third”.

Accordingly, he opens the first envelope. In it is a piece of paper that says “Blame your predecessor”. He takes that advice. Over the next few months things go well, but then begin to slide. The team loses regularly and falls short of its goal of making the playoffs.

At the end of the season, he feels a bit pressured by the situation and then remembers the second envelope sitting in his desk. He opens it, and it reads “Reorganize”. Spurred to action, he fires and hires assistant coaches, shuffles assignments, and makes a number of organizational changes. At the beginning of the new season team fortunes rebound for a time. But as time goes on, the team again slumps badly, heading for failure. Things are getting worse.

Desperate, he runs back into his office, closes the door, and fumbles through his desk. He opens the third envelope which reads “Make three envelopes”.

All, I think the Penguins are (have been) in Third Envelope territory for some time now.

[stonewizard51]

Yep. They fired Reirden only to hire Quinn and back to square one after some success.