Dear Mr. Knight,
The clock is ticking and Nike is losing credibility by the minute. The company’s decision to retain Tiger Woods as a spokesman is at odds with its vision … to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. Just what is it about Tiger that inspires now? Being in the business of advising CEO’s and their teams, we often work with organizations whose values are tested by unforeseen circumstances. How an organization responds to those challenges speaks volumes to its employees , customers and shareholders about what it values.
When Tiger’s personal transgressions became public, and it was apparent that he had lost the moral compass that you and many others presumed that he had, Nike stood by him. Human beings are imperfect, and failure is not unknown to the best of us. Your decision to give him a second chance was commendable. The hope was that he would learn from his mistakes and become a better man for it.
Now in the aftermath of his return to competitive golf at Augusta, that hope seems extinguished. We may never know to what extent he rights his personal life…but what you can and should judge him on is his professional image…his conduct and demeanor while in the public eye. At the Masters, during and after the competition, he let down all those who had hoped a new, more centered and humbled Tiger would emerge.
He claimed that he was going to tone down his anger on the course and show more respect for the game. Apparently that was not a sincere commitment as his profanities were broadcasted to a worldwide audience. Worse yet, in his post Master’s interview, he defended his conduct, expressing his right to be upset with his poor play and laying the blame on others who were in his words “ making way too much of a big deal about this thing…..I don’t know how people think I’m going to be happy about that.”
The interview also confirmed the fundamental fact that he remains stuck in the selfish bubble that got him in trouble in the first place. Showing no humility, and never acknowledging the inspired play of his competitors, his commentary was typical of a sore loser. It was all about Tiger, and the fact that if he decides to enter a tournament, he expects to win it…as if it were his God given right. The message was that other competitors should not be able to win if he is on his game. It’s presumptuous and arrogant, which are not values that Nike aspires to.
This is a young man whose character no longer inspires, whose ability to change (innovate) on the heels of a supposedly painful process of introspection endured during rehab, seems highly doubtful. Nike’s shareholders should not be paying the price for his inability to act with integrity and conduct himself with honor consistent with true sportmanship. Every succeeding day you are party to the lie that is Tiger, your brand stands to lose its integrity. Mr. Knight, on behalf of the company you co-founded, and its shareholders, it’s time to just do it….drop him.
