OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:

1. Describe the symbolic frame

2. Apply the symbolic frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

Is is important to note that each team is operated and maintain by an owner, presi-
dent (or CEO), general manager, and coach of the team. A situation that has recently been
brought up is the question of integrity of ownership. Many reports have indicated of foul
play, sexual assault, and cheating within certain NFL teams. Due to the fact that the NFL
and NFLPA work separate from these teams, a lot of investigations have occurred calling
out specific owners of each team. This has created rumors and hurtful imaging for the
NFL. viewership has not really gone down in the past years, but a lack of support for
these teams is continuing to rise due to the shady aspects of inside an NFL team.

One specific team to note is the Washington Commanders. After getting forced to
changed their former name, Washington Redskins, allegations had formed that the owner
of the team at the time had been sexually and verbally assaulting his employees and
cheerleaders. Because of these allegations, this was then taken to court to be further in-
vestigated upon. The Washington football team had been sold to new leadership and is
now undergoing more changes internally. Many more NFL teams have been looked upon
since the challenges of the Commanders, however, the Commanders are the prime exam-
ple of what it takes to run a poor organization because of poor leadership. In this case
study, we will take a deeper look into how this organization has proven to fail its players
and workers.

2) Describe how the symbols of the organization influenced the situation.

In organizations, leadership characteristics from an owner or president, are passed

own to the entire organization. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. The

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 overall symbolic reference inside this organization is hard to determine for multiple rea-
sons. First, we truly do not know how it was like within the organization. Second, despite
have having multiple case investigations. Dan Snyder was not convicted of any crimes.
He was forced to surrender the organization, but nothing was ever found concrete. Fur-
thermore, the culture of the organization and what it represented was all due to the poor
leadership of the entire higher ranking officials and Dan Snyder.

Over the years of his leadership, the team was falling apart. Many owners in the
NFL were scared of what Dan would do if he ever felt threatened from the NFL. Many
refused to speak up and give answers from these allegations. As far as the team went,
they were known to be the worst ran organization in NFL history. 40 women had re-
vealed that they were assaulted and bullied throughout the time under Dan Snyder’s lead-
ership. Over the course of the years, Washington’s football team was represented from
toxic and horrible symbols. Players did not want to play for the team, nor did coaches
want to coach here either. It wasn’t till after the removal of top leadership that the organi-
zation was able to flourish and rebuild the culture of the team. New transformation began
to occur within team members and players. Now, in 2024, this new Commanders team is
ready to build and establish a new meaning and symbol that represents the organization
with respect and dignity.

3) Recommend how you would use organizational symbols for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

As I mentioned earlier, culture and organizational symbols come from the top.
Those who work at an organization do not make the culture occur, it is up to the leader-
ship to build and establish what their organization needs to look like to become success-
ful. Can people help create this environment? Yes! However, strong leaders have to use
their skills and traits to coach and bring others into this framework of beliefs and systems.

I believe that the poor representation of basic leadership skills showed and leaked
from top to bottom of the entire organization from Dan Snyder and the entire executive
office of the Washington football team. The environment was too toxic for women and
other workers to feel empowered or a sense of belonging, The feeling that was repre-
sented in the entire office was fear and manipulation. No one wants to be part of that or-
ganization. In results, the team’s success lacked, both professionally AND internally has
an organization. They were not a winning team culturally and athletically. If I was in this
situation as a leader, I would do my best to establish CORE VALUES that truly identify
the symbols and beliefs that we share as a company and football team. I would make sure
the people I hire to fill executive rules would be determined by these core values FIRST,
before analyzing talent. This way proves that people can identify what we believe and
what we will hold ourselves accountable for everyday as an organization.

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 References

Alexis, A. (2024, January 19). Arizona Cardinals Fire CFO in leadership shakeup: ESPN. CFO
Dive. https://www.cfodive.com/news/arizona-cardinals-fires-cfo-leadership-shakeup-
espn-football/705099/#:~:text=The%20Arizona%20Cardinals%20have%20fired,report
%2C%20which%20cited%20unnamed%20sources.

Commanders investigation released; Dan Snyder fined ... (n.d.).

https://www.si.com/nfl/commanders/news/washington-commanders-dan-snyder-josh-
harris-sale-fine-mary-jo-white-investigation

Dan Snyder has said he has ‘dirt’ on NFL owners, officials, ... (n.d.).
https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/10/13/dan-snyder-dirt-nfl-owners-officials-private-
investigators-roger-goodell-espn-report

Greenberg, D. (2023, November 1). Arizona Cardinals owner Bidwill accused of workplace mis-
conduct. Front Office Sports. https://frontofficesports.com/arizona-cardinals-owner-
michael-bidwill-accused-of-workplace-misconduct/#:~:text=McDonough%20said
%20Bidwill%20attempted%20to,The%20Cardinals%20denied%20these%20claims.