Chris Spielman: 'In Unity, There is Strength'

Former Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Spielman explains what he envisions as the culture of the organization

Chris Spielman understands what winning organizations attempt to accomplish. 

Through his travels as an NFL broadcaster, he has interviewed several key leaders on winning organizations. 

With his new role as special assistant, Spielman wants to bring that knowledge gained to a front office desperately seeking to find consistent success.

While the former linebacker acknowledged he would not be qualified to become general manager, he is suited to share his input on who will become the next general manager and head coach and what they need to bring to the table. 

When asked what themes emerged from winning organizations, Spielman indicated "unity" and "communication."  

"There's got to be to me, clear communication," Spielman said. "Every guy that I've spoken to, in the top three of their things that make a great organization and these questions have been asked for the last five years-plus in other private conversations, there's got to be communication. Everybody has to understand the direction that we're going. Everybody has to know what our culture is. And you can't waiver from that culture. Everybody has to know, 'Okay, what type of character do we want in the building, from everybody on down?'"  

He added, "Everybody understands the head coach and the general manager have to be in unison. Now, they can fight and argue, which is healthy. But, I'll tell you this, there's going to be unity. It's not going to be an us versus them. You can't build a winning culture in us vs. them. There's a great saying, you guys probably hear and anybody that knows history, 'Together you stand, divided you fall.' In unity, there is strength. It's easy to be strong when you're on a six-game winning streak. You've got to stay strong when things are rough and you lose a few games. You've got to stay unified. I think that's kind of what we're looking for, if I'm not mistaken."

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