With Peyton Manning’s injury looking to sideline him for longer than expected, the Indianapolis Colts have more to worry about regarding succession plans than Apple does.
With Steve Jobs’ change in role to a chairman, many have speculated that there will be a major shift with Apple. Given that in January he stepped aside temporarily, and that he and Apple have developed a number of great leaders over the past several years, Apple is in great shape to continue their great work, even in a future that may be without Steve Jobs.
However, in Indianapolis, their organization is totally about Peyton Manning. The Colts signed Kerry Collins to fill in in his absence, and already their has been internal mumbling that the Colts are in trouble. Their offense has been completely focused around Manning’s ability to take charge and make adjustments, all with a rotating cast of supporting players. Without Manning and without a long-term focus on succession, the Colts face a major shakeup and possible decline.
The Colts’ situation is a stark reminder of what many teams fail to assess, both in sports and in business; no one person should be the reason for success; their needs to be many players involved in order for success to be continual. This is why Apple will continue to shine and why the Colts face a sharp decline.
