Rlchard Pettlnger

Involvement

The issue of involvement affected all layers of the company. Middle managers expressed worries about the impact of financial success on top management. ‘‘How much longer ’’ asked one, ‘‘will they continue to work so hard and deal with all the hassles? ’’

One critical internal observer noted: ‘‘We want everybody to be on the Nike team and have the Nike esprit de corps that many of the old-timers feel. But I worry that a lot of employees don ’t have a clue what it really is.’’

Another stated: ‘‘Unless new employees are capable of assimilating Nike expectations of centered hard work and caring, creative thought, Nike will stagger under the weight of a jet-setting, self-centered, arro- gant and average middle management who aggrandize themselves on a past they were not a part of instead of striving for future successes in which they can share. ’’

Finally, another stated: ‘‘Each layer is a little more insulated from the rays coming down from the top. ’’

78 STRESS MANAGEMENT





Sources: www.Nike.com; Nike Annual Report (2000 –2001); Harvard Business School.