What's Next After Kansas City Chiefs' Success?

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs became the highest-paid player in all of sports when he signed a new 10-year contract this week. Everyone is happy for him, as he has demonstrated unique talent, tremendous leadership skills, and a humble personality — earning great respect and support from his teammates. He will be the face of the Chiefs and perhaps the NFL for years to come.

Before the actual signing of the contract, the Chiefs’ front office bought a few bottles of Dom Pérignon to celebrate their work of getting their best player under contract — and rightly so.

But now comes the hard part — dealing with the other players who feel entitled, who want their share of the pie and want to get rewarded for their services. The Chiefs, winners of last year's Super Bowl, have to deal with "The Disease of Me," a phrase coined by Miami Heat President Pat Riley. They also have to deal with the jealousy that might come with the Mahomes contract. If those weren’t enough, their off-season has been reduced to Zoom chats and limited personal interaction.

Handling enormous success requires as much work as the achievement in the first place. A plan must be implemented to assist the entire organization in dealing with success. Here are 5 critical components leaders must do when dealing with overwhelming success.

1. Acknowledge last year is over. It's for the history books, not for the current team — this is a new team with different expectations and goals. Start over. Begin the new year as if the team has not won anything. Everyone is undefeated; everyone is coming for the trophy, including our organization. Keep the trophy away from the current team — don't allow them to bask in the spotlight. This is a new team, that trophy has nothing to do with them.

2. Must work harder than before. Everyone must work harder than before, and most of all, Mahomes must work above and beyond his expectations. He will set the tone. He must demand from his teammates and set the standard for the organization.

3. Distractions are part of the game now. Embrace the distractions, don't shy away from dealing with problems. Some players may hold out, searching for a new deal, and the mindset of the team must remain on the task at hand. Whoever is missing is forgotten.

4. Details are more important than ever. The team now wears a target on it's back. Being detailed is the kryptonite of removing the target. Details always win.

5. Tighten the circle of trust. Everyone wants to be associated with a winner, Everyone wants to benefit from the success, no matter how near or far their role. By tightening the circle, you remove egos from the room and that "disease of ego" can cause many problems.

Mahomes deserves his deal. But he must help the coaches and staff handle the coming season with his renewed commitment toward winning. Taking these steps won’t guarantee wins for the Chiefs.

But it will help.

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