How much we are paid is a signal. The Seahawks just resigned our quarterback, Russell Wilson, to a 4-year $140 million contract making him the highest paid player in the National Football League. Now, for you and me, this is a huge amount of money to be paid for a job. In the world of the NFL… It is still a huge amount of money to be paid for a job! Pay is a signal of value. R-Dub should be looking at this deal as a sign that who he is (how he interacts with the stakeholders, how he represents himself in the community, etc.) and the skills he brings (team building, mentoring, quarterbacking, etc.) are greatly valued by his organization. It’s the same thing for the people on your team. How much you pay them is a signal of their organizational value – who they are and what skills they bring. Now, we won’t necessarily be in the $140 million range, but there is some salary that fits. When you are thinking about pay for a team position, if you are able, think more about individual’s value to the organization than market salary range. Both are important, but in a future where the jobs will be way less rote and way more creative, valuing what the individual brings will ensure you are sending the right signals.