Superbowl Sunday has finally arrived! Fans are gathered ceremoniously around televisions everywhere for the big event. Football fans can take a 30-second time out take between creative commercials and the duel for the championship to ponder a few leadership tips gleaned from Superbowl LI.
1. Quiet, please! It’s Game Time!
Yes, sports fans! It’s game time for football fans across America. For leaders, it’s time to likewise quiet the noise and step into the leadership game. The Superbowl teaches us that playing sports, in this case football, can propel us to know that this is something bigger than ourselves.
2. Action: Get Off the Bench
In sports, the goal is the get off the bench and into the game. You must get – and stay – off the bench to be part of the game. With football, we know that there is no time to waste with minutes on the clock and focus on scoring big. This is the same with leadership. Former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry said that “Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.”
3. Engage: Pick Up the Ball!
Once the coin toss happens, it’s time to engage! No matter who wins the first play, it is game on! Offensive and defensive coaches are walking the sidelines ready to coach athletes to pick up, carry, intercept, and not to fumble the ball. After months of practice leading up to the big day, sports fans are likewise enthralled when players carry the ball to a triumphant touchdown.
If you’re ready to embrace leadership lessons gleaned from Superbowl LI, stay tuned for my latest resource guide about leadership lessons from athletes.
Dawn McCoy
Author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
