Leadership and the Big Game

Whether you’re a die-hard football fan, or just in it for the commercials, there’s a good chance you’ll be tuning into the Super Bowl this Sunday. In anticipation of the big game, Chief Executive Magazine has published an article featuring words of wisdom from former Super Bowl champ David Tyree on leadership, teamwork, and the infamous ‘helmet catch’.

During the leadup to Super Bowl XLII, Tyree and his NY Giants teammates had a practice session that did not bode well. With less than 24 hours left before they faced off against the New England Patriots, time was of the essence. After dropping ball after ball, Tyree dubbed it “the worst practice of my life.” What happened next changed Tyree’s entire outlook, and perhaps the outcome of the game. Tyree’s quarterback, Eli Manning, approached him after the disastrous practice and told him “I know you’ll be ready.” With these five simple words, Manning connected to Tyree on a level that allowed him to ‘reset’, and approach the game with renewed focus.

The Giants were trailing in the fourth quarter with less than 3 minutes remaining. Manning threw the ball to Tyree in a crucial play, who reached into the air, grabbed the ball, and pinned it to his helmet with one hand as he fell to the ground. The Giants went on to win the game, thanks to Tyree’s ability to make that amazing catch and keep the drive going. Between Manning’s leadership and his experiences both on and off the field, Tyree was inspired to found his own leadership development company, DT3 Enterprises. Check out the full article here for his advice on how leaders can connect with their teams in high pressure situations, so that everyone is at their best.

Eight Qualities for Successful Leadership

Over the years there have been thousands of articles, scientific studies, and speculation about the commonalities among those who lead. While some identify the classic “Type A” as those ambitious enough to rise in the ranks, others have found that communication skills and the ability to listen are what make leaders truly great. According to Harvard Professor Linda Hill and a new article out of HBR.org, none of the above qualities are what one really needs to be an effective leader.

Hill, an authority on leadership and author of Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation, claims that what truly makes a leader great is the willingness to enter into uncomfortable situations. Situations in which we have to adapt, learn, and grow in the moment are ultimately what develops confidence and the ability to inspire others.

From these experiences, Hill has identified eight common qualities that stand out more than others.

• The first up in the list is authenticity. Showing up as your true self is essential if you plan on asking others to follow you. As Hill states; “Your competence is not enough; people need to trust your character and connect with you, otherwise they will not be willing to take risks with you.”

• Second, curiosity. One trait that has been studied more often in leadership is the love of learning. Maintaining a state of curiosity, soaking up knowledge and having a willingness to explore uncharted territory ultimately aids in decision making as these individuals tend to have a broader world view.

• Third, analytical prowess. When it comes to tough decisions, it’s about more than strong intuition. Great leaders will always stay informed and up to date on analytics, although they must walk the fine line and remain “data informed” instead of “data driven”.

• Fourth, Adaptability. With the world changing faster than ever, this is a quality that everyone must possess, not just leaders. It is, however, especially important for those at the helm as it allows them to succeed when new challenges arise.

• Fifth in line is creativity. When having to innovate or solve problems, Hill explains that often the best leaders are able to come up with solutions or ideas that are “adjacent possible”, meaning just outside of what is immediately in reach.

• Sixth, comfort with ambiguity. This may be the most challenging as it is outside of the comfort zone of many of us. Maintaining confidence in the face of competing priorities or information may feel like “navigating through the fog”, as Hill states, but is essential to inspire others.

• Seventh, resilience. Weathering the storm and adjusting to changing environments is essential, plain and simple.

• And lastly, empathy. The ability to connect with others and truly understand their point of views is perhaps the most important of all. Developing emotional intelligence will not only make a better leader, but a better person as well.

Give the full article a read here for more information on developing these skills and growing as a leader.