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3
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The Trust Factor
“Trust men and they will be true to you; trust them greatly and they will show themselves great.”
—RALPH WALDO EMERSON
By mid-November in Minnesota, the early morning temperature drops below freezing, and Sunday, November 17, 2002, was no exception. After two winters in Green Bay, the cold weather didn’t stop Mike Sherman from taking a brisk walk in downtown Minneapolis. The Packers’ head coach wanted some quiet time by himself before the Packers-Vikings game that afternoon. Having won seven consecutive games and 8-1 for the season, Sherman was thinking, “Life is good.”
On his way back to the hotel, he passed a homeless man. Without hesitation, Sherman approached him and handed him a few dollars.
“Here, take this,” the head coach said, and then he added, “I’m headed for my hotel. How about coming with me? I’ll treat you to a good breakfast.”
The two men went back to the hotel and went to Sherman’s suite and ordered room service. “While we’re waiting you’re welcome to take a hot shower,” he said.
The man cleaned up and ate a hearty breakfast. “I’m sorry but I’ve got to go to the stadium,” Sherman apologized. On his way out the door, he added, “Say, would you like to go to today’s game?”
The man’s face lighted up. “Yes, I would.”
“Great!” Sherman said. “I’ll have my security man drive you to the stadium. I’ll have a pass for him to pick up for you. You’ll be on the field. On sidelines with the team, that is, if you don’t mind being on the Packers’ side.”
Throughout the afternoon, the homeless man kept saying, “I can’t believe this is happening to me. I must be dreaming.”
This kind gesture was Sherman’s way to express his thankfulness for his blessings. When I heard about it, I questioned him, “Weren’t you concerned about taking a homeless person to your hotel room? A complete stranger?”
“I would be more concerned if I didn’t help him,” answered Sherman. “I’m realistic enough to realize that the only difference between myself and that homeless gentleman may have just been opportunity. I got one and he didn’t. It’s that simple. And that opportunity that I got does not mean I’m a better man than he.”
Another of my favorite stories about Sherman’s benevolence involved a teenage boy who was abandoned by his parents at birth. The boy lived in a halfway house for orphans in the Green Bay area. Born with severe respiratory complications, he had to breathe with a ventilator. His poor condition kept him house-confined for nearly three years. An avid Packers fan, the boy’s biggest dream was to meet Coach Sherman. When Mike heard this, he quietly visited the boy and stayed for an entire afternoon. Mike has continued to keep in touch with him ever since that first meeting.
Then there was the time when Mike, Karen, and their four children were about to embark on a family vacation. En route to their destination, the family went via Milwaukee, where they stopped at a cancer ward. They spent several hours visiting and cheering up patients. This to Sherman was a reality check. “Karen and I think it’s important for our family to realize how blessed we were, and no matter how much we have, it should never be taken for granted.” It is not idle words when Coach Sherman says, “My faith, my family, and the Green Bay Packers are the most important things in my life.”
All members of the Green Bay Packers organization know that their head coach has a burning desire to win the Super Bowl. His passion and competitive spirit are readily apparent. “I want to go to the Super Bowl and win it in the worst way,” he tells the team, “but I am not going to lose my family in the process. That’s not a trade I am willing to make. Nor is it one I would ask any of you to make.” He reminds the players that their priorities should be: “God first, family second, career third.” Without hesitation, he adds: “I think having career in the number three spot is high enough that if we all keep it number three, we can get done what we need to get done. But third place is high enough and should never come before God and family. I just don’t want any of you letting it slip further down your list of priorities.”
You may be thinking, What does a story about Mike Sherman’s kindness to a homeless man, a visit to see a sick boy, or a family visit to a cancer clinic have to do with leadership? My answer: Everything!
That’s because leadership is based on trust. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” Coach Sherman’s actions speak about the kind of man he is. His actions spawn trust.
How could you not trust this man? The fact is, the people around Mike Sherman trust him unconditionally. And trust is the foundation upon which good leadership is built. Without trust, one cannot lead.
“In order for people to follow you,” articulates Sherman, “you must be a person of high integrity. With integrity, there is belief. Having people believe in you directly affects leadership. This also requires being brutally honest with others as well as yourself. This means telling people what you are going to do—and doing it. This gives a leader the right to make demands on people. It can’t be that don’t-do-as-I-do-but-as-I-say-you-do bull. Such behavior destroys credibility. What’s more, don’t be slow in admitting when you are wrong. You gain people’s trust when you admit making a mistake. This too is integrity. When I make a mistake, I’m the first to admit it, and I’ll simply say to the team, ‘I was wrong, and hopefully what I did can serve as a lesson and we can learn from it.’ When you are wrong, the worst thing you can do is cover up for it. Generally, the longer the period that expires before you admit your wrongdoings, the more trouble you get yourself into.
“Whenever I see a player or coach who does something wrong, I am quick to confront him. If I see a player or coach do something well, I also confront him with positive reinforcement. This can only be done in an organization that fosters openness among its people. In the wrong environment, people will build barriers and act defensively. I’m constantly telling our people, ‘In order for us to be successful, each of us must be able to handle the truth. When something is wrong, it is wrong. When something is right, it is right. We have to know the difference.’ This is a prerequisite in order for us to be a great organization. We must be able to accept the truth—even when the truth hurts. Each of us must be able to accept the cold facts of reality that when something is not right, you better get it fixed or somebody else will be fixing it instead of you.’
“People have to know that you shoot straight with them,” Sherman continues. “They come to expect the truth even though they may not want to hear it. They think they don’t, but deep down, I believe they really do. They want you to be straight with them and know you won’t BS them. In a healthy atmosphere, people should be able to say, ‘I know if I ask him where I stand, he’ll tell me.’ ”
It works both ways with Mike Sherman. If you tell him you’ll do something, you better do it. “At the last minicamp,” he recalls, “I met with a group of some of our very large-sized players. I posed the question to the group: ‘How much are you going to weigh when you come back?’
“They started to throw numbers out. A 380-pound offensive lineman, for example, yelled out, ‘I’ll be back weighing 350 pounds,’ and another said, ‘I’m going to lose 40 pounds.’ Sometimes, they get carried away and make a commitment in front of the other players that will be hard to keep.
“If a player says, ‘One pound,’ I can handle it. But I don’t want anyone telling me something that he can’t deliver on. ‘Be honest with your teammates and your coach,’ I harp at them.
“It’s probable if a player commits to a very low number I’ll say, ‘You need to do more than that.’ But I’ll respect him for saying it. What I don’t want to hear is somebody mouthing off about how he’s going to lose 20 or 40 pounds and come back having lost only two pounds, or worse, actually putting on some extra weight. If he tells me something, he better do it. I will hold him accountable to what he commits to do.”
AFTER MIKE HOLMGREN COACHED HIS last game with Green Bay, losing in a playoff game to the ’49ers by a score of 23-10, he was invited for a job interview with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Bill Nayes, who has the title of football operations team coordinator/team travel with the Seahawks, had been working for the Packers at the time. Nayes recalls a conversation with Holmgren: “Coach Holmgren said to me, ‘I’m going to Seattle and would like you to come with me. Are you interested?’
“ ‘Count me in.’ I replied without hesitation.
“Once the word was out that Holmgren was leaving, several others met with him to discuss going with him. Mike told us to start moving our families to Seattle, and that’s exactly what we all did. Meanwhile, we had no contracts with Seattle, nor did any of us know what our salaries would be. Until then, I had lived in Wisconsin all of my life, so a relocation to Seattle was a big move for me. I’m sure it was to all the guys, particularly the ones with large families who had already settled in Green Bay. Housing costs in Seattle are considerably higher than in Green Bay. In fact, it’s not even close. Everything costs more out here. The reason why we were all willing to make the move was because we had so much faith in Mike. He’s our leader and we trust him. It’s as simple as that. Whatever he’d ask any of us to do, we’d do it, knowing that he’s going to look out for us—and do what’s in our best interest. A total of ten of us that included coaches, trainers, and administrative staff went with him. Nobody even asked questions. That’s the kind of faith we had in Mike. The only thing he told us before the move was that he was given a long-term contract, so we did have the security in knowing that we’d be in Seattle for several years.
“When I go back home,” Nayes continues, “my friends call me a traitor. They say, ‘How could somebody from Wisconsin ever leave the Green Bay Packers? Man, you had the greatest job in the world.’
“ ‘I did it,’ I tell them, ‘because of Coach Holmgren.’ I had so much confidence in him, and he’s the guy I work for. This is what he looks for in people. You have to work your butt off for him, but you always know he’s going to take care of you.”
I know exactly what Bill Nayes means because I’ve known Mike Holmgren for a long time, and you’ll never meet a more straightforward guy. Everyone knows he’ll always be truthful with them, and he often says, “Look, if you ask me a question, make sure you want to know the answer.” One thing is certain—he will let you know where you stand with him. Sometimes you might not like the answer he gives you, but he’ll be honest with you. I’ve never known him to tell a lie. For instance, if a player says, “Coach, why aren’t I starting?” he’ll give him specific reasons. If a player asks why he got cut, he’ll tell him exactly why. He doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t do it in a harsh way, and it’s not personal. The bottom line is that the players respect him because he will tell the truth.
For instance, Seattle recruited a wide receiver who was a free agent and had been released from Chicago. He wasn’t a high-priced free agent, nor was he a player that other teams were clamoring to recruit. But the Seahawks wanted him, believing he could fill a role for the team. This player didn’t think his previous head coach leveled with him, and he was unhappy with the direction his career was going. Before he signed with Seattle, Mike didn’t pull any punches with him. “Look, we want you here. We have a role for you on our team, but you are not going to be a starter. We have two young players that we plan on giving every opportunity to be the starters. Now if one of them gets hurt, or he can’t do it, then yes, absolutely, you’ll get an opportunity to start. But I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear so you’ll sign.”
Some head coaches will say anything to get a player to sign and then they’ll deal with it later. Mike doesn’t operate like that. This player respected his truthfulness and he signed a one-year contract with Seattle. As it turned out, he was the team’s third wide receiver and did start in some games with formations that required three wide receivers. When his contract was up, he signed on again, and he has played a significant role on the team. This is his third year with the team.”
As Holmgren explains, “I never lied to a player or a coach—not even to the press. My philosophy is that honesty has to permeate your entire existence. You must live your life this way, at the office and away from the office. This is where you start because if you lose trust, you can’t teach. You can’t communicate. Your people won’t listen to you and you’ll never be able to get them to do what needs to be done.
“I place a high premium on honesty and loyalty. I have a standard speech I make to my new coaches at my staff meeting at the beginning of the year. I tell them, ‘I hired you, and I make a commitment to you and your family. And you must make a commitment to me. As coaches, we’re going to have some bumps in the road along the way, and I will help you through them. But the one thing I will not tolerate is disloyalty. I will be loyal to you and I expect the same thing from you.’ ”
Gil Haskell signed on as offensive coordinator with the Seahawks in 2000. His friendship with Holmgren goes back to when they were both high school coaches in San Francisco in the late 1970s and competed against each other. Even though they were rivals, they became very good friends and frequently met with a group of other high school coaches in the same league for a 7:30 breakfast on Saturday mornings following Friday night games. “I can say this about Mike,” Haskell tells, “he’s the same person on and off the field. He’s the same guy all the time. What I like about him is that when he’s upset, you know he’s upset because he’ll let you know it. Then you can move on. He won’t pull the rug from underneath you and then you can’t function. He’ll let you know because he’ll say, ‘Jack, you didn’t play very well and this is what you did wrong. I want that to get better.’ ”
WHEN ANDY REID FIRST TOOK over as the Eagles’ head coach in early 1999, one of the first things he did was interview several players because he wanted to get “a feel of the team’s pulse.” He kept hearing complaints about the team’s medical care. Resolved to find a solution and only three weeks on the job, Reid hired Rick Burkholder to be his head trainer. Burkholder had spent the previous six years as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ assistant athletic trainer and was considered one of the best trainers in professional sports.
Burkholder recalls an early conversation with his new boss: “Most head coaches would have said, ‘You’re getting paid a six-figure salary, so I expect you to figure this thing out and come back with some answers.’ But that’s not Coach Reid’s style. He took me in front of all the players at a team meeting and said, ‘Fellas, I’ve talked to many of you, and I’ve been hearing that you’re unhappy with your medical care. I went out and found the best guy possible to straighten this thing out. All that I ask of you guys is that you cooperate with Rick, and in return, he will give you the best medical care in the National Football League. Do this and we’ll be alright.’
“Then Coach Reid gave me 45 minutes to explain my program and the changes we planned to make. After I gave my presentation, he stood in front of the team and gave me some more praise. Then he said to everyone, ‘Rick is going to do a terrific job. Now if any of you defies him, I’m going to cut your balls off.’
“From my viewpoint, the players are my customers,” Burkholder continues, “and he took my customers and gave me an endorsement that set the stage so I couldn’t help but succeed. He’s telling them how wonderful I am, and raving about everything I’m going to do for them. With everyone giving me his support, he made my job easy. That’s Andy Reid. He goes to great lengths to make you look good. He makes everybody in the organization look good.
“I had a conversation with Coach Reid at the beginning of summer camp in ’99,” recalls Burkholder. “He said to me, ‘Rick, I don’t care if we win a game this year.’
“ ‘Coach, your job is based on wins and losses,’ I answered.
“ ‘All that I want is our guys to do the right thing. I want them to hustle. I want them to be on time. I want them to be good character guys. I want them to get better. I want them to be coachable. I want them to cooperate with you. I want them to cooperate with public relations. We’ll win games if they do that.’
“I never heard a head coach talk like this before, and I’m like, ‘Are you sure about this?’
“ ‘I’m as competitive as they come,’ Coach Reid reminded me. ‘I want to win. But this year, I want to do things right first.’
“It took us a while to win our first game. We dropped the first four before we had a W. I was impressed with his sincerity in wanting to do the right thing. After those many private conversations we had, I knew he believed that. I knew where his values were. And I have a feeling that I’m not the only guy he said that to.
“Once we started summer camp and the season was under way, I became even more convinced that he meant what he said. I’ve been around other head coaches who get boiling mad at the trainer when a player is hurt. They want the trainer to get the injured player back into the game, and some coaches shout, ‘We can’t win without him. I need that guy. Get him better for Sunday’s game.’
“Andy Reid has never been like that. Instead he says, ‘I want you to make sure those guys are on time and make them work hard when they’re in the training room.’ Coach never focuses on the product. He focuses on the process.
“He says, ‘Rick, if they’re on time, disciplined in your training room, and work hard, they will recover from their injury sooner. However, if they’re always late and lazy, it’s going to take forever. Injury is a part of the game. I’m not worried that they’re hurt.’
“If I don’t think a player is going to practice during the week, I’ll tell him, ‘You probably won’t have him on Sunday.’
“If he thinks I’m being a little soft, he’ll say, ‘If you’re as good as I think you are, you’ll have him back.’ And that’s the end of it. He’s so gentle that way. The players see this side of him too, and when they’re injured, they want to get well quickly so they can play for him.”
Burkholder’s admiration for Reid is apparent. He knows how competitive his boss is, but also understands that winning isn’t everything to him. “Coach Reid worries about the day-to-day business,” explains Burkholder. “He expects the same work ethic on the practice field, in the weight room, everywhere. I attend every team meeting because I don’t want to miss anything, and I can’t recall him ever telling the team anything about winning the upcoming game. What he will say is, ‘Okay, today is Wednesday, and here’s what we have to focus on.’ Then he might say, ‘You’ll notice on film that this team is very fast and we’ve got to be crisp in practice.’ On Thursday, he might say, ‘Today, we are in the red zone. We’ve got to do this and this and this.’ But he never talks about winning the game.
“The night before the game, Coach Reid will say, ‘Hey, you guys worked your butts off this week. You’ve done the right things. Now what you’ve got to do tomorrow is go out there and let your personality show. Have fun.’ He doesn’t talk about winning because he doesn’t have to. He talks about the things that lead up to winning. That’s why he’s so successful.”
Brad Childress, Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, concurs with Burkholder on Andy Reid’s strong emphasis regarding character. “Andy is not seduced by a player’s athleticism if he’s a bad character person. In today’s NFL, it takes strong discipline to think this way. Another head coach might envision a highly talented player as a great receiver or running back, but Andy will have a vision of somebody who will be a good person, an outstanding citizen, and a good fit into our way of doing business. When it comes to character, he’ll pass on a star player with a bad attitude. He’d rather take a guy with a bit less talent but with character. He’s a believer in the maxim that one bad apple can spoil the barrel. It only takes one guy on the team who’s always complaining to bring down a bunch of other guys.”
Burkholder recalls being told by Reid: “ ‘I want good ballplayers and tough guys, but I also want quality guys.’ Then he explained, ‘I’ll tell you why. When the chips are down, the quality guy is always there for you because he’ll play his heart out for you.’ And that’s the kind of guys he looked for, and that’s the kind of guys we’ve got. He wants players that will stick together when the going gets tough. In a team huddle on the sidelines during a game, Coach Reid will tell the players, ‘Okay guys, you have to look after one another now.’ ”
A religious man, Reid believes in practicing his religion throughout the week, not only on Sunday mornings in church. Still, according to Childress, Reid has a speech he gives to the coaching staff every year. “He tells us, ‘I want guys with a strong faith, but I don’t want you to force it on anybody. There have been wars fought over religion, women, and money. So remember not to force your religion on anybody. Please give them some space.”
Most telling about the trust Andy Reid generates is the way he lives. “I try to live by what our church tells us,” Reid explains. “Any time I’m not doing football, I am probably going to be with my wife and children. I live by two rules. Number one is to be a good person, and number two is to be honest in my dealings with people. I try to be the same during the good and the bad times. You can’t change during the tough times. You can’t suddenly be a different person or present things differently to your people. You’ve got to stay consistent. Stick to your convictions. When players see you have that conviction and stick to them in spite of a lot of criticism, it makes them believe in you too.
“It’s easy to be honest with a person when he’s doing a good job,” Reid continues, “but it’s not as easy when he’s doing a bad job. For example, you might have a great person but he’s not quite good enough to make the football team. There are times when I must release a player who has a family to feed. I have to be honest with him. That’s where we started with this team. I was consistent in always shooting straight with everyone. I didn’t waiver from this. During the first year with the team, we had our share of highs and lows, but I didn’t change. You’ve got to be consistent, and when you are, your people feel comfortable because they know what to expect.”
While it’s true that Reid is one of the hardest working persons you’ll ever meet, his family comes first. They are still telling stories in Green Bay about how Reid arrived at work at 4:30 in the morning. Then at 7:00, he would go home to pick up his children, drive them to school, and be back at the office by 7:30. Because Green Bay is a small town, it was possible to do that. It isn’t possible in Philadelphia because the Reids live too far away from the stadium. During the off-season, he’ll slip away from the office to watch one of his sons play football or one of his daughters in a school concert.
It doesn’t seem to matter who you talk to about Andy Reid. The people who know him will describe him as an honest and caring man, two important leadership qualities. The fans sense it too. At a summer camp in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, I saw why they find him so endearing. After the last day of practice, Reid had the entire team stand and, facing the audience, the players applauded the fans. Then they walked among the fans, shaking hands, giving high fives, and signing autographs. This is the positive influence Andy Reid has on the team. He’s their leader and because he cares, they care.
COMING TO A TEAM THAT lost its last 15 consecutive games is a grueling task for a seasoned NFL head coach, let alone a rookie coach. When John Fox came to Carolina in 2002, he directly addressed the fact that the team’s confidence and morale were low. “I wanted to let them know that they could be winners if they were willing to pay the price,” he explains. “ ‘The same people that say you’re a piece of crap when you lose,’ I told them, ‘will tell you that you’re the greatest when you win. It’s all based on your performance on Sunday. Well, that’s not reality. Reality is the hard work and preparation that go into Sunday’s game. And sometimes it’s not about winning because success isn’t just winning. It’s giving your best and being your best all the time. Be the same guy every day.’
“I let them know that winning isn’t just what happens on the football field,” Fox continues. “A lot of the off-the-field things are involved. That’s why there’s a big building in New York filled with NFL personnel that monitor everything we do. They have all kinds of drug tests and other evaluations. They’re even concerned about the way we invest our money. They’re monitoring what you do so you live with character, not characters. We can have a whole bunch of talented individuals, but without the right kind of people, we’re not going to be successful in this League. I believe if each of us can be successful in all facets of his life, eventually we will win.
“ ‘Discipline in your life doesn’t just occur while you’re here,’ I emphasize. ‘It occurs in your relationships with your family and social life. To maximize your talents, you have to have discipline in your life. When I talk to you about being smart, I’m not just talking about knowing your plays. I’m talking about how you conduct yourself in life. There’s right and there’s wrong. We all know what’s right and what’s wrong. Now are any of us perfect? No. We are going to make mistakes. But we are going to have to pay the price for those mistakes and we are all dependable and accountable to each other.’ ”
“When Coach Fox stood up in front of the team,” explains Sal Sunseri, defensive lineman coach, “they knew he was a guy who had been to The Show. He had been the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator in Super Bowl XXXV on January 28, 2001. Although Baltimore defeated New York, 34-7, Fox was recognized as one of the NFL’s best defensive coordinators. John had earned his stripes and spoke with authority when he said, ‘You can watch the tape on guys in the Super Bowl and you will say that they weren’t the most talented group of players, but they were there and there’s a reason.’ John took guys that weren’t really great and he made them great.”
New York’s defensive lineman Michael Strahan, who set an NFL record with 22.5 sacks in 2001 has high praises for Fox. Strahan said, “I didn’t make my career what it has turned out to be until Coach Fox came along. He truly taught me and taught us about football and not just lining up and using your athletic ability to make a play. He took guys that maybe weren’t as athletic and made us all understand the game so we could play it faster and play it better.” He made Strahan a great football player.
“Fox was a guy who had been to the Show, and he came here as a respected coach,” Sal Sunseri continues. “John knows his people, and he knows what he can get out of each player. He knows a player’s deficiencies and his strengths. He puts them in a position where the best players make plays and he will help his players that can’t. John won’t tell you anything that he doesn’t believe, hasn’t experienced, and hasn’t lived through. When he believes that we’ve got to run the ball to be successful, we are going to run the ball. If he believes we have to stay here longer to watch film, that’s what we’ll do. Whatever he thinks it takes for us to be our best, he’ll make sure we do it. When he tells us something, his conviction comes through, and you know it’s how he feels. It’s not going to be what he thinks you want to hear.”
Sunseri respects Fox because he is realistic and tells it like it is. “I remember when I was coaching with Foxy at the University of Pittsburgh, and we were playing at home against Miami in 1986. It was Vinny Testaverde’s senior year when he won the Heisman Trophy and went number one in the draft. Wide receiver Michael Irvin was on the same team and the Cowboys’ number one draft choice the following year. Testaverde came out on the first play, drops back five steps and runs eight yards out, and before Irvin even broke out, the ball was there for him to make the catch. I was standing next to Foxy and he looked at me, scratched his head, and said, ‘We could stay here all night. There’s no way we’re stopping that!’ We played very tough but got whipped 37-10. That’s the way he is. Very realistic.
“John is constantly preaching work ethic. The other day he said to the team, ‘When I’m out on the practice range, boy I hit that ball beautiful. But when I step up to the tee, I don’t hit it the same way. I want the same guy to put that ball out there whether he’s on the practice range or hitting off the tee.’ You can see where he’s coming from. He tells us that if we want a chance to win, we’ve got to pay the price. It’s preparation that wins games. If you prepare, you’re mentally tough, and you’re ready, you’ll produce. He’s very consistent, and during his first season with the Panthers, he kept showing the team what they did well and what they did poorly. Then he let them know why we didn’t get it done. ‘This is what needs to get done,’ he’d say, ‘and it always comes down to preparation, people making plays, taking care of it.’ He repeats over and over, ‘There are two things you can do with pressure. You can either feel it, or you can apply it.’ Then it’s more practice and still more practice, so when it comes to Sunday, they can do the same thing they practiced all week.
“ ‘When you put in the time and you invest something into it,’ he says, ‘you’re going to reap the benefits. It’s never easy. And sometimes you have to slight your family at home because you’re so demanding on yourself, but down the road, you’ll reap the benefits with what you can give them.’ John is not going to cheat his football team in any way through lack of preparation. If he believes it takes being here at 6:00 A.M. and staying to 2:00 the next morning, he’s going to do it.
“ ‘It’s a production world,’ John is fond of saying. ‘And those who produce will succeed. And those who don’t produce are going to fall on their face. It always goes back to preparation. You can’t show up for practice and neglect the little things, like taping yourself, watching the film, or having your mind on some other business. You’ve got to come in here and get your work done, focusing on what you have to do. Staying focused in football is not easy because there are always distractions. But if you come in and prepare your task at hand, then you’ll be ready to go.’ ”
“I always tell them that it’s hard to succeed in this League without having a passion for it,” asserts Fox. “It’s not about fame, nor is it about money. It’s what kind of man you are. To me, this means having discipline in all facets of your life. If something is not right in one area of your life, it carries over to other areas. Some people claim they can hide a problem, but it eventually impacts their work, whether it’s a drug problem, an alcohol problem, gambling, whatever. ‘This is a very short-lived career,’ I tell them. ‘It doesn’t last very long. It’s four for 40. What you do for the next four years will determine what you do for the next 40 years. You can screw around and do all kinds of crazy shit. And yes, you’ll have a good time, but because you goofed up, it will mean you’ll have to bust your ass for the next 40 years. Now if you really attack these four years and invest and commit yourself to them, you’ll be rewarded for those next 40 years. Remember now, football is a young man’s game, so I’m talking about longevity. Be smart so you won’t regret it later on.’ It’s a simple lesson to comprehend. You’re going to get out of it what you put in. But it’s more than simply having the talent. You must have the discipline.”
WHEN JON GRUDEN WAS HIRED by Tampa Bay, he replaced Tony Dungy, who was admired by both players and Buccaneers fans alike. During his six-year tenure with Tampa Bay, Dungy had amassed a respectable 54-42 record that included four playoff games. Prior to his arrival, the Buccaneers had finished in last place in their division for three consecutive years. Dungy, one of four African-American head coaches in the NFL, is credited with having built Tampa Bay’s strong defensive unit, which was number one in its division while he was at the helm. Replacing such a respectable and accomplished coach posed a real challenge to Jon Gruden.
“At the first team meeting,” Gruden reminisces, “I acknowledged that I understood there was controversy over my coming to Tampa. ‘Tony Dungy is a great coach and a great man,’ I said. ‘You guys did a heck of a job under him. I respect the job Tony did. Now it’s our job to finish the hard work that you guys have done to put yourselves on the brink of being a great team. I don’t know how I got here, but I am here, and I want you to give me a chance. Give me the opportunity to implement my program here. I need your help.’
“Throughout the season and to this day, we acknowledge Coach Dungy and what he meant to this franchise,” says Gruden. “I appealed to the leaders on the team for this help, who are among the best players in football. You don’t just walk in and start calling plays, implementing schedules, and get everyone’s immediate respect. You have to earn that. And hard work and everyday consistency is something I do so I can get it.”
The game of football is built on trust. Players must trust their coaches and their trainers. They must believe they are prepared to perform at their peak. Likewise, the players must trust each other. Every player must trust each of his 10 teammates on the field to do his job. If one man doesn’t—someone misses a block, a receiver runs a wrong route—a busted play results. It could be a blocked kick, a fumble, an intercepted pass. This is why football is such a great team sport. As the adage goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If a player doesn’t trust the guy next to him to do his job and tries to compensate by covering for him, then his own assignment is left undone.
“If you want to earn a person’s trust—and this doesn’t just apply to football, I could be talking about earning your spouse’s trust or a coworker’s trust—you’ve got to be there for them when they hit that bump in the road,” Gruden explains. “When the quarterback throws an interception, a head coach can’t go crazy, change the game plan, and call a run every play. You’ve got to help bring him back. You’ve got to be there for people when things get tough. Now if things are always tough, you’re probably not any good or you’re going to have to make some changes. And you’ve got to be consistent. You can’t be a good guy after a win and be crazy-out-of-your-mind when you have a bad first half or lose a game. You’ve got to give these guys some consistency.”
Based on my personal observations, all NFL head coaches have a good work ethic. But throughout the sports world, everyone marvels at Jon Gruden, who puts in 16- to 18-hour days. Jon calls it, “grinding,” and when he calls you a “grinder,” you should take it as a compliment. Gruden’s strong work ethic has permeated the entire Tampa Bay organization, and its consequence has resulted in a high level of trust. As Gruden puts it, “It’s one thing to deliver a corny rah-rah speech, but quite another when you see 15 or 16 of our coaches in here on their day off. And these same guys are doing their homework in the evenings when they are not here. The players see this and know their coaches are grinding away to give them a chance to win and excel. It makes the players want to come in here and execute to the utmost of their abilities. They understand that there is going to be pressure on them to excel. It’s applied pressure. ‘Apply the pressure,’ I tell them. ‘Don’t feel it, apply it.’ That’s what we want here. To do it, you’ve got to execute.”
Garrett Giemont, the Buccaneers’ strength and conditioning trainer, says, “Gruden’s the leader pulling everyone on that rope, inch by inch, continually trying to make you better, and at the same time, making you want to be better. It’s like a kid who pushes himself in school because he doesn’t want to disappoint his parents. We see the genuine love Jon has for his work, and it makes you want to bust your ass because when you see his face, you don’t want to let him down. Why? Because you know he’s not letting you down. How can you not trust a guy like this?”
On Sunday, November 17, 2002, Green Bay was playing in Tampa Bay in a close game tied at 7-7 with 7:33 remaining in the third quarter. Both teams were strong contenders to win their division. Brett Favre was trying to connect with Terry Glenn on a post pattern; however, the Buccaneers’ secondary had the wide receiver double-covered with strong safety John Lynch deep, and cornerback Brian Kelly made the pick. Kelly made a 31-yard return that set up the go-ahead touchdown. During the play, the Bucs’ Warren Sapp plowed into the Packers’ offensive tackle Chad Clifton. The game was delayed for several minutes while Clifton was strapped to a backboard and hauled off the field. Clifton lost feeling in his extremities for a brief period. The in-stadium video screens showed a zoomed-in view of the injured player as he lay motionless; also picked up by the camera was Sapp doing a celebration dance. No penalty was called.
Tampa won the game, 21-7. After the last play, Mike Sherman walked over to the other side of the field to congratulate Gruden. Upon crossing paths with Warren Sapp, Sherman simply couldn’t restrain himself and accused him of taking a cheap shot at one of his players. Sherman’s remarks resulted in a heated argument and triggered an incident that received more media coverage than the game itself. Several weeks had passed when I discussed the brouhaha with several members of the Green Bay organization. Each expressed how proud he was that their 48-year-old head coach had stood eyeball-to-eyeball with the 303-pound, All-Pro Warren Sapp, to protect a Packers player. It’s probable that Sapp’s hit was in the heat of the game and there was no malicious intent to injure Chad Clifton. Likewise, Sherman’s reaction was a spontaneous expression of his passion for the game and his strong loyalty to his players, who thought his action spoke volumes. It demonstrated that they had a leader who would lead them into battle and would never abandon them.
When Donald Driver signed a long-term contract with the Packers, the All-Pro wide receiver’s voice cracked and tears streamed down his face when he expressed how happy he was to be part of the Green Bay Packers organization. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Coach Sherman and everybody in this organization,” Driver said. It’s a two-way street. Mike Sherman expects a lot from his players, and in turn, they expect a lot from him. This is a special relationship built on trust.
Trust isn’t earned in a single big swoop. For the most part, it is earned by a series of little things, many of which are seemingly insignificant, but in total, have a lasting impact. For instance, it could be Mike Sherman inviting the players’ families to a scrimmage at the stadium that’s followed by a barbeque. Or it could be John Fox inviting the coaches and players with their wives to a dinner dance. Or Andy Reid inviting the coaches’ and players’ families to visit summer training camp in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a small town 40 miles north of Philadelphia, and taking them out to dinner. However thoughtful, it takes a lot more to inspire trust in people. It is earned by your everyday actions, little by little. It takes time for a leader to know his people, and for them to know him.
“I know what they’re like on the field,” John Fox explains. “I’m interested in knowing what they’re like in a different setting. At a social gathering, I can meet their spouses. I want to get to know Karl Hankton’s wife, Jennifer, and Muhsin Muhammad’s wife, Christa. I know that I’m never going to get to know them if I don’t see them. To me, it’s a way to show our people that I really do care about them, not only professionally.”
“We’ve been known to call off a practice and take everyone to bowling or to a movie,” says Gruden. “It’s great being together. Having fun. Sitting next to each other and having popcorn. It can’t be all business all the time. Maybe it’s a round of golf now and then. For instance, I’m talking golf with Warren Sapp and Anthony McFarland, and I say, ‘You guys think you know a thing about golf? Let’s go out and let’s settle this thing right now.’ It’s good to get away from business. Even when we travel, it’s fun to get on the airplane with our players because I enjoy their company. I feel as if I could sit down and have a private conversation with any one of them. I hope they all feel the same way about me. If I feel like I’ve gotten the jaundiced eye from someone, I’m going to confront him about it. If there’s a problem, I want to how we can improve the relationship. I demand a lot from our players, and I want them to demand a lot from me in return.”
The people that work for you must know that your interest in them is not profit-motivated. You can’t treat them as if they are a piece of income-producing machinery. They have to know it’s more personal if you want to win their trust and loyalty. It’s the little gestures you do that people pick up on that lets them know you care. Carol Wilson, Andy Reid’s assistant, reveals how this works when she talks about her boss. “In the middle of the season, Andy had a million things on his mind, and yet he noticed that my eyes were all teary when I came to work one day. ‘Are you okay, Carol?’ he asked. ‘Yes, I’m fine,’ I said. A little while later, he asked the same question, and again I said I was okay. Later, I was in his office and told him I needed to take a break so I could take some allergy pills. ‘Ah, that’s it,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know if you were crying or whatever. I was worried about you, Carol.’ I was touched because he cared about how I felt. Andy’s the kind of person who truly cares when he stops to talk to someone and asks, ‘How you doing?’ ”
When television viewers see Andy Reid on the sidelines on a Sunday afternoon, they perceive a hard-nosed football coach with ice water running through his veins. Yes, that’s Andy Reid. But what they don’t see is another side, a man who is a gentle, caring family man. This is also Andy Reid, the same father of daughter, Crosby, who, when she was 14 years old, sang the National Anthem at Veterans Stadium in front of a full house of 68,000. Prior to game time, head of security Butch Buchanico walked with Andy through the stadium tunnel leading to the playing field. “I’ve seen him face the highest pressure situations with fourth down and goal or third down and 15 yards in games when we were behind, and it’s late in the fourth quarter,” says Buchanico. He’s cool as a cucumber when he’s the one under pressure. But if it’s one of his kids, Andy is a nervous wreck. He was red in the face and weak-kneed walking to the field that day. Then when Crosby started to sing, his face turned pale as a ghost’s. Crosby belted that song out, and she was terrific, but he looked as if he might pass out until she finished. Afterward, he said to me, ‘Darn, that’s the toughest thing I ever had to do.’ I said, ‘I told you there was nothing to worry about. Now let’s go play a football game.’ He answered, ‘Compared to what I just went through, the game will be a piece of cake.’ ”
Recently Mike Sherman asked his assistant, Susan Broberg to compile a list of the birthdays of the players’ wives and children. Sherman personally signs each card. Yes, it’s a small gesture but it lets everyone on the team know that he values family. Of course, he demonstrates that family comes first by the way he lives every day of his life. For instance, at the Packers’ training camp, players are expected to stay in the nearby St. Norbert College dormitories, away from their families. But when Donald Driver’s wife, Betina, was expecting a baby, Coach Sherman told his young player, “You need to be with your wife. You don’t need to be in the dorm.”
“But the rules are—” Driver started to say.
“I know what the rules are here,” Sherman interrupted, “and they don’t apply to soon-to-be fathers.”
“She said it was up to me.”
“It’s okay, Donald. That’s where you need to be.”
All of our head coach clients are devoted husbands and fathers. And what better message on trust is there to send people than to demonstrate what kind of person you are? Simply put, these are good family men. My wife Lynn and I are proud to be associated with men of this caliber. We like doing business with good family people because, after all, we run a family business. By extension, we think of our clients as members of our family. Each of them is a close friend that we’d do backbends for, and we know they’d do the same for us.
A 2002 SURVEY TAKEN BY America’s Research Group disclosed that 78 percent of the interviewees stated that they trusted a company that is active in the community. Eighty-one percent of the employees responded that the company’s or the boss’s giving increased their loyalty to their employer. The same survey maintained that giving also enhances a company’s revenues because 63 percent of Americans stated they favored doing business with a company that is active in the community over one that is not. Sixty-two percent said they would purchase more goods and services from a company active in its community versus one that was not. These are cold facts that illustrate how employees and customers react to acts of charity.
Note too that the same ARG study revealed that a whopping 98 percent of Americans boasted that their bosses’ civic activities made them feel proud about working for their employer. This is an amazingly high number. Imagine the impact it must have on boosting morale, which, in turn, enhances productivity. Knowing this emphasizes that it is not only good to give, it is good business! As we are told in the Parable of the Talents, what we give shall be returned to us tenfold. So while the purpose of corporate giving may not be to get something back in return, it does benefit the bottom line. Observe how the top Fortune 500 companies continue to make significant contributions to charitable organizations even during periods when the economy is weak. They do it because giving is built into their long-term budgets.
On other occasions, companies make business decisions to give generously internally. Providing your people with adequate health insurance coverage shows that you truly care for them.
A good leader instills trust in his people because he is consistently straightforward with them. He expects them to be the same with him. And he holds them accountable for what they say they will do. If a report is due at 10:00 on Wednesday morning, subordinates are expected to deliver it on time. Likewise, employees are expected to make sales, production, and budget figures. In a well-managed organization, people are held responsible for their performance. As John Fox says, “It’s a production world that we live in.”
When Mike Holmgren arrived in Green Bay, he made no attempt to emulate Vince Lombardi. Instead Holmgren chose to be his own man. This example should be followed by anyone in business who receives a promotion or is hired by another company to replace someone. For example, a popular manager might be promoted, transferred, or retire. No matter how esteemed he was by his subordinates, his replacement shouldn’t try to copy him. When you try to be another person, at best you’ll be a copy of him—a second-rate replica. Instead, be a first-rate original you. I’ve seen sons step in to replace their fathers whom they try to emulate—it rarely works. I’ve also observed CEOs of major companies try to emulate a popular predecessor. Again a big mistake! Likewise, when you replace somebody, be sure to say only good things about him. Never bad-mouth your predecessor.
A leader’s strong work ethic sends a potent message that permeates an organization: The boss works hard and around here, hard work is rewarded. Successful business leaders lead by example. We’ve all seen bosses who arrive at the office in the late morning, take long lunch breaks, and spend excessive time on the golf course. “Do as I say, not as I do,” they tell their people. This style of leadership undermines an organization because it makes people feel exploited. Strong leaders set a pace for others to follow. In most societies, a hard day’s work is analogous to an honest day’s pay. Translation: Hardworking managers are considered reliable and trustworthy. When Gruden came to Tampa Bay, his hard work ethic helped him win the trust of the organization.
Mike Sherman’s confrontation with Warren Sapp demonstrated his genuine concern for his people. Similarly, a good business leader stands up for his people. I remember being told by an IBM sales rep about how she had been verbally accosted by a customer. After she reported the incident to her sales manager, he immediately confronted the customer. When the customer became hostile, the sales manager appropriately said, “IBM sales reps are trained to treat customers with courtesy and we expect customers to extend the same courtesy. I will not tolerate your ill behavior and I insist on an apology.” Ultimately, the customer apologized. In another incident, I witnessed a burly customer shout obscene language at a mild-mannered sales clerk in a department store. A nearby supervisor rushed to the scene and politely asked the rude customer to leave the store. The customer tried bullying and intimidating the supervisor. Unnerved, the supervisor called two security guards, who promptly ushered the customer out of the store. The supervisor told the customer that he was not permitted to come back to the store. Store employees and other customers who witnessed the scene actually applauded the store manager for his action.
Employees judge their employers by the way customers are treated. If you’re not fair with customers, what are you telling your employees? What will employees think about an employer who makes no attempt to live up to customers’ expectations? What do employees think about working for a company that overcharges unsuspecting customers, gives poor service, puts fine print in customers’ contracts, fails to live up to their warranties, and so on? Not only is it a bad way to conduct business, it plays havoc on internal morale. Why should an employee trust an employer who engages in shoddy business practices? “If my employer bilks customers, he’ll do the same to me,” thinks the employee.
Never forget that your people are always looking at you, judging you by your behavior—on and off the job. They evaluate you by the kind of family person you are. Being a faithful, loving spouse and parent sends a positive signal that you are trustworthy. Likewise, being an unfaithful spouse sends a negative message. How can you trust a person who doesn’t honor a marriage contract to honor a business contract?
Trust is also earned by small, seemingly insignificant acts that demonstrate you care about your employees as people rather than revenue-producing assets. Spending quality time with employees in a nonbusiness atmosphere is an excellent way to get to know somebody. As the five coaches do on occasion, these get-togethers can be a round of golf, a bowling party, a dinner party, and so on. If your budget can’t afford a fancy restaurant, invite a subordinate and his spouse to a home-cooked meal or a barbeque in your backyard. In fact, even if you can afford it, having them in your home is more intimate than a night out on the town. Send them cards on their birthdays and anniversaries. Send them emails and handwritten notes thanking them when they do good work. Listen to their suggestions. Stop by their offices to chat with them on occasion. When they’re in your office, ask your secretary to hold calls. In short, make them feel important—because they are important. The sum of many small acts will be that people will know you care about them, and in turn, they’ll respond by caring about you. The bottom line is caring employees are more productive.