It’s August, which means summer is ending, fall is around the corner, and football season is coming. I can feel it in the air. It’s also time for Hard Knocks, an NFL series on HBO that focuses on training camp. The show sends in cameras and microphones to get behind-the-scenes access to certain teams every year. This year, it’s the Chicago Bears.
As I started watching the show, it reminded me of some leadership lessons I’ve learned from watching Hard Knocks over the years. I have 3 examples to share with you today.
- Show, don’t tell
I learned this first lesson in 2016 from Jeff Fisher, the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. I remember watching him call a meeting with his team after a poor practice. During the meeting, he said something that stood out to me: “I know what I’m doing.” At that moment, I thought, “That’s a mistake.” If you have to tell people you know what you’re doing, they’re not convinced. Instead of telling them, show them. Let your actions speak for themselves, and your team will buy into your leadership. This was a big red flag for me, and later that year, Jeff Fisher was fired from the Rams.
- Care about your team
This lesson comes from Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions. Two years ago, he showed how much he cared about his team. He was passionate and pushed them hard, even when they didn’t always agree with his methods. He believed it was in their best interest. His approach worked. The Lions had a turnaround season in 2022, which led them to the playoffs in 2023. They were just one half away from the Super Bowl. We’ll see what 2024 has in store.
- Ask questions and listen
The New York Giants recently did an offseason program for Hard Knocks, and something caught my attention. When interviewing potential draft picks, they made a classic mistake. Instead of asking a question and listening to the answer, they asked the question and then kept talking, essentially giving the candidate the answer. The candidate just agreed with them, thinking they were on the same page. I made this mistake early in my career too. Don’t give them the answer. Ask the question, wait for the response, then dig into the details. This way, you’ll see if you’re truly on the same page.
Those are three leadership lessons from Hard Knocks. Let’s go, football season! Go Michigan, go Steelers, and go Lions!
