Positive Leadership: Showing Leadership After a Loss

Coach Mike Tomlin had to have been crushed by falling short in Super Bowl XLV, but he showed his character and leadership abilities with one small act after the game.

He was the first to arrive at the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room. But, rather than going in, he stopped at the door and waited for each of his players to get there. He shook each of his player's hands looking them in the eye each time. This couldn't have been easy for him. With multiple on-lookers and long gaps between arriving groups of players. He was there a good eight minutes (or so) to make sure he didn't miss anyone.

It is no wonder that "unified" is the best way to describe the Steelers moribund locker room after the devastating loss to the Green Bay Packers. At least three different Steelers expressed their "love" for their teammates explaining they'd do anything for them. There was no 'finger-pointing' about the loss. This kind of well-built team only comes when you have a true leader at the helm.

Tomlin's small gesture speaks volumes as to his ability to build a cohesive and effective team.

Positive Leadership: Showing Leadership After a Loss

Positive Leadership: Green Bay Packers' Unique Team Leadership

Before the recent NFC Championship game, President Barack Obama said he would only attend the Super Bowl if his hometown Chicago Bears earned a trip. The Green Bay Packers ended all hope of that after defeating the Bears.

After that game, Packers cornerback Charles Woodson took the comment personally, saying he planned on seeing President Obama anyway.

First, Woodson took a page out of Obama’s “One America” campaign, telling the Packers to remain unified—”Let’s be one mind, let’s be one heartbeat, one goal, one more game. One.”

Then the cornerback called out the president to motivate his team.

After his teammates listened quietly to the beginning of his speech, Woodson changed the tone and pumped up the volume: “The president don’t wanna come watch us go to the Super Bowl? Guess what?” We’ll go see him!”

After winning the Super Bowl, the team is usually invited to the White House to meet the president. The Packers made it clear they intended receiving that invitation. Last Sunday they did!  Watch below.

(More generally, as to Charles Woodson’s leadership of the Packers, see: http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/post_leadership/2011/02/super-bowl-green-bay-packers-leadership.html?hpid=smartliving )

Positive Leadership: Green Bay Packers' Unique Team Leadership

Positive Leadership: Winning

‘Players have to have passion and emotion to succeed and achieve.  Winning and a belief in winning is emotional. It gets the adrenaline moving which sends you on a high when you win and makes you cry when you lose – because it matters. There must be passion to succeed; to achieve and to keep achieving; to raise horizons and expectations. Excellence is continuous; you’ve never done enough; you can never be satisfied, but as the team grows it achieves a special identity – no longer one person’s image – but a reflection of everyone’s interests, their abilities and their beliefs.' 

Sir Ian McGeechan, British & Irish Lions Rugby Coach 1989, 1993, 1997, 2009

Positive Leadership: Winning