Earlier this year I switched jobs and joined The Rocket Company. Changing organizations forces you to evaluate the selection process that they go through when selecting new leaders and team members.
This past week, 20 million people watched the first round of the NFL Draft. I was one of them. Other than birthdays, my anniversary, and Christmas, it is my favorite day of year. The following were the leadership quotes and principles from the draft’s opening night that give us a unique insight into what organizations look for when selecting a leader.
These are not in order of priority but rather captured through a chronological note-taking process as the draft progressed.
- Past Performance – “I want to see a player’s body of work. I want to see him as a Sophomore, a Junior, a Senior. Bring me the tape.” – Jon Gruden
- Leadership – “I’d take him (Manti Te’o) anywhere. He’s a leaders and will be a great football player.” – Steve Maricci
- You Are A Building Block For Future Success – “A draft like this with strength in the trenches builds championships.” – Mel Kiper
- Intelligence – “You (the 2-14 KC Chiefs) have six Pro Bowl players. That’s another story. I don’t understand the Pro Bowl.” – Gruden
- Opportunistic – “This is what America is all about. A kid (Eric Fisher) who comes from nowhere to be the first pick in the NFL Draft.” – Gruden
- You Learn From Mistakes. You Don’t Dwell On Them – “You can ask the question why they (Oakland Raiders) are where they are or you can deal with the future right now.” – Gruden
- You’ve Done Your Research On The Organization – “Do the Raiders commit to Matt Flynn?” – Kiper. Gruden responds, “How can you commit to a quarterback you don’t know anything about.”
- You Can Fulfill A Specific Role – “They play hockey at Oregon. They play six plays and then he’s (Dion Jordan) out six plays…He can run down and cover kicks but I don’t think you drafted him to do this in Miami.” – Gruden
- You Understand Your Strengths And Weaknesses – “For Dion to be a great pro he’s going to have to do more than rush the edge. Pro backs can’t wait to chip him.” – Gruden
- Versatility – “Versatility is a key word here. Lane Johnson can play right tackle. He can play left tackle.” – Adam Schefter
- High Effort – “That is the one thing Ziggy Ansah has is effort. He has a long way to go.” – Gruden
- You’re A Finisher – “What I like most about (Jonathan) Cooper is he is a finisher.” – Gruden
- You’re A Team Player – “He’s (Tavon Austin) not a me-and-I guy. He’s a we-and-us guy.” – Kiper
- You Fill A Need – “The New York Jets have eight need areas.” – Kiper. “This will be the third offensive coordinator in three years.” – Gruden
- Production – “Talk about the shoulder injury all you want. I’m tired of hearing about it. All he does is start and play well…He’s football savvy.” – Gruden
- You’re A Good System Fit – “You have to have the right system for (D.J.) Fluker” – Gruden
- A Problem Solver – “If you don’t intercept a pass on first down, they’ll get a touchdown on second down.” – Kiper
- People Skills – “I think Geno Smith has a lot of friends at ESPN. He’s not even my #1 quarterback on the board.” – Gruden
- Consistency – “It’s the inconsistency that concerned you the much. He (Smith) had inflated production. He lost his execution at the end of the year. Some of the decisions he made wasn’t good.” – Gruden
- Stability – “That was a ridiculous situation last year. Let’s hope some continuity with the coaching staff will help them (New Orleans Saints) this year.” – Gruden
- Decision-Making Skills – “I never drafted a quarterback. That’s why I’m sitting with you guys. I’m drafting a quarterback in the first round. I’m drafting a quarterback in the third round. I’m aggressively addressing this situation.” – Gruden
- Charisma – “There’s a charismatic vibe about E.J. Manual that you love…He’s a tireless worker. He’s a tremendous leader.” – Gruden
- You Respond To Coaching – “He’s (Manuel) with the right guy. Doug Marone can bring this guy along.” – Gruden
- You’ve Paid Your Dues – “Thank goodness Jarvis Jones got rewarded for playing the game.” – Gruden
- You Give The Organization Options – “A.J. Green, (Jermaine) Gresham, and (Tyler) Eifert. Andy Dalton has a lot of options.” – Kiper
- The Ability To Prioritize – “He (Bjoern Werner) and Jarvis Jones did not pass the combine test but they look great on tape.” – Gruden
- Continual Improvement – “Last year they (UCLA) lost to USC 50-0. A coaching change turned them around.” – Gruden
- Concentration – “It’s a concentration issue. If he (Cordarelle Patterson) can improve on those lapses and his route running.” – Kiper
- Incredible Skill Set – “This kid is magnificent football player.” – Gruden on the Tyrann Mathieu
Here are three bonus leadership skills from days 2 and 3 of the draft.
- Toughness – “I have a hard time believing Tim Tebow was to blame for Mark Sanchez’s problems. I mean, come on, grow up.” – Mike Mayock
- Capacity – “What is your work capacity. Everyone in the NFL works hard. What is your work capacity?” – Trent Dilfer
- Listening Skills – “The most underrated leadership skill is listening skills.” – Brian Dodd
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