NH Business Review Column: Leadership Lessons from Two Great Coaches

Dr. Teschner’s latest column explores leadership lessons from two great football coaches, highlighting the work of Michael Lombardi, author of Gridiron Genius: A Master Class in Winning Championships and Building Dynasties in the NFL. Lombardi spent 30 years working for some of the top NFL teams, including Bill Walsh’s San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s and, more recently, Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. Lombardi embraces the obvious (if underappreciated) truth that quality leadership at the top is foundational for organizational success, and he delves into the leadership styles of “the two coach Bills.” He postulates that the biggest reason for the 49er and Patriot successes is that both Walsh and Belichick embraced the same key approach: proactively focusing on organizational culture and relentlessly driving that culture every day to bring together players to achieve a common goal. Both focused on the process more than the scoreboard, believing that, if the culture is properly managed, the scoreboard will take care of itself. Clearly, there are some great lessons here, too, for leaders of businesses and organizations. You can read the full column here: https://www.nhbr.com/lessons-from-2-great-coaches/