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Urban Meyer knows how to lead … and win! Not only does he own one of the best winning percentages in college football history, he has also immediately turned around all four programs upon his arrival. Leadership really does matter.
Here are a few of Meyer’s keys that helped him lead Ohio State to a national championship. Take note of how great leadership transcends the environment and how you can apply these keys to your business.
1. Instill a winning attitude, and have a zero tolerance approach to anything else. Winning is the only option, and having a winning attitude is the only attitude that will work.
2. BIG TEAM over little me. This means that the team’s goals are bigger than your personal discomfort or convenience. You play/work for your teammates not for yourself.
3. Invest in your team. Meyer provided leadership training for 60 – 90 minutes for his coaches every single week this season, a rarity for any football team or business for that matter. That’s why his results are rare. Winners do what others are not willing to do.
4. Create a system of accountability. Meyer’s investment in his coaching staff was matched by keeping them accountable for delivering the leadership process they were trained on. This accountability was further transferred to players who took exams on the same process and principles to ensure learning and adherence as a team.
5. Select well. All the training in the world can be wasted if you are training the wrong people. Recruiting the very best and training them is an unbeatable combination. So, when your superstars are on the bench you can still field a winning team like Ohio State did with a third string quarterback who played like a superstar when the situation demanded it.
A theme that Meyer instills in his teams is to always be improving yourself – each play, each practice, each attempt, each game, each season. Rather than looking for the secrets to winning, learn from proven winners and simply adhere to and refine their lessons.