Leadership lessons from the team that didn't win

I grew up in San Francisco and I'm a lifelong Niners fan. So this weekend was exciting, as we've waited 20 years since the last winning trip to the Superbowl. Was it a disappointing outcome? Yes. Am I still #NinersFaithful? Yes. And using the "Leadership is Everywhere" mantra, are there leadership lessons to learn even from the losing team? Definitely.

Here are five of the top leadership lessons I learned from the 49ers that I believe are applicable to all of us as leaders across so many contexts:

1. Take risks on high potential talent

It's well known that Brock Purdy was the last pick in the draft his year, also known as "Mr. Irrelevant." What was more surprising for many people, was just how much talent he has. When given the opportunity to step in last season, Purdy took that opportunity to show he could perform as both an individual and as a leader. The coach chose him as first string quarterback this season and he took the team all the way to the Superbowl. And his teammates chose him as one of the team captains, even so early in his career and tenure with the team.

As leaders, it's important to take risks and give opportunities to high potential people who may not "fit the image" or have the exact experience we're looking for. And as individuals, when we're given those types of opportunities, it's critical to step up and show what we've got.

2. Don't limit people to functional boxes

One of the things that makes the 49ers great is that they have so many players who can stretch beyond the roles they were "hired for." There are versatile players on both the offense and defense and you see that in action every game. In particular, offensive players like Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey are known to be great at both the run and the catch (and the run after the catch). Perhaps the most adaptable player is George Kittle, the tight end, who not only is a great receiver (as in the photo above), but is also great at blocking for his teammates to give them more room to run.

In business, I've always held this philosophy as well; I don't believe in strict, functional boxes. People are happiest and most successful when they get to do work connected to their natural talents. And it is rare that these talents sit only within one specific functional role. If we encourage people to stretch beyond the bounds of their exact job descriptions, it helps the company because we get employees who can contribute in a variety of ways, especially when there is work that needs to be done that isn't covered by someone else, just like on the field. It has the added benefit of helping our teams feel more motivated as they see their own growth and impact.

3. Build strong connection on your team

The best teams perform as well as they do because they feel connected as a team, and it's clear that the 49ers are intentional about this. They support each other on and off the field, giving each other credit for the accomplishments they make, rising to the occasion to step up after an injured player comes out, and more. Brock Purdy referenced this in his post-game interview, saying "It hurts to come up short....We're still trying to gather our thoughts, but everyone in that locker room loves each other; I'll tell you that."

Some might say love doesn't matter if you lose, but love is what helps you get past the loss and keep going, and arguably what helps get you to the big game in the first place.

This is a key part of why we build Rising Team . We want every team on earth to be able to feel this type of deep connection that helps drive high performance as a team.

4. Take ownership for failure

Losing hurts. There's no way around it. One thing that impressed me was watching Brock Purdy take responsibility of it, rather than deflect blame. And while of course it is true that there is no one single person responsible for a loss like this, people want to see their leadership step up and take responsibility when things don't go well. And that's just what Purdy did. In his postgame interview, he said, "We have a team, the offense to score touchdowns, and I failed to put our team in the position to do that."

Like Jim Collins says in Good to Great, the best leaders are those that take ownership when things go wrong, and give credit to others when things go right. We can all learn to do more of that.

5. Get back up again

The loss is painful. And it's important to feel that pain. It's often what makes us stronger over time. And after feeling the pain, it's time to get back up and at it. One of my favorite quotes on this topic comes from Mary Pickford who says, "This thing we call failure is not the falling down. It's the staying down." And that's exactly what Coach Shanahan said in his postgame interview, "It'll take some time; we'll get over this and come back next year ready to go."

As leaders who don't work in professional sports, we're luckier when it comes to this, because we don't have to wait until the start of another season to prove ourselves. We and our teams can get back up again and show we've got what it takes to succeed much more quickly after every setback. And the more often we get back up, the better we get at it.

So to the 49ers, here's to getting back up again. Your loyal fans will be cheering you on from the sidelines.