Red Mike Message 2-28-25: The Guardian Archetype

Guardians bring stability to a chaotic world. They value order, structure, and discipline, focusing on details others often overlook. Having a Guardian on your team helps bring balance when everything else feels uncertain.

Dreamers and risk-takers may look to Guardians for guidance, asking, What’s the plan? What are the risks? Guardians remain levelheaded when others are heading toward disaster. However, like Integrators, they can get stuck in past successes and resist change, even when it’s necessary.

Tom Landry: The Ultimate Guardian

Tom Landry, the greatest coach the Dallas Cowboys ever had, built them from nothing. He was their first coach in 1960 and transformed them into champions. Should he have retired earlier? Maybe. Should Jerry Jones have treated him better? Definitely. My best friend still refuses to support the Cowboys because of how Landry was pushed out.

Landry wasn’t a firebrand motivator—he was an innovator. His Flex defense, offensive shifts, and methodical coaching style were all built on precision, discipline, and unwavering belief in structure. His signature fedora and stoic demeanor weren’t for show; they were who he was. Confident, tested, methodical. His rigid playbooks made him consistent, though he would occasionally throw a curveball—like having Robert Newhouse, a powerhouse fullback, throw unexpected passes. He relied on preparation and execution.

George H.W. Bush: A Guardian in Politics

George Herbert Walker Bush embodied the Guardian archetype. Measured, cautious, and analytical, he built coalitions, valued diplomacy, and carefully considered consequences before acting. Some criticized him for being too cautious, but his steady approach is why the first Gulf War was so successful—executed with precision and restraint.

By contrast, his son, George W. Bush, was a Driver—decisive and instinctive. His father, however, gathered information, analyzed everything, and acted deliberately.

An aside: Every state office building and parking garage has a designated letter—Garage F, Garage G, and so on. When they built the George Herbert Walker Bush State Office Building (I used to work in that building), they named its parking garage Garage W.

That had to be intentional.

If I ever get the chance to ask George W. Bush about it, I will. I imagine the conversation would go something like this:

"How’d you get them to name that garage after you?"

He’d probably look confused, and I’d say, "Yeah, it’s Garage W."

I bet that would get a good laugh out of him.

Back to today's Red Mike Message

Guardians vs. Integrators

Guardians and Integrators are often confused, but there’s a key difference. Integrators prioritize relationships and consensus, while Guardians focus on stability and structure. An Integrator asks, How will this affect the team? A Guardian asks, Does this decision have long-term legs?

If you’re a Guardian, remember: stability is good, but progress is necessary. If you work with a Guardian, don’t mistake their caution for negativity. They’re not trying to slow you down—they’re ensuring the road ahead is safe. Caution is wise, but sometimes, you have to take the leap.

Closing Thoughts

That’s today’s Red Mike Message. I hope you found it helpful. Have a great weekend—go knock the cover off the ball. I know you can do it; I’ve seen you do it.

On Monday, I’ll bring together all four archetypes and compare them to the Myers-Briggs system. If you think you know my Myers-Briggs type, drop your guess in the comments.

I appreciate you all. Like, follow, share—and I’ll see you next time.

Life is short. Drink the bourbon.

Red Mike Messages are leadership and life lessons gathered over 25 years as a public servant, 16 years as a youth football coach and scouting volunteer, and 10 years as a mediocre athlete with far more heart than actual physical ability.