Russell Wilson: A Leadership Spotlight

In the Summer of 2011, Russell Wilson enrolled at the University of Wisconsin as a Senior, with the intention of becoming the starting Quarterback for the Badger football program. Wilson was coming off a two month stint with the Asheville Tourists Single A baseball team and heading into his final year of college eligibility. He had also wrapped up a run at North Carolina State where he threw 76 touchdown passes in three seasons before agreeing to play Minor League Baseball. Although Wilson was recruited to Wisconsin, he would have to prove himself to a new set of teammates, coaches, and fans.  

After a few short weeks, Wilson was voted Team Captain, in addition to being named starting Quarterback. A brand new member of the team, a relatively unknown name at the school, and now Team Captain, all within a few weeks, voted by his peers.

This isn’t the exact moment of where Russell Wilson’s leadership traits were identified, but the story of how quickly he won over the hearts and minds of the Badger football locker room gives great insight into just how phenomenal of a leader he is.

The argument of whether leaders are born or made is an easy one with Wilson. He was clearly born to be a leader and he exemplifies these skills and traits in everything that he does.  

Wilson is the hero to the city of Seattle. He’s a Super Bowl winning starting Quarterback for the hometown Seahawks and a symbol of everything you want in an athlete representing your team. Wilson is a father, a husband, a community figure, and a respected all around amazing human being. This paper isn’t about his stats on the field, it’s about his words, and ability to lead and carry a team to greatness, even in the face of constant adversity. 

To analyze Wilson’s greatness as a leader, there are three direct traits I will highlight. Those traits are his ability to lead under pressure, his consistent commitment to excellence, and the methods and process in which he symbolizes leadership on and off the field.  

I’ll begin with the latter. The legend of Russell Wilson’s commitment to leadership in the community started in his first season just a few weeks after being drafted by the Seahawks. The story goes that Wilson, a backup, rookie QB at the time, called Children’s Hospital in Seattle and asked if he could visit sick kids and families on Tuesdays. The representative who answered the phone at Children’s was trying to place the name Russell Wilson. At the time, he was a third round draft pick who hadn’t taken the field yet. Wilson made it clear that he wanted to help make an impact and he would be visiting weekly. Reluctantly, Children’s Hospital agreed to let this unknown professional athlete stop by and a tradition was born.  

Each week during the season, Wilson and now wife Ciara, visit families and children at the hospital. They’ve made it a regular event, committing to making smiles, taking pictures, signing autographs, and bringing joy to those struggling with pediatric health issues. For a busy athlete like Wilson, it would be hard to find time to work in these visits, but to him, it’s just a part of the role of being a leader.  

Wilson’s commitment to the community doesn’t stop there as he leads by example in his fundraising efforts towards pediatric cancer where he donated over $1M through his Strong Against Cancer Initiative. Wilson also stepped up as a leader in the community again when the Coronavirus hit pleading to donate more than one million meals with Food Lifeline. These are just a few examples of his commitment to leadership in the community.

In the case of Wilson, he leads both on and off the field. Just like a good leader inside of a company, you continue to showcase your leadership even when nobody's watching. Wilson’s leadership in the community isn’t about photo opportunities or social media posts, it’s about setting a tone and example for his peers and those who follow his efforts on the field.  

Good leaders put forth effort to the universe to give back whether it’s about non-profits, donating time to community events, or mentoring future generational leaders. A leader doesn’t find themselves stopping their work because it’s 5pm and they’re off the clock. Wilson sets the tone for how someone tirelessly spends their efforts and uses their platform for good.  

On the field, Wilson is the ultimate leader in his words, actions, and approach to the game. In a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on January 18th, 2015 at Centurylink Field, Wilson had a rough game to say the least. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, his Seahawks were down 19-7 and he had already thrown four interceptions. To most teams and players, the game is over, but to Wilson, he’s taking the field with a fresh start mentality each time. Wilson never gets down, you will never see him get angry, and you never see him yell at his team. He is the ultimate leader.  The Seahawks ended up winning that game 28-22 in overtime.

His teammates will tell you that the reason they stay mentally focused on every game is because of their fearless leader. Wilson continues to say positive words even when it feels dark and bleak and the win probability moves into dire zones. As a fan, sometimes I want to see him come off the field and get mad, yell, scream, curse, or throw his Microsoft Surface Pro after reviewing a bad pass. Yet, nothing rattles him, and in turn, his team follows his positive leadership cadence of their fearless leader performing at their highest as a result of a fresh, clean and positive mind.  

Since entering the NFL in 2012, Wilson is tied for most 4th quarter comeback wins and game winning drives. When the chips are down, when the environment is pressure filled, you want Wilson with the ball in his hands. The ultimate leader still finds a way to bring their team from behind when everyone thinks there is absolutely no chance. The positive leadership mixed with a knack for finding a way to win is rare. Even in the workplace these traits are hard to come by as leaders can succumb to the intense pressures of the corporate environment. If Wilson was your leader, he would constantly be in your ear telling you that it can be done and he’s going to help set the tone for the results.  

Sure, Wilson is talented, but the NFL has been full of talented individuals since its inception. The difference is Wilson’s talent plus mindset that sets him apart. The same can be said for your office. You know talented individuals who are leaders, but the difference is what happens when the stress intensifies and deadlines need to be hit. Do those leaders crack under pressure or do they continue steady to complete the mission.  

In watching Wilson for now his ninth season, I can honestly say that I have never seen him crack under pressure once. How many leaders have you worked with in your career who would have the same thing said about them?

Becoming the leader he has isn’t just something that happens overnight. Yes, Wilson was born with amazing athletic traits that helped propel him to greatness, and a mindset that is above all else. However, in order to achieve this level of greatness, one must be committed to the craft. In order to succeed, a good leader must put themselves in a position of preparation. Much like writers write, painters paint, and runners run, Wilson’s ability to perform in high pressure situations is about his dedication to practice and training. The work ethic that Wilson portrays sets the tone as a leader for his team. 

In Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins, Wilson threw a touchdown to Wide Receiver David Moore in the far corner of the end zone that stood out to me. It wasn’t just another touchdown pass and it had nothing to do with timing or the Dolphins defense. It had everything to do with the fact that Wilson has thrown that same exact pass in the offseason, hundreds of times, to the same back corner of the end zone, with the same rhythm and cadence to the point where he could have done it with his eyes closed. Wilson’s greatness is about preparation yes but it also challenges his team mates to work just as hard. A good leader sets the tone for everyone who follows them as the team will go as fast as the leader is willing to.  

Each off season, Wilson meets up with his offensive counterparts for weeks at a time to run passing drills. It’s no surprise that he’s having an MVP quality season after four weeks, it’s about the effort he puts forth 365 days a year to hone his craft. Good leaders don’t just wake up and start their day without putting in effort above and beyond what is expected of them. Good leaders don’t think about when they are getting paid in order to perform. They ask what success looks like and they run through that metric as quickly as possible on their way to break records.  

As a result of Wilson’s stellar leadership, he gives his team a chance to win every week. The best leaders give their teams a chance to succeed just by the fact that they are the ones leading the team. I’ve watched amazing leaders turn the lowest performing teams around just by the simple fact that they know how to lead. Leadership is a mindset, it’s a work ethic that is second to none, and it’s a culture that you bring with you. Russell Wilson has the mindset to lead any team, and I’m confident he could lead any board room with these qualities.

by Scott Bond