The Top 3 Things Tom Brady Taught Me About Being a Better Leader

On my podcast, How Leaders Lead with David Novak, I interview and learn from some of the top leaders in business, sports, and so many other walks of life. People who are truly making a difference.

I thought I’d heard it all. But I have to tell you, this week’s guest, Tom Brady is one of the best leaders I’ve ever met in my entire life!

Not just in the football sense of leading on the field, which we all know about and get to see with our own eyes pretty much every Sunday during the NFL season. No, I’m talking Tom’s leadership qualities on display every other day of the week, every week of the year.

I’ve known Tom for quite some time, but it wasn’t until I sat down with him for this podcast interview that it hit me -- his greatness doesn’t just come naturally to him, he works for it.

The top three things I learned from Tom, leadership insights he really drove home for me that you can learn from, too, are about preparation, communication and, believe it or not coming from a guy who’s the Greatest Of All Time in his sport, heart. 

Here’s a sample of what you’ll hear in the podcast:

1. Preparation

I love how Tom’s competitive drive shows through not just on game day, but every day leading up to kick-off. Not days ahead, not weeks ahead —  I’m talking months ahead of kick-off! You see, when Tom prepares in the offseason, he is mentally envisioning what the first game of the season is going to be like months down the road. He knows the other guys are working out in April, too. But who’s working harder? As a leader, Tom reinforced how important it is to put in the time. He clearly puts in the time to be great, which sets an incredible example for everyone around him.

2. Communication

Tom’s not exactly a big talker. But when he does say something, his words carry weight and he knows it. Tom works really hard at knowing his teammates, learning what makes them tick and how to motivate them. Some guys like a pat on the back, others, like his old teammate Julian Edelman, wouldn’t know how to react if Tom said, “Good job!” Julian needs to be challenged, not complimented. Whenever he gives the motivational speeches to fire up his team, Tom tries to balance emotion with tactics, so that what he says is both inspiring and useful to players about to go out and take action on the field. All great leaders need to know their audience so they can communicate with them in the most meaningful way.

3. Heart

I know Tom to be a guy who leads with heart. He’ll be the first to tell you he’s not the most gifted athlete in the world. It’s his heart and drive that sets him apart. He still carries that chip on his shoulder from being drafted in the 6th round, and uses it as fuel to keep working harder. I was surprised to hear him say that after a practice where he didn’t necessarily tear it up, he’d walk back to the locker room feeling like he’s the worst quarterback in the league! That’s inspiring to anyone who is still fighting to get better, compete, win and lead.

My interview with Tom was so good, we made it into two parts, which you can listen to on howleaderslead.com this Thursday, or listen at your favorite podcast platform. Please don’t forget to rate and review!

I can’t tell you how excited I am to see Tom Brady take the field with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and watch his hard work and world-class leadership pay off! Better watch out for those Buccaneers this season, that’s for sure!

“You have your goals. And then you make your priorities around your goals. And then the discipline really comes from, are you acting on your priorities?” 

-Tom Brady, From How Leaders Lead with David Novak