The Two Things I Learned Watching A Great NFL Coach – And Why It Matters To You

I’ve been fortunate to watch great coaches from the inside during my time working at the N.Y. Jets. Bill Parcells was undoubtedly the most compelling. His NFL Hall of Fame career speaks for itself. He accomplished a lot and employed many different leadership skills to achieve them. For me, two strategies differentiated themselves – I continue using them to this day – you should too.

The first one is Eliminate Distractions. Sounds simple, but it’s not. The first time I really saw this was early in my career in 1998 - we were preparing for the AFC Championship game. The NFL requires the remaining four (4) playoff teams to prepare as if they are going to the Super Bowl because once the Championship Games final whistle blows, it’s a full-on sprint to Super Bowl Sunday. Everything from player family rental cars, ticket distribution, to detailed multiday itineraries needed to be in place.

Parcells was a stickler for ensuring the players didn’t have to worry about their families. The reasoning was simple – do everything possible to ensure players don’t have distractions and can focus on the game. In business, this remains the same. Distraction is the number one enemy of revenue generation and success. Chasing shiny objects or trying everything to see what sticks will make you a mile wide and an inch deep. 

Focus and organizational discipline are key to growth and success but incremental changes along the way can get people off track without them realizing it. This doesn’t mean executives can’t’ be opportunistic – in fact they should. But that opportunity must align with a greater business plan and mission. I’ve seen many executives go down rabbit holes thinking they are being opportunistic or innovative. And unfortunately, they just confuse the staff and distract them from their priorities.

The second thing is Culture. Culture beats strategy almost every time. Again, remembering Bill Parcells – he would sign players who might have less production left on the field but were critical to establishing culture and chemistry in the locker room.

He knew the key to building great teams was not just having high performers, it was about having people whom each brought something different to the team to make the team better. He recognized accountability, expectations, and trust comes from within, not just the top.

As leaders, our job is to build teams that have the right mix of skills and value in the right environment. This is chemistry – and chemistry doesn’t come from homogeny; it comes from different ingredients. Diverse personalities, points of view, backgrounds, life experiences, and skills are all part of creating chemistry. These ingredients combined with a common work ethic, character, and vision create fun, impactful, high-performing teams.

Marc Riccio is a senior sports, esports, media, and technology executive. Marc has more than 25 years of experience working with global brands, teams, leagues, media properties, and agencies. Currently, Marc is Chief Commercial Officer for KlarisIP, a boutique IP, media, tech consultancy, and law firm. He has held leadership roles at Lagardère Sports (now Sportfive) and the New York Jets. Additionally, he advises startups and early-stage companies in the VC community. You can connect with Marc on LinkedIn.