What Can Football Teach Us About Leadership?

As an executive coach, I’ve spent over 20 years working with highly successful leaders who’ve hit a bump in the road. I help these leaders get over that bump by clarifying their goals and making a plan to reach them. I work with my clients through my firm Paravis Partners and, with some of them, on my Harvard Business Review Coaching Real Leaders podcast, where I take you behind the closed doors of real coaching sessions. I also host the Coaching Real Leaders Community, where an amazing group of leaders and coaches come together to take a deeper dive into the challenges of leadership. In this newsletter, I share takeaways from my many years of coaching conversations. My hope is that my efforts will help you lead (or coach) with more ease.

I’ll admit it—I’m not much of a football fan. But my life partner totally is and a lifelong loyalist to the Washington Commanders team. If you follow the sport (note to my non-US based friends: I'm referring to American football ??), you can only imagine the excitement and renewed optimism that this season has brought!

The team has performed dismally for years. This year? They’re 13-5 and in the playoffs. Just yesterday, I was asking A$ (he’s a social media abstainer so we’ll just use A$ as his name ??) what he thought was behind the Washington Commanders' remarkable turnaround this season expecting talk about techniques I know nothing about. Instead, he responded:

“It’s definitely not due to magic and pixie dust. It’s all about leadership.”

Say what now? Yup – football might not be my thing, but leadership is—and this was a conversation where both our worlds collided in the best possible way.

Here’s a synopsis of that conversation and what I picked up from A$ about what football can teach us about leadership.

It Starts at the Top

Great leadership begins with vision, and for the Commanders, that vision came with new owner Josh Harris . After years of mediocrity under the previous team owner, Harris arrived with a clear goal: to build a successful, high-performing team. But vision alone isn’t enough—execution matters. Harris demonstrated this by assembling a leadership team that could bring his vision to life.

He hired Adam Peters as general manager, a leader with a proven track record of success from his time with the San Francisco 49ers. Peters, in turn, brought in Dan Quinn as head coach. Quinn’s leadership journey is one of resilience, shaped by lessons learned from his first head coaching stint with the Atlanta Falcons. Together, this leadership trio exemplifies the power of collaboration and the importance of bringing in the right people to achieve a shared goal.

Accountability Drives Results

Under Quinn’s leadership, the culture of the team shifted dramatically. From the outset, he set clear expectations and held everyone—from players to staff—accountable. A$ pointed out that, in previous years, there was a lack of discipline and structure. Players who underperformed were rarely challenged, let alone removed from the roster.

Under new leadership, however, there was no room for complacency. Players who didn’t meet practice or performance standards were let go. While tough, these decisions sent a powerful message: success requires commitment and accountability. It’s a reminder that effective leadership often means making hard choices for the greater good.

Learning from Failure

One of the most compelling aspects of Dan Quinn’s leadership is how he’s used his past failures to grow. During his time with the Atlanta Falcons, things didn’t always go as planned. Instead of shying away from those experiences, he embraced them, reflecting on what went wrong and how he could do better.

As A$ put it, “He didn’t think he knew it all. He listened to others, took in feedback, and vowed to lead differently if he ever got another chance.” That humility and growth mindset have been key to his success this season. Failure, when approached with curiosity and a willingness to learn, can be one of the most powerful teachers.

Consistency Builds Trust

Our conversation also turned to teams that consistently perform well, like the Kansas City Chiefs or Baltimore Ravens. What do they have in common? Stability. Their ownership, general management, and coaching staff have remained consistent over the years, creating a foundation of trust and focus.

Andy Reid, head coach of the Chiefs, is a prime example. Reid has been with the team since 2013, and ownership has unwavering confidence in his leadership. That trust has allowed him to refine his strategies, build a strong team, and deliver consistent results. Stability, A$ reminded me, isn’t just about avoiding turnover—it’s about fostering a culture where people can thrive and grow over time.

The Leadership Playbook

As I reflected on our conversation, several leadership principles stood out:

1. Vision matters: Leaders must have a clear sense of direction and the determination to bring it to life.

2. Accountability is essential: Setting standards and holding people to them creates a culture of discipline and excellence.

3. Embrace failure: Leaders grow when they reflect on their mistakes and adapt.

4. Consistency fosters trust: Stability in leadership builds the foundation for sustained success.

5. Collaboration is key: Great leaders surround themselves with the right people and empower them to execute the vision.

The Commanders’ season so far isn’t just a victory for their fans—it’s a masterclass in how leadership can transform an organization. Whether on the field, in the boardroom, or at home, these lessons remind us that great leadership is about more than short-term wins. It’s about building a sustainable foundation for success.

And while I may not be the die-hard football fan in our household, who knows -- maybe now I’ll become one! Leadership lessons are everywhere if you take the time to notice—and listen.

Thank you for reading my LinkedIn newsletter! Don’t forget to listen and subscribe to Coaching Real Leaders on Harvard Business Review, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. And please join me in my Coaching Real Leaders Community, where I host members-only live Q&As, CRL episode debriefs, and more. You can also learn more about the coaching work my fantastic colleagues and I do by checking us out at Paravis Partners.