Posts by Fran Tarkenton

This article was voted one of the best of 2014 by our readers. You’re in good company. I often say that my success is a result of good habits I’ve developed over the years, both in football and in business. Bad habits have led me down the wrong roads, and sometimes to bad decisions. As…

One of the businesses I built that has had a huge impact on my life and my approach to leadership was Behavioral Systems, where we used psychological research to improve a company’s management and job performance. It all started in the early 1970s when I met Aubrey Daniels, a young psychologist. He was working on…

In the NFL, fans, coaches, and scouts put a lot of time into measuring various “skills” for players. Who can run the fastest? Who can throw the farthest? Who throws the tightest spiral, jumps the highest, can bench press the most weight; the list goes on and on. But if you’re watching football this year,…

What’s the first institution that comes to mind when I list the following characteristics? Lack of transparency Lack of communication Lack of cooperation Lack of respect You might respond, “Big Government,” and that answer would fit. But all the stereotypes we associate with Big Government can just as easily be applied to Big Business. Increasingly…

As the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, it wasn’t just me out there. I had to trust my teammates. When we drew up plays, especially in critical situations, I knew they saw things I didn’t, and I needed their input to make the right decisions. Every down depended on that trust and respect. As a…

When you hear the word “entrepreneur,” what immediately comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you’re probably picturing a recent college graduate who’s a bit disheveled, brilliant, and obsessed with earning a six-figure income by age thirty. After all, this is the type of entrepreneur the media loves to portray. We’ve all seen photos…