Leadership

Great leaders recognize the people on their team who deserve it. They can, as President Dwight Eisenhower put it, “push praise down.” But what about blame? Great leaders also accept responsibility. They’re quick to share the praise, and to accept the blame when things go wrong. It’s not fun, and it can be difficult, especially…

When I stepped onto the football field, I was not consciously thinking beyond the moment. Above all, I was not thinking about winning or losing. In the rest of my football career that followed, in college and in the NFL, I never thought about winning or losing. Not against Texas on September 20, 1958, in…

For me, my parents’ example was a lifelong lesson in the most fundamental fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Dad pursued his two passion—religion and education—while always finding ways to keep us fed, clothed, and housed. He never put our welfare on the line. He might have been a preacher, but he never preached to us. He walked…

I believe that learning from our failures is one of the—if not the—most valuable steps to achieving success. But our culture often tells us to avoid failure at all costs. I learned early on, though, that when I encountered defeat, failure, and difficulties, I needed to learn from those experiences and come out the other…

One of my most trusted mantras throughout my life has been that we all have to read the signs. The signs are everywhere. The signs are reality. If we look at reality, at what is happening around us, then we can make better decisions. That’s a lesson I learned from my Hall of Fame head…

It is natural for us to get excited about our own ideas and projects. But as a small business owner, it’s important to keep objective about what you are doing, so that you will be willing to make a tough decision if you find that something is not working. When you come up with an…

Leadership is a controversial subject. Countless books and articles have been dedicated to pinpointing the exact qualities of a great leader—qualities, they say, that will apparently turn you into the next Winston Churchill or Oprah Winfrey. I’ve always thought that idea was a bit ridiculous. Not every leader is a dynamic, booming personality, and effective…

When you first decide to quit your 9 to 5 job and become an entrepreneur, you’re going to get a lot of advice sent your way, whether it’s solicited or not. One of the biggest pieces of advice that will be sent your way will be a long list of tips on how to be…

Procrastination in business is a very real problem—for companies both large and small. I am continually amazed at how many people and companies have wall-to-wall meetings, all day, every day. At the end of the meeting, they have successfully scheduled the next meeting, and that’s it! They never actually get anything done. Ideas bounce around…

Is everyone on your team getting the recognition they deserve for the role they play in making your business succeed? Don’t make the mistake of overlooking some jobs and some people just because their role isn’t as high-paying or glamorous. Everyone should be recognized for the function they serve, and for their most important responsibilities…