Robert Griffin III's Leadership Skills Surface at NFL Combine

This past week the National Football League held its annual evaluation for potential draftees in Indianapolis at the NFL combine. While there was tons of talent and great players, no one stood out more than Heisman Trophy winner, Robert Griffin III. While his athletic skills running, jumping and lifting were very impressive, the real key to his meteoric rise in the view of coaches and management came from the realization of his tremendous leadership potential and the reality that he has an incredible presence. Not since Peyton Manning has another player exhibited the traits that every franchise is looking for to lead their team.

Entering last week everyone was familiar with RG III’s throwing arm and his track star speed, but few really had experienced his unique set of leadership talents. In analyzing his interviews, it became so apparent that Griffin is the total package. In trying to breakdown why the former Baylor star came across so well, I identified three C’s that I believe are the foundation of effective leadership.

Confidence---Griffin demonstrated a confident attitude where he clearly believes he can be a very successful quarterback in the NFL who will lead his team to championships. He did this in a way where he was confident but not cocky. He was self-assured without being arrogant. People want to follow individuals who they believe can deliver a result that is beneficial to the organization (team) and to the individuals themselves. One of my favorite quotes for leaders is by Alexandre Dumas:

“A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.”

Communication—Hearing Griffin during his interview on the NFL network, the Copperas Cove High School graduate was not only articulate but also original. His style and composure were off the chart believable. Additionally he was very refreshing and avoided the traditional clichés that so often surface when people are not really communicating but just regurgitating what they think people want to hear or what they have heard other people say. The dynamics of the interaction with host Rich Eisen were both believable and entertaining. You really left the show with the impression they were engaged in meaningful dialogue.

Charisma—Defined as personal magnetism, Griffin’s personality exploded during the interview. While being confident, he also was extremely likable. For NFL franchises, likability of their stars is extremely important, as research has found that likability is incredibly important in building a positive brand. His smile and demeanor was reminiscent of one of the nation’s most likable celebrities (Will Smith). People want to follow leaders that they like and enjoy being part of a team that works together in an atmosphere of cordiality not conflict. RG III has style, presence, enthusiasm, believability and energy; all important pieces of charisma. While some leaders have succeeded with limited charisma, having it makes the journey much easier.

It will be interesting to see which NFL team has been most impressed with Griffin and how much they are willing to invest in finding the future face of their franchise.

#1 College Program in 2011-12---Look to Waco, Texas

With the bowl season practically over and basketball season reaching the half way point, one school stands out as being the most successful of the over 350 Division 1 programs. Amazingly it is not the traditional big budget state university but rather a private college with a rather small student population. Without question, the Baylor Bears stand head and shoulders above their competition. Playing in modest facilities of Floyd Casey Stadium (62 years old with 50,000 capacity) and Ferrell Center (23 years old with 10,284 seats) and having significantly less financial resources of the traditional huge programs (Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, George, Oklahoma, UCLA, etc.), the Waco-based Baptist University has far surpassed the “big boys” on the gridiron and the hardwood in 2011-12.

The football squad ran over big dollar program Washington and amassed an unbelievable 777 total yards and 67 points embarrassing the Pac 12 Huskies in the Alamo Bowl to finish 10-3. The Men’s Basketball Bears are currently one of four undefeated (13-0) squads in D-1 and ranked 5th by ESPN. Pretty impressive but the real star of this show is Women’s Basketball who are currently ranked numero uno as the Lady Bears have run off 14 straight wins including wins over #2 UConn, #3 Notre Dame and #6 Tennessee.

The question is how can this program that has less resources, facilities and tradition than the traditional super powers outperform these monster programs so significantly on the gridiron and the hardwood. The answer is great leadership that understands that you can do more with less if everyone is on the same page. Athletic Director Ian McCaw (formerly at Northeastern in Boston) has done a masterful job of identifying and hiring coaches who bought into his philosophy while also keeping successful coaches when the rich and famous tried to lure them away from Waco with big dollar offers . He has also done it without breaking the bank by paying outrageous salaries to those successful coaches. Instead he has built a culture where coaches appreciate what they have and the support they receive. While Art Briles (football), Scott Drew (MBB) and Kim Mulkey (WBB) won’t starve in the near future, their combined salaries are less than Alabama Head Man Nick Saban.

Clearly these coaches have not only bought into McCaw’s concept but built their programs by following McCaw's model by recruiting an important leader to build their teams around. In football, the national recognition afforded Baylor when RG III (Robert Griffin) was recognized as the best player in the country by winning the Heisman Trophy demonstrated the realization that Baylor had arrived on the national scene. Kim Mulkey’s Lady Bears with current superstar Brittney Griner burst on the scene in 2005 with a national championship and now (along with UConn) are recognized as the pre-eminent women’s program in the country. In men’s Basketball, Scott Drew has resurrected a program that was devastated by the Dave Bliss debacle that paralleled a bad soap opera with murder, academic fraud and lies everywhere. Drew has been able to recruit quality players and been able to keep them when the NBA came calling. Sophomore Perry Jones III, a projected top 5 pick in the NBA draft last year, chose to stay in central Texas with Drew and his teammates.

The Baylor Bears have it figured out under Ian McCaw. Have quality, loyal leaders of both coaches and student-athletes, who buy into the program and commit to the same goals and core values, and the victories will come. Bouquets to the Baylor Bears, it is great to see a program winning because of sound principles rather than winning because you have the most money.