For sheer volume of information, nothing beats The Sporting News. In the 2011 NFL Draft scouting section of the most recent edition, there were several leadership traits attributed to some well-known college coaches.  The following coaches were identified in alphabetical order:
- Randy Edsall, Connecticut – Great support staff around him.
- Kirk Ferentz, Iowa – Develops people as well as players.
- Jim Harbaugh, Stanford – Smart, tough, and driven.
- Pat Hill, Fresno State – Gets the most production out of the least amount of talent.
- Urban Meyer, Florida – Polished, compulsive, detailed, and competitive.
- Houston Nutt, Ole Miss – Confident, funny, and sneaky-smart.
- Mike Riley, Oregon State – Understands players’ needs and creates a good working environment.
- Nick Saban, Alabama – All about football.
- Bob Stoops, Oklahoma – Good recruiter.
- Dave Wannstedt, Pitt – Disciplined, hard-nosed, but with a soft spot. Ready to take a risk.
What I like about this list is almost every coach has leadership skills that are unique to that coach. Many times as leaders we focus on what we are not. This list allows us to have confidence in our uniqueness and lead from a position of strength. What are the unique leadership skills that you possess?
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