Most of us lead or are part of teams.  We constantly search for new ideas or missing ingredients that will make us a great team.  The January 17th edition of the Sporting News profiled their list of the Top 10 NFL teams of all-time.

One section I found interesting was entitled “We changed the game”.  If you are looking for innovative ideas that will enable your ministry, non-profit, or organization to operate at a higher level, read this list.

  1. Skill To Task – The ’72 Miami Dolphins were the first team to do situational substitutions.  Head coach Don Shula says “We always tried to get the best combination of players on the field for different game situations.”  Leaders, is your team aligned based upon the challenges you are facing.
  2. Open Space – The ’84 San Francisco 49ers perfected the West Coast offense which focused on getting the receivers the ball in open space allowing them to run.  Leaders, do you free up those on your team to perform at a high level.  For more on this concept, click here.
  3. Pressure – The ’85 Chicago Bears introduced the 46 defense which put extreme pressure on quarterbacks.  Leaders, when your team feels tremendous pressure,  they will not perform at optimum levels.
  4. Aggressiveness – The ’78 Pittsburgh Steelers led by defensive coordinator Bud Carson blitzed from a variety of angles with a variety of players.  The defining characteristic of leaders is that they make things happen.
  5. Talent – The ’62 Green Bay Packers were one of the first teams to put two talented running backs on the field simultaneously rather than having one back up the other.  Leaders, the more talented people you have on your team, the more successful you will be.
  6. Leadership - John Maxwell teaches that the difference between two equally matched teams is leadership.  The ’58 Baltimore Colts had Johnny Unitas at quarterback.  If the game was close, he would find a way to win.
  7. Celebration – The ’92 Dallas Cowboys, led by Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith, were brash and loved the spotlight.  They enjoyed their success.  Leaders, celebration creates the desire to continue to pay the price for success.
  8. Unselfishness – “The revolutionary thing we (’04 New England Patriots) accomplished is what now is the model for teams in the NFL: players putting the team first before individual gain.” – LB Tedy Bruschi.  Leaders, does your team put team success before individual success?
  9. Creativity And Innovation – The ’77 Dallas Cowboys were the first team to utilize the shotgun formation.  Leaders, what new feature are you implementing that cause you to be distinctive and gives you an advantage?
  10. Flexibility – The ’76 Oakland Raiders could win with the power running game or a vertical passing attack.  Leaders, can you find multiple ways to success if needed?    

Skill To Task, Open Space, Pressure, Aggressiveness, Talent, Leadership, Celebration, Unselfishness, Creativity, Flexibility.  Leaders, are you talking about these traits with your team?  Are they part of your DNA?  If so, you could be one of the best ever at what you do as well?

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