One of the primary litmus test for leaders is anyone actually following you. John Maxwell famously said, “If someone thinks he is leading and no one is following, he is merely taking a walk.” This past week we saw the type of leader people are willing to follow anywhere.
Zach Strief retired from the National Football League after players offensive tackle for 12 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Strief’s primary responsibility was protecting the team’s legendary quarterback Drew Brees.
Brees is an Apex Leader whom I have written about previously here and here. I also feature Brees in my new book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders. But more importantly than what I wrote about him, watch the video above of Strief’s press conference and what a man who actually went to work with Brees for 12 years said about him. It is incredible!
The following are 14 Practices Of The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere I captured from Strief’s press conference above:
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Build Long-Lasting Relationships – “For the past eight years I’ve played in front of the most prolific passer in NFL history.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Build An Emotional Connection With Those They Serve – Strief began crying at the 8 second mark.
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Are Great Motivators – “Drew Brees has been the single greatest motivation for me as a player.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Arrive Before Everyone Else – “Every day I would walk into the building and pass Drew watching film.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Elicit Great Loyalty – “Every Thursday I would send him pictures of the menu so we could order his dinner”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Also Leave After Everyone Else – “since his workday ended four hours after ours.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Make Countless Sacrifices For Their Team – “You have made countless sacrifices for your teammates.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Spend Countless Hours With Their Team – “Spent countless hours with us instead of your family.”
- People Do Not Want To Let Down The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere – “My greatest drive as a player was not to let you down.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Are Viewed As The Greatest Leaders – “You’re the greatest leader I’ve ever been around.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Are More Importantly Viewed As Greatest People – “I admire you so much as a player but more as a person.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Take Those Same People On Their Journey With Them – “To be a small part of your Hall of Fame career has been my greatest honor as a player.”
- The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere Will Be Greatly Missed When They Are Gone – “I’ll miss being around you on a daily basis.”
- People Are Grateful For The Privilege Of Serving Under The Type Of Leader People Will Follow Anywhere – “Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.”
What is one thing you learned from this list which will make you a better leader?
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