Stephen A. Smith is arguably the most influential voice in sports media. Through his work on ESPN’s First Take and other media channels, Smith has become an iconic personality.
Recently, Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban had Stephen A. speak to the team. Smith’s comments on the responsibilities of being a public figure were outstanding and something all leaders can learn from. A video of his speech is shown above.
Bringing in influential voices to speak to the team is a common Saban practice. Last year, he brought in legendary NBA star Kobe Bryant. You can read those comments at 16 Lessons From Kobe Bryant’s Visit With Nick Saban And Their Message For Young Leaders.
The following are 16 Leadership Quotes And Lessons from Stephen A. Smith’s Passionate Speech to the Alabama Football Team:
- “Your behavior, your character matters.”
- There Are Good Leaders And Bad Leaders – “The talk about this thing called leadership. I’d say Dak Prescott has been a pretty good leader.”
- Leaders Are Accountable – “The talk about accountability. Dak Prescott’s pretty accountable.”
- Leaders Are Dependable – “They talk about dependability… Dak Prescott has missed a single game. Not one game. 2-time Pro Bowler.”
- Leaders Represent Brands – “By the way, (Prescott is a) model citizen who represents the brand.”
- Trust Matters – “I don’t know if I can trust you (Ezekiel Elliott). That matters.”
- Your Level Of Trust Determines Your Level Of Opportunity – “If I can’t trust you because you’re going to be a knucklehead, why should I put you in my lineup? It’s not just about your skill. It’s about whether you’re trustworthy. Are you trustworthy? Can you be counted on?”
- Focus And Discipline Matters – “Do you have the focus and discipline necessary to do what you need to do for the betterment of yourself and your team? ..It matters.”
- Not Every Leaders Is Someone You Want To Be Associated With – “Advertisers and sponsors and people who invest in their (NFL) brand don’t want those transgressions associated with their products.”
- Leaders Must Prove They Are Good Investments For The Organization – “They (the NFL) count the dollars before you do.”
- Great Leaders Are Transparent Leaders – “Everything, if they’re (NFL) interested in you, they will know everything.”
- Leaders Will Be Known By Their Fruits – “You will not get away from them (NFL).”
- Leaders Face Higher Degrees Of Accountability The More Successful They Are – “If someone takes a few hundred dollars from you, are you going to have a problem with this? But you think you can jeopardize millions (of the NFL’s money) and no one’s going to have a problem with it?”
- “There is no peace. There is no privacy.”
- Leaders Matter To Everybody – “If you matter, you matter to everybody.”
- Do Not Be Confused, Many People Do Not Care About Your Leadership – “Folks will find a way to utilize you to your detriment without giving two cents about you.”
What is one thing you learned for Stephen A.’s comments which will make you a better leader?
To receive more leadership insights from Coach Saban, click HERE or on the image to the left for my new ebook The Leadership Of Nick Saban: Timeless Truths From The Incomparable Head Coach Of The Alabama Crimson Tide. Enjoy!