“Leadership” is a theme we read about quite often in headlines. It seems that the American people, and global citizens abroad, are rightfully questioning the bona fides of their political and business leaders, many of whom haven’t done enough to address pressing issues affecting our communities and country.

When it comes to evaluating our leaders, seasoned individuals in ultra-competitive environments, from the military to Silicon Valley to American politics, prize experience. We know the value of experience: swift and effective responses to adversaries, proven dedication to pursuing goals, and, perhaps most important, level-headed reactions to disaster.

The NFL is no different. At the end of every season, when several head coaches are relieved of command, front offices go on the hunt for their new locker-room leaders. And when general managers and owners look for new head coaching prospects, one key theme is found on every checklist.

Experience.

An NFL head coach puts in 20-hour work days, crafts gameplans, establishes the team culture, and sets the tone for the season.

The head coach needs to have experience. A leader of men needs to carry himself with silent confidence and the gravitas that convinces dominant pro athletes to follow his lead and direction.

And so, when the Los Angeles Rams hired 30-year-old Sean McVay to lead the team, the news was met with much fanfare and countless questions.

What makes this man so qualified to lead a team in the nation’s second-largest media market? How can he coach players who are older than him? Will the new coaching staff respect what McVay has to say?

A year later, the Los Angeles Rams have not only reversed their misfortunes, but they are the owners of a double-digit winning season and the NFC West division title.

Safe to say that McVay has silenced doubters.

Here are the lessons on leadership we can learn from the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.

1. Surround Yourself With a Team of Experts & Put Aside Your Ego.

Upon his hiring, McVay brought in assistant coaches who were well-known in the league for expertise in their respective fields.

Safe to say that McVay has silenced doubters.

Wade Phillips is widely considered one of the best defensive coordinators ever. He’s an affable coach who designs schemes according to personnel strengths. Phillips was a pivotal hire because he can take care of the defense on his own, while McVay can focus on perfecting his specialty on offense (it should be known that McVay still likes to drop in on his coaches and learn more about his defense). Phillips also has head coaching experience, making him a valuable resource to McVay.

Aaron Kromer is another hire that has buttressed one of Los Angeles’s weaknesses from last season. He was brought in to repair the dysfunction on the offensive line that saw their running back and quarterback perform at historically poor metrics last year. Needless to say, the LA Rams feature one of the NFL’s top offensive lines this year.

It doesn’t stop at coaching. McVay has also allowed veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth to mentor the younger players on the offensive line. The head coach has delegated the nuances of teaching the less experienced members of the team on how to act like a consummate professional.

What we can learn: Entrepreneurs and other leaders shouldn’t be afraid to hire and surround themselves with talented people from different sectors of business. As self-assuring as it is to handle everything by yourself, you need to trust your people to take care of the job. Let the writers focus on content marketing, the B2B guy focus on lead generation, and digital marketers focus on sales funnels. Battles are never one by one man. Let your people do their jobs.

Moreover, a team leader should embrace having smarter people on the team. Not only does it make recruiting new talent easier, but it boosts the fortunes of the team and puts you one step closer to your goal. Smart people with good principles make solid decisions. We all have to let go and let others pick up some slack.

2. Establish Accountability & Learn From Failure.

A week after a tough loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams went into Washington and took down the respected Seattle Seahawks. Carrying the offense was star running back Todd Gurley. When a reporter asked Sean McVay about Todd Gurley’s uptick in usage against the Seahawks, McVay called himself an “idiot” for not giving Gurley more opportunities during the Eagles game.

Earlier in the season, after a close loss to the Washington Redskins, McVay took the podium and criticized his playcalling first.

McVay called himself an "idiot" for not giving Gurley more opportunities during the Eagles game.

McVay has never thrown a player or member of his staff under the proverbial bus. His people know that they won’t be left on an island when they make a mistake. This has inspired his players, even those from the previous coaching regime, to credit McVay for the team’s turnaround.

What we can learn: It’s critical to share the credit and take accountability for a loss. When the chain of command breaks down or miscommunication between your experts spreads like wildfire, you need to step up and resolve the issue.

And if you can’t, it’s important to take responsibility, because it’s either your fault, or the team members need to know where the buck stops. Either way, excuses are a terrible slippery slope and a sure-fire way to lose the trust of your people.

Taking responsibility for things even out of your control inspires a healthy level of respect among your team. An accountable leader is someone team members can trust.

3. Stay Disciplined & Never Look Past a Challenge.

Not only have the Rams taken care of business against every team they have been favored against, but McVay preaches discipline and humility to his players. Banners stating “The Standard is The Standard” and “We Not Me” were reportedly hung around the Rams meeting rooms during the offseason. McVay wants his players to keep their eyes on the prize.

Fans got to see that exact sentiment take life: In the second quarter against the Seahawks a few weeks ago, a few players from both teams were involved in an altercation. McVay didn’t want to see an injured player, nor did he appreciate the on-field actions of his own team. The rookie head coach called timeout and, as the cameras focused on his face as the players huddled up around him, the TV audience could clearly see him addressing his players with stern guidance and commanding authority -- we are here to win the game, so follow The Standard and take care of business.

The Rams did, indeed, take care of business that day.

What we can learn: When our own people begin to err, it’s important to remind them what we’re fighting for. More important, it’s crucial that we demonstrate our beliefs through action. Be on time for meetings, don’t involve yourself with useless extracurriculars, and steadfastly dedicate your attitude toward the ultimate goal.

In business, sports, romance, and other realms, life will find a way to throw distractions at us. When it throws distractions at the team, we’ll be there to pick each other up. Sean McVcay has shown that he’s been able to pick the Rams up with his leadership style and guide them to victory. ______________________________________________________________________

Jason Patel is the founder of Transizion, a college prep company. He is an avid outdoorsman, purple belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu, and, needless to say, die-hard football fan. You can follow him on Instagram (@jasonpatel13).



