Did you watch Super Bowl XLVII (47)?
At the time I wrote this post the final Nielsen ratings haven’t come out. However some preliminary numbers suggest that 71% of the TVs in the US that were on during the time the Super Bowl was aired were watching the game. That’s somewhere close to 1.2 million homes. Talk about a huge platform! Here are a few of the communication lessons that we learned from the event.
I play in a fantasy football league. On paper my team looks decent. We have awesome potential, a couple of stars, and we’ve had quite a few close games. Even though we carry a losing record I’m proud of my boys. They work hard every week.
(Al Messerschmidt/ NFL Photos/Getty Images)
It’s sad when someone dies. Even sadder still when you hear that someone possibly ended their own life. This appears to be the story of Junior Seau. According to reports Seau died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. I was watching ESPN NFL Live yesterday as the reporters and commentators mourned the loss of a football legend and friend.
The Marcellus Wiley interview was the most difficult to watch. Wiley recounted his playing days with Seau and during the segment there were parts of the story that definitely made me sit up and pay attention.
Wiley said that Seau always wanted others to see him as in control. He told of how during training camp Seau would be treated by private doctors away from teammates because he didn’t want others to see him in pain or hurting. Wiley said, “Junior wanted to make sure when you saw him he was as at full strength, didn’t want you to see him in his weakest moments.” An emotional Wiley went on to say that he and his teammates would have been there for Junior if he had reached out to them.
Often we equate leadership only with strength and power. While these may be integral components that are not the only characteristics good leaders demonstrate. Concentrating only on these can suggest to others that showing emotion or needs is a weakness. Look at it from a football perspective. As a defensive player you are paid to hit and intimidate others. No one wants a defensive captain who shows signs of vulnerability.
Maybe that translated into Junior’s personal life. Maybe his need to show strength and power on the field prevented him from being vulnerable off the field. Maybe the perception of who he should be kept him of getting the help that he really needed.
We may never know.
No matter the story my prayers go out to all those who have been impacted by the death of Junior Seau.
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In what areas of your life do you need to be more vulnerable? Who can you reach out to if you need help?
Today the ESPN ticker stated that Brett Favre would listen if the Chicago Bears wanted to talk football. The Bears are without starting QB Jay Cutler and they need help. Could the NFL’s Iron Man, Hall of Fame bound, 42 year old retired Brett Favre be considering football again? Maybe that’s no surprise to sports fans. It seems like Brett Favre can’t do anything else.
I wonder why he can’t leave it alone.
I remember when Aaron Rodgers was sitting in a holding pattern. As long as Favre was still playing with the Packers, backup QB Rodgers was never going to get any playing time. Skeptics said that Rodgers would never measure up. “He’ll forever live in Favre’s shadow” they declared. As long as Rodgers was the second string QB we would never know.
Currently Rodgers is leading the Packers on a run to NFL playoffs. Rodgers is great. Rodgers is awesome. Rodgers is….the list goes on and on. The Packers are undefeated and no one is talking about Favre.
That is until the ESPN ticker.
Sometimes as leaders we don’t know when to let it go. When elected to positions or given certain responsibilities we take it as a life long appointment. We’ve been successful, we reaped accolades, everyone knows we’re good – but we still can’t let go.
Waiting in the wings is another leader. Maybe someone younger, someone stronger, someone faster, someone better. Someone who will never get a chance as long as we’re in the way.
I’m learning that it’s ok if you step away.
Your legacy will remain in tact.
Your contributions will continue to be noted.
Everyone will remember the difference you made.
But maybe its time to let go.
Consider the areas when you can stop taking the lead and start cheering on the next leader.
