Battlefield Commanders

Sports to Business metaphors are completely overdone, and I generally try hard not to engage in using them. But I came across the following list of Bill Parcells' "11 Quarteback Commandments", and was struck by the stark wisdom of many of them. Traits for leadership are often universal, which is why it is so easy to draw on sports to illustrate a business point, but I think the parallels to the business world are self evident. What do you think?

Bill Parcells' 11 Quarterback commandments

1. Ignore other opinions – Press or TV, agents or advisors, family or wives, friends or relatives, fans or hangers on – ignore them on matters of football, they don’t know what’s happening here.
2. Clowns can’t run a huddle – don’t forget to have fun but don’t be the class clown. Clowns and leaders don’t mix. Clowns can’t run a huddle.
3. Fat QBs can’t avoid the rush – A quarterback throws with his legs more than his arm. Squat and run.
4. Know your job cold – this is not a game without errors. Keep yours to a minimum. Study.
5. Know your own players – Who’s fast? Who can catch? Who needs encouragement? Be precise. Know your opponent.
6. Be the same guy every day – in condition. Preparing to lead. Studying your plan. A coach can’t prepare you for every eventuality. Prepare yourself and remember, impulse decisions usually equal mistakes.
7. Throwing the ball away is a good play – sacks, interceptions and fumbles are bad plays. Protect against those.
8. Learn to manage the game – personnel, play call, motions, ball handling, proper reads, accurate throws, play fakes. Clock. Clock. Clock. Don’t you ever lose track of the clock.
9. Get your team in the end zone – passing stats and TD passes are not how you’re going to be judged. Your job is to get your team in the end zone and that is how you will be judged.
10. Don’t panic – when all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand that steers the ship. If you have a panic button so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have a panic button.
11. Don’t be a celebrity QB – we don’t need any of those. We need battlefield commanders that are willing to fight it out, every day, every week and every season and lead their team to win after win after win.