How to Have a Brady-Belichick Relationship With Your Manager
Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have been in the news a lot lately, and not just for the accolades they have achieved or what they are on the cusp of accomplishing. The media has been publicizing a rift between the touted world’s best quarterback and the world’s best NFL head coach.
We can speculate all we want on the status of their relationship and whether the media coverage is true or not, but one thing is for certain, the duo knows how to get things done and achieve amazing results.
Here’s what we can learn from Belichick and Brady about relationships, management and achieving results, and what’s made them such an unstoppable pair.
Discipline and a strong work ethic. Great coaches and great leaders gravitate towards those who want to work hard and put in the effort to be great. Belichick is hailed as one of the best defensive coordinators in the history of the NFL. He’s meticulous about studying film and preparing for games. Brady is known for his discipline and work ethic. His diet regiment has been featured in the news and even turned into a weight-loss fad. He’s had highs and lows throughout his career, including a knee injury that put him out of commission his entire 2008 season, but came back and earned the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. Having a strong work ethic creates mutual respect and lays the ground work for a healthy relationship.
Constantly striving to improve. The best teams are created when everyone wants to challenge one another to be the best they can be, leaders and direct reports alike. Belichick and Brady are prime examples of this. Neither rests on their laurels or thinks that they’ve reached their pinnacle. Brady is one of two players ever to win five Super Bowls, and he’s the only player to ever win them playing for one team. Belichick has been heralded as the best defensive mind if football and arguably the best coach in the history of the NFL. And yet, neither of them have retired. They change their plays, try new things and are constantly adapting to become better. They continue to work at being the best.
They balance one another. The best leaders surround themselves with people who are smarter than they are and who have skills they don’t have. Belichick specializes in defense, Brady has the offensive mind, together the pair has proven unstoppable. Leaders should do the same, and employees should look for leaders who have skills they don’t have, so they can learn from them and strengthen their weaknesses.
Create a support structure for success. Kudos to Belichick for surrounding Brady and his teams over the years with some of the best offensive and defensive coaches in the industry. His retention rate for coaching staff is second to none, and almost all of his former coaches have gone on to head coaching positions after working with him. If you can surround your best players with the most talented people to learn from and opportunities to grow, you are equipping them for success.
About the Author | Jessica Schaeffer
Jessica Schaeffer is director of marketing and communications at LaSalle Network, a national staffing and recruiting firm honored with more than 70 culture and revenue-based awards. Schaeffer was responsible for the creation of LaSalle Network’s corporate social responsibility program, Community Champions.
