Stephen H Baum Leadership

SUPERBOWL CEO (Part One)

No matter who wins the Super Bowl, we will all be treated to a demonstration of skills that any CEO (or leader for that matter) finds enviable. Peyton Manning’s real-time read of the structure and intent of the defense, consideration of options, selection of pass receiver and intentional arc of the throw is nothing short of a lesson in leadership.

In a powerful analysis by George Bretherton and Carl Nelson writing in the New York Times today (February 7, 2010), they deconstruct the 2.2 seconds – yes, 2.2 seconds! – Manning takes to work through his decision.

Imagine reaching this degree of craft as an entrepreneur or CEO dealing with a crisis, summoning the senior team, understanding the dynamics of the situation and choosing what should be done and by whom.

How did Manning get to this level? Was it inborn? No. It is through a combination of intense homework, thought experiments, planning and many, many real-time experiences on the field. Manning talked on tv yesterday about how he likes to spend his Saturday night before the big game – studying his playbook and his coaches’ analysis of the other team’s playbook. It is said that mastery comes only with 10,000 hours of practice and learning. I don’t know how many hours Manning has spent, but it must exceed that.

In my role as coach to a CEO, we take a recent challenging event and ask what was their read on the situation, what analogy and knowledge they carried into battle, how they chose to whom to assign what role. Then we apply the learning to an upcoming situation. I am told it sharpens an already well-developed informed gut.

That’s just my view. What’s yours?

Stay tuned for Part II: Super Bowl CEO – How Direct Reports Know What to Do

See New York Times, Sports Section, Page 4, February 7, 2010, available at NYTimes.com by clicking on this URL:

Speed Reading A Defense