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Sean McVay is the winningest active NFL coach.
He's 35 years-old & 3 other current NFL head coaches worked for him.
Sean McVay's leadership principles for Competitive Greatness🧵
He's 35 years-old & 3 other current NFL head coaches worked for him.
Sean McVay's leadership principles for Competitive Greatness🧵
I polled Twitter to ask which young NFL coaches they most wanted to learn from.
What I didn't realize:
The other 3 had all worked for McVay:
- Matt LaFleur
- Zac Taylor
- Brandon Staley
Luckily, he won the poll. The loyalty of his players. And a lot of games.
Here's how:
What I didn't realize:
The other 3 had all worked for McVay:
- Matt LaFleur
- Zac Taylor
- Brandon Staley
Luckily, he won the poll. The loyalty of his players. And a lot of games.
Here's how:
More than anything McVay emphasizes systematic development.
Each year, the team assembles in camp and the progress through three phases:
-> Establish an Identity
-> Improve Technique & Master Our Systems
-> Come Together as a Team
Each year, the team assembles in camp and the progress through three phases:
-> Establish an Identity
-> Improve Technique & Master Our Systems
-> Come Together as a Team
His blueprint is a series of principles, "McVay-isms" refined over 5 seasons that are:
- Written on walls
- Printed on t-shirts
- Repeated so often players' children know them
Most importantly: they build a culture block by block through common language & shared understanding
- Written on walls
- Printed on t-shirts
- Repeated so often players' children know them
Most importantly: they build a culture block by block through common language & shared understanding
1/ Build a Solid Foundation:
- Character -> get the right players
- Connected -> create shared experiences
- Consistency -> show up every day
- Communication -> engage clearly
Lesson: Be selective with your talent, intentional with your culture
- Character -> get the right players
- Connected -> create shared experiences
- Consistency -> show up every day
- Communication -> engage clearly
Lesson: Be selective with your talent, intentional with your culture
McVay-ism: "Our rule — be on time."
What it's not about: timeliness.
What it is about:
- Time as the molecular building block of consistency
- The character of people whose identify as being on time
- The connection built through mutual respect of each other's time
What it's not about: timeliness.
What it is about:
- Time as the molecular building block of consistency
- The character of people whose identify as being on time
- The connection built through mutual respect of each other's time
2/ Consistent Process, Consistent Progress:
- Daily Improvement -> 1% better
- Daily Excellence -> no shortcuts
Lesson: Set inspiring targets, build consistent habits to meet them
- Daily Improvement -> 1% better
- Daily Excellence -> no shortcuts
Lesson: Set inspiring targets, build consistent habits to meet them
McVay-ism: "Embrace the suck."
Borrowed from the Navy Seals & @brentgleeson. Good company.
Lesson: Going through the pain builds strength, awareness and advantage.
Need more inspiration?
This is a key tenant in @iammarkmanson's classic:
Borrowed from the Navy Seals & @brentgleeson. Good company.
Lesson: Going through the pain builds strength, awareness and advantage.
Need more inspiration?
This is a key tenant in @iammarkmanson's classic:
3/ "We not me"
The one McVay-ism that has risen to the cultural level.
It doesn't require explanation to get intellectually:
Be humble, selflessness, put the team first.
But players say it's bigger than that once you experience it.
Lesson: Mythology creates powerful stories.
The one McVay-ism that has risen to the cultural level.
It doesn't require explanation to get intellectually:
Be humble, selflessness, put the team first.
But players say it's bigger than that once you experience it.
Lesson: Mythology creates powerful stories.
Best example of "We not me"?
McVay's first coordinator hire, Wade Phillips, began coaching in the N.F.L. for 10 years before McVay was born.
-> The priority was hiring the best person.
-> Even when that meant bringing an obvious successor in-house.
Lesson: Show don't tell.
McVay's first coordinator hire, Wade Phillips, began coaching in the N.F.L. for 10 years before McVay was born.
-> The priority was hiring the best person.
-> Even when that meant bringing an obvious successor in-house.
Lesson: Show don't tell.
4/ High Standards:
- Planning
- Practice
- Preparation
- Performance
How does he direct this effort?
-> Know his players strengths
-> Build the system to capitalize
-> Simplify the game away from weakness
Lesson: Leaders should simplify & amplify, not command & control
- Planning
- Practice
- Preparation
- Performance
How does he direct this effort?
-> Know his players strengths
-> Build the system to capitalize
-> Simplify the game away from weakness
Lesson: Leaders should simplify & amplify, not command & control
McVay-ism: "The standard is the standard."
"We set the bar and there are no excuses. "It's hard to explain!" said a former player. "You just kind of know from experience."
Growth -> Contagious pursuit of an unattainable standard.
Lesson: Can you make excellence the mission?
"We set the bar and there are no excuses. "It's hard to explain!" said a former player. "You just kind of know from experience."
Growth -> Contagious pursuit of an unattainable standard.
Lesson: Can you make excellence the mission?
5/ Poise + Confidence
With the talent, culture, process and standards in place, what's left come game day?
Mindset
-> Confidence: believing in the process, in each other
-> Poise: staying within their system, not bending to a competitors
Lesson: Find your advantage mindset
With the talent, culture, process and standards in place, what's left come game day?
Mindset
-> Confidence: believing in the process, in each other
-> Poise: staying within their system, not bending to a competitors
Lesson: Find your advantage mindset
McVay-ism: "Situational masters."
You can win just by recognizing & reacting to the circumstances first:
-> Reading coverage
-> Not going out of bounds
-> Giving up an obvious TD to slide & end the game
Equal athletes. Better prepared.
Lesson: Compete on what you can control.
You can win just by recognizing & reacting to the circumstances first:
-> Reading coverage
-> Not going out of bounds
-> Giving up an obvious TD to slide & end the game
Equal athletes. Better prepared.
Lesson: Compete on what you can control.
6/ Competitive Greatness
In McVay's system, all of these blocks lead to Competitive Greatness.
Simple, brilliant & 100% aligned to the ambition of his team.
Lesson: Do your pieces add up to meet the core mission?
In McVay's system, all of these blocks lead to Competitive Greatness.
Simple, brilliant & 100% aligned to the ambition of his team.
Lesson: Do your pieces add up to meet the core mission?
McVay-ism: "Urgent Enjoyment
Watch any interview streamed from this @RamsNFL's head coach's office and you see this one is displayed.
Urgent - who knows what tomorrow holds
Enjoyment - for the love of the game
Lesson: What's upper right in your 2x2 matrix?
Watch any interview streamed from this @RamsNFL's head coach's office and you see this one is displayed.
Urgent - who knows what tomorrow holds
Enjoyment - for the love of the game
Lesson: What's upper right in your 2x2 matrix?
My Favorite:
"Show your team you care, and they'll give you everything they have."
-> Ask them about goals, journey, experiences, when they excelled.
-> Listen with intention & use what you learn to improve the experience.
-> Give them your time, attention, empathy & respect.
"Show your team you care, and they'll give you everything they have."
-> Ask them about goals, journey, experiences, when they excelled.
-> Listen with intention & use what you learn to improve the experience.
-> Give them your time, attention, empathy & respect.
Quotes:
-> Humble: “If we're going to ask our players to be coachable, we've got to be coachable as coaches as well.”
-> Curious: “Once you stop learning, you're going to stop growing.”
-> Accountable: “If I can't admit a mistake, then what does that represent to our guys?”
-> Humble: “If we're going to ask our players to be coachable, we've got to be coachable as coaches as well.”
-> Curious: “Once you stop learning, you're going to stop growing.”
-> Accountable: “If I can't admit a mistake, then what does that represent to our guys?”
REFERENCES
McVay himself is incredibly consistent:
www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/02/02/rams-coach-sean-mcvay-uses-4-brilliant-quotes-to-drive-the-team-to-win.ht...
www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/sports/sean-mcvay-los-angeles-rams-super-bowl-liii.html
theramswire.usatoday.com/2020/06/21/nfl-rams-sean-mcvay-call-coaches-video/
www.theringer.com/2021/10/20/22737293/has-sean-mcvay-changed-football-los-angeles-rams
www.inc.com/john-eades/rams-head-coach-sean-mcvay-shared-a-powerful-lesson-in-leadership-thats-carrie...
McVay himself is incredibly consistent:
www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/02/02/rams-coach-sean-mcvay-uses-4-brilliant-quotes-to-drive-the-team-to-win.ht...
www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/sports/sean-mcvay-los-angeles-rams-super-bowl-liii.html
theramswire.usatoday.com/2020/06/21/nfl-rams-sean-mcvay-call-coaches-video/
www.theringer.com/2021/10/20/22737293/has-sean-mcvay-changed-football-los-angeles-rams
www.inc.com/john-eades/rams-head-coach-sean-mcvay-shared-a-powerful-lesson-in-leadership-thats-carrie...
TL/DR
1/ Foundation
-> "Our rule - be on time"
2/ Consistent Progress
-> "Embrace the suck"
3/ "We not me"
4/ Standards
-> "The standard is the standard"
5/ Poise + Confidence
-> "Situational Masters"
6/ Competitive Greatness
-> "Urgent Enjoyment"
1/ Foundation
-> "Our rule - be on time"
2/ Consistent Progress
-> "Embrace the suck"
3/ "We not me"
4/ Standards
-> "The standard is the standard"
5/ Poise + Confidence
-> "Situational Masters"
6/ Competitive Greatness
-> "Urgent Enjoyment"
The Rams have won twice as many games under Sean McVay as they've lost (58-29).
Every year, players change and coaches get poached by other teams.
But "great talent makes great coaches".
In the right system.
Follow @dklineii for more practical management & leadership lessons.
Every year, players change and coaches get poached by other teams.
But "great talent makes great coaches".
In the right system.
Follow @dklineii for more practical management & leadership lessons.
Epilogue: "Winningest"
My logic:
- Average NFL Coach tenure ~3.5 yrs
- So I picked 5 years as a big enough sample.
- He's won the highest % among today's coaches.
- If you drop to less, @CoachMLaFleur is > .800 🤯
Note: Bill Belichick 1st 5 years? 36-46 (.451)
My logic:
- Average NFL Coach tenure ~3.5 yrs
- So I picked 5 years as a big enough sample.
- He's won the highest % among today's coaches.
- If you drop to less, @CoachMLaFleur is > .800 🤯
Note: Bill Belichick 1st 5 years? 36-46 (.451)
