Practicing Leaders: The Mentorship Imperative

How would you feel about meeting your replacement? How would you feel if you knew it was your job to make sure that person could replace you sooner rather than later?

That is part of the dynamic playing out in the NFL this time of year during team mini-camp practices and Organized Team Activities. The talented young players who were drafted just a couple months ago are thrown into practices with the rest of the team, training alongside the guy they were hired to replace.

Potentially awkward situation, right? Not for the best teams in the league who understand that competition isn’t just about what happens on game day or competing for your job. It’s also about competing to be the best at mentoring and creating space for others to grow, learn and develop.

You know that saying: “You’re only as strong as your weakest link?” In sports, and football in particular, the weakest link is very clear. An injury replacement will get tested by the opponent almost immediately. New cornerback in the game? Let’s throw it his way and see if he knows what he’s doing.

Everyone in the stadium can see it happen and knows it’s going to happen.

Here’s what you also see – the level of mentorship that was provided.

It shows up in the preparedness of others. In the conversations that take place between veterans and newcomers. The encouragement that comes from veterans who know they will ultimately be replaced by the person they just coached up.

The next-man-up-mentality only works if everyone is competing to share their knowledge. Which means the veterans have to be committed to mentorship as part of their job.

Every NFL team is allowed 53 players on the active roster, but every team needs 65-70 players to make it through an entire season. To have the best shot at winning every single one of those players need to be coached up and prepared to contribute at a high level.

The same is true in every high-performing environment. Championship level success does not come from one person. Just like in the NFL, the success of your team depends on how well you develop talent and the emphasis you place on mentorship.

Here’s how I’ve seen mentorship show up with the Seattle Seahawks:

1. Veterans demonstrate great habits and invite to join them. It’s everything from how they schedule their day, what time they get to the facility, what they eat and how they take care of their bodies. There’s no gatekeeping. There is a desire to share the information that has helped them become elite.
2. Veterans initiate conversations without waiting for a formal setting. Rookies look like rookies during practice. They make mistakes, they get beat during drills. The best mentors don’t wait for a formal setting, like a team meeting to have a conversation. They talk to them in the moment so they can get better on the very next rep.
3. Veterans spell out success. A veteran pass-rusher like DeMarcus Lawrence will tell the young offensive lineman exactly how he ran past him on a drill, and then he’ll explain how to prevent that from happening again. There’s no secrets. There is a chance for everyone to get better.

High performing teams develop talent through active mentorship. They don’t wait for people to figure it out on their own or grind it out and learn their own lessons. They create space for success and cultivate the experience and trust needed to come through in critical moments.