Well-known NFL quarterback Tom Brady was recently on The Howard Stern Show, calling in from the home he’s renting from Derek Jeter in Florida. The way Brady presented himself was authentic, and this is a great example as far as showing your true self to the world.
A New Man, A New Stage in His Life
Now that Brady is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he has different team rules and can speak a bit more freely (no offense to the New England Patriots, of course, which is a powerful and successful organization). Although Brady is excited to move on with his life, he didn’t speak negatively about his time with the Patriots and with his former coach, Bill Belichick. I like that he didn’t in any way come across as bitter or resentful – if anything, Brady’s proud of his time with the Patriots and pointed out that no one can take away the Super Bowl rings he, his teammates, and his coaches earned.
By speaking more openly about a number of different topics, Brady made a deeper connection with his fans and the people who follow him. Authentic leadership is about taking off the mask and showing your true self, and Brady did this well in his discussion with Howard Stern.
For example, by pointing out some struggles he had in his marriage, he became very relatable. A lot of people struggle in their relationships and marriages, so Brady was speaking to something universal here. It would be easy to think that with all of his money, Brady has an easy life and has it made. In some ways that may be true (Brady has earned his success), but he also struggles like the rest of us, with plenty of ups and downs. I, for one, related to Brady with the relationship struggles and felt like he was saying between the lines we all struggle with our relationships sometimes.
More sports teams can encourage their players to speak more freely. I know the media can be both dangerous and manipulative, and I’m definitely not saying players should completely let down their guard. But more authenticity will allow for more connection and understanding. What if athletes started to be more genuine?
Brady is one of the biggest names in sports and his new, more open personality is shining through. We all can learn to be more open and authentic, so as to become more relatable leaders. When you are open about your struggles, you help others who are having similar struggles.
Reinvention
Brady has reinvented himself to a degree, fully being his own person. At the same time, he’s still the same guy – just more open. Reinvention doesn’t necessarily have to mean changing the core of your personality and uprooting your entire life. Instead, reinvention can mean expressing more of who you already are, such as being more open and transparent. As author Brian Tracy says, “If you aren’t reinventing yourself every six to nine months, life is passing you by.”
I love this new, more open Brady, and I hope that he keeps on being this way. He comes across as real and likeable.
Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw has openly criticized Brady for going to the Buccaneers (Brady will be 43 years of age by the start of next season). Bradshaw speaks his mind and I respect that. With that said, I side with Brady on this one. Who cares what other people think? If Brady loves the game of football, which he does, and if he’s healthy enough, which he is, why not continue playing?
Maybe Brady still feels like he has something to prove, and maybe he doesn’t – that’s not the point. The point is, he’s a grown man and can do as he chooses. And even if deep down he does feel like he has something to prove, what’s wrong with that? Kobe Bryant wanted to prove that he could win an NBA championship without Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe did exactly that. In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with having a chip on your shoulder if you use it to motivate yourself in the right way. And to Brady’s credit, he emphasized to Stern that he’s only thankful for his time with the Patriots.
People will judge and criticize you no matter what you do, so you might as well do what you feel is best and what you want to do. It took me a long time to realize that you need to please yourself first. This is why I applaud Brady for being his own man and doing his own thing. He’s a leader, not a follower.
I get that some people think Brady is too old to still be playing. And yes, one bad hit and injury and his career could be over. But you know what? Brady himself said he doesn’t care about his legacy. I love this. I’ve always felt legacy to be important, but I also know that spiritually speaking, nothing really matters. By coming across as detached, fun-loving, and fully himself, Brady just might be setting himself up for another great season. He’s going to be fun to watch playing for his new team.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning leadership author.
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