I will be posting daily excerpts of Hiring Secrets of the NFL, by Isaac Cheifetz, Catalytic1 Executive Search, over the next three weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Please feel free to discuss how the concepts apply to today’s NFL, and business.
“When I was playing, I never worried about a guy that ran a 4.4 forty, if I watched the film and saw that he had 5.2 hands.” Herm Edwards, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach
In the NFL and in business, a position will have a variety of attributes considered important for success. But for most roles, there are a very small number of skills which are critical – their absence will dictate failure.
The “true must of the position”, as writer Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline.com calls it, is the critical success factor of the position, without which achievement is impossible. Tables 1-1 and 2-1 describe the “true must” for several football positions and business rules. Lacking the “true must” for a role, elite ability is useless. Note that key intangibles like discipline and motivation are not addressed here, on the assumption that all roles in football and business require them.
“True Must” in Football
Position “True Must” Desirable
Receiver Great hands, route runner Great speed
Quarterback Calm, accuracy, leadership Great arm
Offensive Lineman Tenacious, strong, smart Gigantic, athletic
“True Must” in Business
In business too, there are is a “true must” for nearly every role, without which success is unlikely, regardless of the individual’s ability.
Role True Must Desirable
Sales Rainmaker Tenacity, professionalism Charisma and organization
Startup CEO Design strategies and execute Visionary
CIO Leader, integrator, integrity Technical visionary
A new venture benefits from a leader who can paint a vision of where the company is going and how it will transform its industry. But being a successful leader requires just enough creativity to win, yet not so much as to get lost.