6 Lessons in Leadership from Urban Meyer

Urban Meyer is a 3-time national college football champion. During the 2000s, he led the University of Florida Gators to two titles (2006 and 2008), and the Ohio State Buckeyes to a championship in 2014.

It is the Buckeyes' national title run in 2014 that serves as the backdrop, providing examples and anecdotes, of Meyer's book on leadership and culture, Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Program.

His book is a fantastic read and essential reading for anyone looking to develop a high-performance culture, whether it's on the football field, in the corporate world, or even at home.

Here are some of my favorite quotes, passages, and key takeaways from Above the Line.

Psychological safety helps build a climate for epic leadership.

Psychological safety, one of the key pillars of successful teams in Daniel Coyle's "The Culture Code," is when team members feel safe risking failure. They are willing to give their best effort because they don't fear being ridicule or being ostracized. It's a safe place to fail forward.

• “If players are going to make the big push to join the elites, they need to believe it will be worth it. It’s important to remind them of the quality of the leadership at Ohio State—let them know they are being taught by masters of their craft who have made a significant difference in other players’ lives.”
• “It’s about reinforcing that this is a special place that has produced special players.”
• “This isn’t theory. It’s testimony. This is who played here. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this great tradition?”

Mix high-performers with the "80 percenters"

In each team there are three groups. The top 10 percenters are the driven, self-motivated players. The 80 percenters are the ones who work hard, and are on the cusp of attaining top 10 percenter status. The remaining 10 percent are the indifferent and unmotivated. Meyer focuses on the 80 percenters.

• “We aim to leverage the influence and credibility of the top 10 percent to maximum advantage.”
• Mix the group so that the top 10 percenters mingle and influence the 80 percenters. The groups, left unchecked, will “keep the company of like-minded people.” Pair top 10 percenters with 80 percenters. “Leverage the ability of the top 10 percenters to bring more 80 percenters into the nucleus.”

Challenge your leaders

Surround yourself with people who can think honestly and on their feet.

• “I love to challenge our coaches every day. I love for people to tell me what they think. And if they want to disagree, that’s even better… Iron sharpens iron. Out of the sharpening process come better ideas and more committed performance. I don’t want yes-men around me.”

The power of belief

Greatness is only possible when team members have a strong sense of belief in the mission, in the process, and in the possibility of success.

• “Belief creates vision. It enables you to see possibility that others do not see. It sees not only the goal it wants to achieve, but the pathway—the effort and action—that is required to accomplish that goal.”
• “A player who believes sees himself training, practicing, performing, and achieving. He sees himself competing and winning with such powerful focus that he ignores all distractions and doubters. Because of this mental clarity, elite performers win in their minds first.”
• “Belief also creates strength of will. Because they believe, elite performers have enormous competitive drive, and that is what makes them relentless.”
• “Their belief empowers them with unshakable resolve and determination. It is what animates their ability to respond to any situation with toughness or tenacity.”
• “Belief does one more thing that is unique in human performance: it ignites and activates. It unleashes you. Because it is so sharply focused, it blows through doubt and distractions and empowers you to perform at the highest possible level.”
• “Belief is a force multiplier. One man believes and the man next to him believes, and before you know it, it grows exponentially.”

How you respond (the R Factor) is what matters

Adversity strikes us all and usually when we expect it least.

You get injured in the lead-up to the biggest game of the season. An opponent comes out more aggressively than expected.

Champions respond productively to what happens to them, whether good or bad.

Injured your shoulder? Work your legs and build a bigger motor than ever. Competitor crush you in the first quarter? Reset your mindset and focus on executing in the second.

The chasm between victory and defeat is found in what Meyer calls the R Factor, the way you respond to any given situation.

• “We don’t control the events in life, and we don’t directly control the outcomes. But we always have control over how we choose to respond. How we respond means everything. We call it the R Factor.”
• “Nobody wants hardship or adversity, but everybody gets it. It’s inevitable. No one escapes pain, fear, or difficulty… a successful life involves some amount of necessary pain. When it happens, don’t run from it. Learn from it.”

The end result of excellent leadership isn't about the leader

Ultimately, leadership isn't about the leader. It's about creating a climate that produces other exceptional leaders. That is the true mark of success.

• “Here’s the great secret about leadership: it’s not about you. It’s about making other people better. Leadership is more about trust you earned than the authority you have been granted. You must earn the right for people to follow you. It is about equipping people with the tools necessary to get and stay Above the Line.”