Mike Tomlin. Photo: Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Mike Tomlin: The youngest coach to win a SuperBowl.
This is what I like to see: Management empowering dynamic new voices to lead.
To every football team, school district, board of directors, Senior VP, CEO and CMO: Next time you overlook the visionary kid with new ideas, remember this face.
Tell me he was the easy choice. Tell me he wasn’t the gamble. Tell me you wouldn’t have hired someone with more “proven” experience. Someone with a more impressive resume. Someone with a bit more seniority. Someone with more wins.
You would have been wrong.
Alexander the Great wasn’t a graying battle-hardened General when he conquered Persia. Bill Gates wasn’t a Wharton MBA with twenty years of executive corporate experience when he started Microsoft.
Empower visionary leaders no matter how new and how young they may be. Mentor them if you must, but do not stand in their way. Do not tell them no. Do not tell them once you’ve been here twenty years, we’ll talk about it.
The Steelers made a choice. A difficult, risky choice. And it paid off.
In truth, these are the kinds of choices that almost always pay off.
So my question to you is… what kinds of leaders is your organization producing?
It’s an important question. One that could very well decide whether or not your company succeeds or fails in the next decade. Maybe even in the next year.
Give it some thought. Serious thought.
Welcome to a whole new work week. 
Yes! Great post. Fully, fully agree. Also, imagine the long-term implications of empowering talented young people. What will the picture look like in fifteen years when you allow people to grow based on work and talent rather than hierarchy and seniority?
Exciting possibilities…
Leadership is VERY important. And it can come from anywhere. But, it’s not just a matter of finding or hiring strong leaders, the business / organization must tolerate the inevitable missteps a leader will make. We see the end product, the Super Bowl win, but I’m sure he made lots of mistakes getting there. Winning the big prize is a testament to his perseverance and belief in his vision, and the willingness of the Steelers to let him lead.
Leadership is hard. It’s also difficult. It requires a commitment from all who are involved.
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