In this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to five-time (2 as player and 3 as coach) Super Bowl Champion Thomas “Pepper” Johnson. Pepper shares the good and the bad of the many leadership styles he encountered while playing and coaching alongside some of football’s greatest legends in the NFL. He stresses that talent does not equal success - focus, hard work, and a team-player attitude ultimately determine your fate. Pepper’s advice for leaders: find your own voice and be comfortable in your skin.

Additional Resources:

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• Connect with Pepper on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pepper-johnson-3a698312/
• Check out Pepper’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pepj52/?hl=en
• Follow Pepper on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pepj52?lang=en
• Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://www.forcemanagement.com/revenue-builders-podcast

HIGHLIGHTS

• Focus on the game, not your pride
• Being a leader goes beyond the game
• Why Pepper never watched ESPN while playing in the NFL
• Leadership lessons from Harry Carson and George Martin
• Carry your own weight
• Make sure you're ready for your turn
• A strong culture is passed down from one generation to the next
• Never let distractions steer you away from your true potential
• One man is not bigger than the team
• Leadership styles learned from Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, and Nick Saban
• Leaders need to find their own voice

QUOTES

Pepper on his legacy as an NFL player: "I really didn't realize the impact and the goals... and making my name in the league while I was playing. I really didn't see myself in that form. I was focused on doing my job and trying to win ball games as much as possible." 

The common trait that differentiated NFL League players from the rest, says Pepper: "Those were the guys that allowed distractions, whether it was on the football field, or it was off the football field, allowing them to not really perform the way that they should've been performing. [There were] some teammates that I've had going even back to high school that I thought really had the talent to go to college and could play in the league because I've seen guys in the league with lesser talent. But when I had a conversation with those guys that made it in the league, a little more dedication was there." 

Pepper's tips for leaders looking to find their own voice: "When you're trying to coach people, when you're trying to be your best, then you want to be comfortable. You don't want to feel like you have someone else's thoughts in your head. You have to make them your own."

Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. 
 

This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. 
 

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