The Game of Life: James Brown Impacts Leaders for Good

Imagine your career as a football game: Are you at kick-off? Half time? In the end zone? Whatever your field position, you’ll want to be in the game at Leadercast 2016 when James Brown takes the stage.

James Brown, an Emmy® award-winning broadcaster, sportscaster and now “Leadercaster,” is known by his friends and fans simply as J.B. He’s also known for his no-nonsense, real-life approach to taking charge of one’s destiny. He shares his story this way: “We live in a world that all too often operates under the overriding template of self-promotion, embracing a ‘hooray for me’ attitude, and which measures success in increasingly small snapshots in time. From a lifetime of experiences – both good and not so good – I’ve learned that a life of real significance will not be found by following that path.”

In a Washingtonian magazine feature, James credits his mother as “forever a role model of inspiration” who had a “PhD in common sense,” and helped to develop his integrity and leadership guideposts: commitment, hard work and faith.

In fact, his mother’s focus on education was the main reason James accepted a scholarship to play college basketball at Harvard, instead of several other schools that courted him. James was, after all, a high-school All-American at Washington, D.C.’s DeMatha High School – coached by renowned team leader, Morgan Wootten.

James’ choice paid off – he had a great college basketball career, making history as a rebounder and scorer, and was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1973. And here is where James says he learned a lot about himself and his character – the Hawks cut him before the season started. He says he felt like a failure.

On a televised interview, James told Rock Newman that being let go from the Hawks “was the seminal moment in my life that [defined] the work ethic that I was going to have. I knew I could play, I knew that I belonged on that team, but when I looked myself in the mirror I realized that I didn’t work as hard to stay on top as I did to get to the top.”

And that’s when James decided that whatever he was going to do, he was going to give it his all. Whether he’s covering sports or raising money for high school students who can’t afford to continue their education, James is a committed, collaborative leader.

“If you want to be something, you’ve got to honor your commitments,” says James. “You’ve got to stand for something.” A leadership case in point: James stood for accountability and responsibility when he took to the airwaves during a CBS Thursday Night Football broadcast, challenging the NFL community and “all men” to tackle the issue of domestic violence. (His video has had more than 4 million views on YouTube.)

James’s fans, broadcasting colleagues, NFL players, and former coaches attest to the power of his “it’s not about me” positive leadership. According to an article by Charles Chandler, quoting James’s close friend and former NFL head coach, Tony Dungy, “He’s going to stop and talk with every employee in the hotel. People are going to recognize him on the street, and he’s going to stop and say hi. You feel good watching it. That’s how you’re supposed to interact with people. That’s what it really means to let your light shine—but you can’t be in a hurry if you’re with [J.B.]!”

James continues to influence his viewing audience as well as many of the younger players in the NFL. In his pre-Super Bowl and post-game coverage, he recognized that young players vary in their level of maturity and leadership, and offered keen insights and a legacy leader’s diplomacy when discussing good sportsmanship – on and off the field.

Here are a few more of James Brown’s Leadership Lessons:

• It’s not about you. “Esteem your colleagues more highly than yourself. Play to their strengths and stay away from their weaknesses.”

• It takes as much hard work to get to the top as it does to stay at the top. “You’re never standing still – you’re either getting better or worse.”

• Always stay true to your core values because they will guide you in life, work, family, and relationships. “Your foundation has to be solid.”

• When your dreams take a detour, look for inspiration and the opportunity to define your next dream. “Many people and NFL players have inspired me with their insights, humility … and altruism.”

Hear James Brown share his story leadership insights from Leadercast 2016. As he writes in his book, Role of a Lifetime, “I suspect your journey has been a lot like mine. I haven’t always gotten it right, but if sharing some of the times when I’ve gotten it wrong will help you, I will be humbled by that experience."