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Interview: How Tom Osborne Leads With Strengths

Listen to Leading With Strengths on these popular platforms or wherever you listen to podcasts. Gallup Podcast on iPhone and iPad Clifton Strengths Podcast on Spotify

About the Leader

Dr. Tom Osborne

Dr. Tom OsborneHall of Fame Football Coach, Congressman, Founder of TeamMates Mentoring

  • Belief®
  • Achiever®
  • Self-Assurance®
  • Relator®
  • Repsonsibility®

"Hope is probably the most powerful thing a mentor can give a mentee. It's the idea that it doesn't always have to be this way. There is light at the end of the tunnel."

Belief

"It's important to have something that guides you through, something that's consistent throughout your life."

In the face of life's confusions, difficulties and setbacks, Osborne has relied on his faith and core values to create stability and clarity. Osborne's Belief leads him to cherish relationships over material goods and financial gain, and his desire to develop the people he's responsible for guides his choices.

Achiever

"The most important thing was how we played the game."

Rather than focusing on winning games, Osborne coached his players to achieve the right process and reach team goals that weren't related to the final score of a game. To help reach these goals and build commitment to the program, Osborne strove to help players see that he genuinely cared about them.

Relator

"A lot of players trusted us."

When recruiting players to join his team, Osborne always chose to tell the truth, even when it was tough, instead of telling potential recruits what they wanted to hear. Osborne believes that his authenticity resulted in him recruiting more committed players who stayed with the team for longer.