A Talent 16 Q4.2012 An I

ndrew LuckplayedfootballinhighschoolandatStanfordUniversity, N where he studied architectural design. As one of themosttalentedplay- where hestudiedarchitecturaldesign.Asoneof Responsibility ers incollegefootball,AndrewcouldhavejoinedtheNational Football TERVIEW League withalucrativecontractwithoutgraduatingfromStanford. But Andrewchosetostayinschoolandstudy, settinganexamplefor others andexpressingvalueshebelievesin. T Andrew andOliver Luck of theN.F.L.’s Hesignedacontract toplayquarter- of 2012 draft. OF H back fortheIndianapolisColts, astoriedteam,replacing Pey- Because of hisprowessonthefield,Andrewwasfirstpick Because of ton Manning, a legendary quarterback and winner of count- ton Manning,alegendaryquarterbackandwinnerof E less awardsandoneSuperBowl.Foranyplayer, Manning’s are big shoes to fill. For a young player fresh out of Stan- are bigshoestofill.Forayoungplayerfreshoutof ford, thoseshoesmightseemevenbigger.Yet, Andrew is not intimidated. He is confident, thoughnotcocky; is notintimidated.Heconfident, intelligent, butnotconceited;dedicated tothegame, intelligent, with a good sense of proportionand acalm,easy with agoodsenseof manner. Andheissupremelyrealisticabouthim- wit self, sports and the place of sportsin life. self, sportsandtheplaceof h Andrew andOliver Luck Father andson:

Credit Credit “You lead.“ to in order personality your change don’t 18 Q4.2012

49ers, isthatyoudon’t changeyourpersonality in You justfinishedStanford University andare going Lucks appearincapableofbeingoverwhelmed,or . The conversationtookplaceontheStan- Leadership. The University, hisalmamater.Thoughpassionateabout But youknow, Irealize,obviously, notgoing thatI’m His father,Oliver,wasaquarterbackfortheHouston Harbaugh, who’s nowcoachingtheSanFrancisco ford campusshortlybeforeAndrew’sgraduation. ident oftheHoustonDynamo,aprofessionalsoccer Andrew’s leadership listof values andqualities whelm hislife,familyorvalues.Infact,the and saidmaybefourwordsinamonth and OliverLuck;RobertH.McNabb, executivevice Oilers whowentontolawschoolandthenleader- playing football pays off,tryingtodotherightthingandso boisterously. aquietguy, you’re If that’s howyoulead. there are things ahead of it. it. there arethingsaheadof to put the sport ahead of myfamily,to putthesportaheadof ormyintegrity, the thingsIlearnedfromformerStanfordCoachJim tant. Ithinkyouhavetounderstandthathardwork tant. tive. Peoplelisten.Ialsothinkyourvaluesareimpor- team; andisnowdirectorofathleticsatWestVirginia taking themselvestooseriously. have tobewillingtakecriticaladviceandcoaching. does havingastrongbackbone.Butinaddition,you So theansweris, football’s veryimportanttome.But Some of the best guys I’ve playedwithhavebeenquiet thebestguysI’ve Some of your son. And you’ve hadleadership roles onthe Andrew: Andrew: everything right, so when they did speak, itwaseffec- sowhentheydidspeak, everything right, sitions with N.F.L. Europe. Oliverwaschiefexecutive includingmanagement ship roleswiththeN.F.L., po- Oliver, you alsoplayed professional football, like sports, Oliver,likehisson,doesnotletsportsover- or mymoralfiber, ormycharacter, ormyeducation. of theHarrisCounty-HoustonSportsAuthority;pres- order to lead. If you’re aboisterousguy, you’re order tolead.If youcanlead to play professionally in theNationalFootball complete? as theleader of your team? League. How importantisplaying football to you? Have you thoughtaboutthequalities you will need business sideof sports.From your experience,is You couldsayAndrewLucklearneditallathome. What followsisaconversationbetweenAndrew What It’sof Butone differentforpeople. That’s an interesting question. I’ve enjoyed aninterestingquestion.I’ve That’s — alotmorethanIenjoyedstudying! Institute’s national; and Joel Kurtzman, national; andJoel president of Korn/FerryInter­ president of editor-in-chief of theKorn/Ferry of editor-in-chief Briefings on Talent & — buttheydid

“buy-in,” whichmeanspeoplehavetounderstand Teams are a unit,butthey’re madeupof individuals, I onlyknowcollegerightnow.You go to collegeand you’re thereforfouryears,you’re andyouknowwhoyou’re But that’s notthecaseinnormallife.Ibelieve .F L. F. N. move on. But if thingsdon’tmove on.Butif workbecauseyoudidn’t face it: you’re goingtolosesometimes.face it:you’re And,yes, that’s in thehuddle,youcallplayandyourteammates what you’re doing and where you’re headed. doingandwhereyou’re what you’re whole dynamicunfolds. Itwillbenewtome. worked ashardyoucouldanddidmuch Andrew, as you leadateam, how do you know when power of logic. If you explain why you’re doingsome- youexplainwhyyou’re If logic. power of bad moments, butyoushouldn’t gettooelated inthe You can’tbe onanevenkeel.gettoodepressedinthe tion. Butremember, leadershipinbusinessisnot Soit’s act. explana- amatterof getitandthey’ll they’ll theretohearthereasons,thing andhaveyourstaff to see what worked and what didn’t. But, if you’re you’re if to seewhatworkedanddidn’t.But, You alsohaveto goingtolosetouch. them, oryou’re You can’ttroops behindyou.evergettoofaraheadof try hardenough,becauseyoudidn’t giveitenough these guysaregoingtograduate,andnextyearthose turmoil have to do it. Butinmostorganizations,have todoit. youneed lose yourcool,youdon’t play. onthebench. You’re like the military or when you’re playingsports.like themilitaryorwhenyou’re You leading anorganization look backwardsasmuchyouhavetoforwards leading, youhavetomakedecisionsandkeepyour disappointing. Butyouhavetogetoveritand great moments, either. guys aregoingtograduate.But it’s differentinthe You knowthisyear going tobewiththewholetime. cool. In Andrew’s business, as a quarterback, if you if cool. InAndrew’sbusiness, asaquarterback, can’t justordersomeonetodosomething.Infootball, could, thenyouknowdidtherightthing.Let’s you’re doingtherightthing? Andrew: Andrew: Andrew: effort, thenthat’seffort, adifferentstoryandyouneedtodo something about it. Emotionally,something aboutit. Ithinkyouhaveto Oliver: Oliver: Oliver: dle of thegame? and theindividualskeep changinginprofessional sports. How do you deal with that? is intense How do you uphold your values when thepressure IntheN.F.L., players canchangefromdayto day. I would add being decisive. I think when you’re I wouldaddbeingdecisive.thinkwhenyou’re I’m notsureyoucan teachpeopletokeeptheir I’m I’m ascuriousanybodytoseehowthat I’m and It’s differentincollegeandthe N.F.L., yougotobedatnightandknow If — you havetobedecisive. — either inanorganization or inthemid- The Korn/Ferry Ins titute — particularly in times of particularly intimesof

Previous page: Gabriela Hasbun Briefings onTalen t &Leadership Courtesy Stanford University and ISI Photos You’re alsoreplacing oneof theleague’s legendary You’re goingfrom collegefootball totheN.F.L. your mouth shut, andyouhavetolisten.Ilearned your mouthshut, respect fromyourteammatesyouneedasaleader. Pay attentionandlisten.Butthat’sYou notenough. also have to show you’re good at the game of football. goodatthegameof also havetoshowyou’re a bunch of guysyoudon’ta bunchof know. playingportion The people might like you, but if you’re notperforming you’re people mightlikeyou,butif that inhighschool,andIalsolearneditcollege. to gainrespectasaleader.You canbeagreat guyand day youwalkintothelockerroom.Youhavetokeep like you’re showing up on the day of thebattle with showinguponthedayof like you’re Showing you’re goodatfootballisthequickestway Showing you’re Andrew: Andrew: establish leadership ona teamasstoriedthe on thefieldit’s of difficulttocommandthekind quarterbacks. What will you do,asarookie, to Professor Warren Bennis, who studiedalotof Indianapolis Colts? leaders, saidultimatelyleadership isaboutthefit between theleader andthegroup. Do you agree? That’s aninterestingquestion.Butit’s That’s not youhavetodotherightthingfirst First,

I think time is part of it. And part of buildingateam Andpartof it. I thinktimeispartof finding the right guys. I’m nottheonegettingguys finding therightguys. you canallfittogethertoachievethatcommongoal. room BS’ing witheverybody,room BS’ing orgoingoutwitheach master planfromsomeonewayabovethequarterback for lackofabetterword,you’llhaveto“impress”the when guyshaveasingle-minded goal,acommon with theotherguysonteam.SoIthinkthere’sa veterans. Andthat’snotgoingto beacakewalk.But personalities. I think, if everybodyhasacommongoal, if personalities. Ithink, but to remain genuine, authentic, true toyourself. but toremaingenuine,authentic, theme torallyaround,itworks. ButIalsothinkyouhaveto that takesfitintoaccount. the onewhoseesmeandthinksmypersonalitycanfit together.It’s He’s thegeneralmanagerwhodoesthat. there’s noreasonyoushouldn’t beabletofindaway comes fromthegeneralmanagerorheadcoach expect you’llgothroughsometoughtimesandthat, other. AndIthinkyoulearntorespecteachother’s on apracticefield,inthemeetingrooms, inthelocker agameisminutecomparedtothehoursyouspend of Oliver: I don’t thinkyoucanapproachitany otherway

for Stanford. calls plays Andrew Luck Q4.2012 19 20 Kathy. Mary Ellen, Emily, Oliver, left toright: Back row, Jim Irsay. Colts owner, Indianapolis Addison, Andrew, left toright: Front row, plus one. Luck family — 11 guysinahuddletoplaygame,itdoesn’t matter And if that works, great. If it doesn’t work, it’s itdoesn’tusually If work, thatworks,And if great. When youputahelmetonthemandin When That’s it. Andthat’s it. That’s wherefitcounts. nottalking We’re responsible forputtingtheteamtogether. And of ing to say, “That’s my guy” and rally around him. So in myguy”andrallyaroundhim. ing tosay, “That’s which is why they have to perform. And if theycan And if which iswhytheyhavetoperform. is thecoach’s role.Buthere’s youput thething:When about quantumphysics. talkingaboutwinning, We’re a lockerroomaftergame,practice,playersare where they’re from, wheretheywenttoschool,what where they’re perform, evenatamoderatelevel,theneveryone’s go- the coach who has to sort it out and pay the price. Be- the coachwhohastosortitoutandpayprice. they studied,orwhattheireconomicbackgroundis. huddle, they’re all getting paidtodothesamething huddle, they’re guy inthelockerroomblowingupateam.Fixingthat cause, ultimately, thecoach course, thereareathousandanecdotesaboutbad playfootball.Andtheyallhaveonegoal — as Andrewsaid — winning. — is

I’m joining. I’m for the first time, in college, in the N.F.L. Andtheyall for thefirsttime,incollege, N.F.L. it. Now, it. sizeAndrewupthefirst Iguaranteethey’ll what toexpectfromtalkingtheguysonteam which I think they will. But don’t forget, they’ve all which Ithinktheywill.Butdon’tthey’ve forget, all over the map in terms of interests,all overthemapintermsof musicandwhat aren’t any leaders and there isn’t a direction. There are aren’t anyleadersandthereisn’t adirection.There pected of you in the N.F.L. But I’ve alsobeenlearning ButI’ve youintheN.F.L. pected of been inAndrew’sshoeswalkingintothelockerroom two or three weeks and they’ll say,two orthreeweeksandthey’ll “Oh, he’s gotit” they want to talk about. But the reason they’re profes- But thereasonthey’re they wanttotalkabout. know what’s you,andwhatwillbeex- expectedof know whatit’s like. Andrew: Andrew: sionals isbecausetheycareaboutonethingandthat’s How will you put your stamponthatteam? Did playing atStanford prepare you toplay professionally? Look, I’m notgoingontoateamwherethere I’m Look, youplayincollege,Ithinkgetto When

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Courtesy Indianapolis Colts both. There are coaches. There are veterans who have Oliver, how eager were you and your wife to have been around a long time, and guys who played in the Andrew play football? Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame players. There are people Oliver: Andrew’s mom and I raised all of the kids to who have been on the team for years. So what I have be good students, to be respectful, to be hard workers. to do is go in, and keep my mouth shut, do the right And, if they wanted to do athletics, well, that’s great. thing, and establish that I can play a little football. But if they didn’t want to do athletics, that was fine, Then, after that, I can start to assert my personality. too. So I don’t think there was any emphasis placed on Then, if I feel like my opinion needs to be heard, I can Andrew or on any of our other kids to develop them as voice it. But it’s not a boom-boom, all-at-once effort. sports leaders. It just wasn’t the way we operated. We I think it takes time to establish yourself as a leader, let them do what they liked, and we let them learn. especially on a team like the Colts. You have the rare benefit of a father who also played professional football and has had leadership “What I have to do roles in professional and college sports. Did the two of you ever talk about what it is like to lead a team? is go in, Andrew: No. Never. Oliver: I can honestly say we’ve never had a conversa- keep my mouth shut, tion about leadership. But you acknowledge the role of leadership in playing football? do the right thing Oliver: Oh, yes. When you start playing football — and even better than that, when you start playing quarter- and establish that I can back — you have to be a leader. In American football, the quarterback position is the leadership position. play a little football.“ It’s more so than the pitcher in baseball, who only plays once every four or five games. In football, the quarter- back is the guy talking during the huddle, laying out Andrew, a lot has been written about the quarter- what everybody should do. And there’s a lot of legacy back as a strategist. Do you enjoy the mental side and a lot of lore regarding the importance of leader- of the game? ship in the quarterback position. You hear about it Andrew: The mental aspect of football appeals to me. from coaches. You hear it from former players. You It always did. I liked it when I first got into college hear about it from current players. So I think it’s rela- and then later on in college, too. The mental game is tively easy to begin to step into the role of leader, if a chess match. Each team has a defense coordinator, you are a quarterback, because you know what to ex- and that coordinator’s personality is imprinted on pect, and so does the team. It’s already been defined. its defense. The same with the offensive coordinator. Do you agree with your father’s comment? Our offensive coordinator has been around for years Andrew: Yes. I don’t ever remember having a sit-down in the N.F.L., and he has a philosophy, just like the talk with either of my parents about leadership. But defensive coordinator has a philosophy. So, the ques- I think maybe the effect of just watching my dad oper- tion is, how do you pick up on what’s going to happen, ate in the world, going to events with him and with and what’s not going to happen, based on who’s on my family and seeing how he interacted with people, the other side of the ball, against you? How do you taught me a lot. I think that made far more of an take into account the personalities on the other team? impression on me than if he sat down and said, “Son, As a quarterback, showing that you can go into the this is how you walk into a room, these are the people huddle, call the play and know what everybody is go- you go to first, this is what you say to them.” Lessons ing to do, appeals to me. I mean, you’re not going to like that were never forced on me or on any of my sib- know what everybody’s doing all the time, but you’re lings. I think it was all very organic, more watching going to have a pretty good idea because you’re the than talking. And I think my mom has as much to one calling the plays. And if someone has a question do with it as my dad does. I just watched them and and you can answer that question, then that helps to learned from them. legitimize your role as a player. So, mentally, I think

Briefings on Talent & Leadership Q4.2012 21 the quarterback’s job is knowing everybody else’s job It sounds like it was a pretty normal family. Would and what they’re doing, and then letting everyone you say that’s correct? know that what they’re doing is important. Andrew: Yes. Every family’s got its idiosyncrasies. Ours You studied architectural design, not an easy sub- is no different. But I’d say our family is pretty normal. ject at Stanford. So you obviously took studying So what is it that you like most about sports? seriously. Did you enjoy studying architecture? Andrew: At the end of the day, sports is a meritocracy. Andrew: There were harder subjects than what I If you’re better than the other guy, you’ll play. That’s studied, and there were easier ones. I’m also not pretty basic. It doesn’t matter where you come from. going to act like it was the hardest subject in the It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter who “Sports world — it wasn’t. But, yes, I enjoyed it, which made you know. I think that’s obvious. If you can go out and it worthwhile. help the team win better than the other guy, you’ll is a Is there a link between archi- play. That’s what I’ve always liked about football. tecture and athletics? Are you competitive? meritocracy. Andrew: I don’t know. I don’t Andrew: That’s an interesting question. I’m disciplined. want to be too cheesy and say I was never forced to play sports as a kid. But if I that seeing space and lines in joined a team, I had to finish the season. That was If you’re architecture helps in throwing the football. Maybe it always a great lesson. It may be terrible, you may not does, but I don’t know. like it, but if you start the season, you have to finish better Oliver, what did you study? it. If you have practice —unless you’re sick — you’re Oliver: I studied history. No lines there! going to go to practice. I don’t care if you don’t like Do you still follow it? the kid who plays next to you or the coach, you always than the Oliver: Yes. I read a lot of history. I like history. Past is finish what you start. But as far as being competitive prologue, as they say. When I read for pleasure, it’s — I don’t know. In youth sports you learn hard work other usually history. pays off. If you work at something— you get better at Oliver, you’re the athletic director at West Virginia it. You progress. You practice. You apply it in a game. University. What’s the balance in your life between When you put in so much work and then you’re mea- guy, sports and other things? sured for it, you don’t want to think, “I put in all that Oliver: Sports is important, and of course we’re all work to be labeled a loser.” So that’s where I think the you’ll proud of what Andrew has accomplished, as well as competitive nature starts coming in, after you put in what his sister and younger brother have accom- all the work. play.” plished in sports. But it doesn’t dominate our family Not everyone has talent. How do you think about conversations. We really don’t talk about sports much yours? if we’re sitting around a table. Sports is great and Andrew: I’ve always had athletic talent, but I know I physical fitness is great, but there are very few kids had no control over that whatsoever. I just happened that have a chance to make a career being a profes- to have been fortunate enough to realize, O.K., throw- sional athlete. And in the N.F.L., you have a relatively ing a football is a talent I have that a lot of people don’t short productive lifespan. Five years is long! So I don’t have. It’s a talent I can use to make a living. I was lucky think we should overemphasize sports. If anything, enough to realize at a young age that I’m pretty good in our family, we underemphasized it. at football. You didn’t talk about sports at home? Does responsibility come with talent? Oliver: Oh, no, we did talk about sports. We didn’t talk Andrew: Yes. I think so. I take it as a responsibility, about it all the time. and I don’t want to squander it. I am certainly more Andrew: It was always casual talk. The way you talk responsible about it now than when I was 13 years about it to anybody, the way you talk to your friends, old. But there’s something else, too. I have fun apply- the way you describe any game that happened. We ing my talent. You know what I mean? I enjoy it. I didn’t have lesson plans. There were no sport lessons hope I still I enjoy it when I play in the N.F.L. I hope at the dinner table each night. Our talk about sports it never comes to “I’m doing this to pay the bills,” or, was casual. “I’m doing it to finance a vacation that I’ve always Oliver: We never pressed Andrew, when he lived at wanted to go on.” I hope that if it ever comes to that, home, to talk about how his high school practices went. I’ll have the wherewithal to say, “O.K., you probably Andrew: Or why I threw a touchdown or why it was shouldn’t be doing this anymore. Time to try some- intercepted. thing else.”

22 Q4.2012 The Korn/Ferry Institute