Former NFL player Eric Boles shares tips for business success in the new year

As 2023 officially kicks off, we want to spend some time discussing success in the year ahead for yourself and your business. Eric Boles, keynote speaker, author, Former NFL Player, and the Founder and CEO of The Game Changers joins us on CBT Now to share his perspective and tips that may make all the difference. 

Boles claims that the opportunities he encountered while playing in the NFL made the transition from athlete to businessman easier. “As I transitioned, my coaches gave me  helpful takeaways: Think of running a business like a quarterback leading their team into a huddle.” Everything is done intentionally, so when his highlights were cut short, Boles discovered that the strategies he had learned in the NFL had taught him to use those skills in business to overcome the fear of rejection. 

Boles states, “Consistency is more crucial than intensity.” At the top of the year, leaders need to design what that year will look like in terms of fostering high-performance teams. Yes, motivation is important, but Boles says, “the difference comes after establishing a plan and then defining expectations.” To effectively align the entire team, he continues, “leaders need to truly dive into the details and repeatedly emphasize those takeaways.”

Boles goes on to discuss the takeaways that improve corporate culture. The habits, execution, pace, and uncomfortable conversations are to produce excellent results made possible by clarifying expectations. Clarity is important not only in general, but in knowing and understanding the five essential components: what the business wants, why they want it, how it will remain flexible to achieve it, what the benefits are, and what the costs will be. By setting up clear expectations, your teams stop following orders and start thinking like problem solvers.

The most important lesson to learn from Boles’ transformation from athlete to businessman is that “we have to win within before we can win without.” Boles recognizes that you must succeed in those moments when no one is looking before you can succeed in those moments when everyone is looking. By arriving at the workplace with the right attitude, taking notes, and letting the market speak for itself. “What produces value is not how hard you work, but how clever you work hard for what you’re creating.