With seven Super Bowl rings to his name, NFL legend Tom Brady is universally regarded as one of the greatest—if not the greatest—football players of all time. Yet, as the quarterback for both the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady emphasizes that his success as a leader on the field hinged on identifying the right levers to inspire and motivate his teammates.
Brady credits his drive to an intrinsic motivation. “You wake up and do something you love, and you don’t want to look at the person in the mirror and fail them,” he explained at the Fortune Global Forum. His relentless commitment to personal excellence fueled his performance and inspired those around him. However, he recognized that not everyone shared his self-driven mindset. “A lot of other guys aren’t motivated like that,” he said, acknowledging that some needed external encouragement to unlock their full potential. To foster this, Brady set the tone by trying to exemplify what a culture of 100% effort and accountability looked like.
At 6:30 a.m., he’d arrive in the weight room. His teammates would trickle in around 6:45 a.m., thinking they were early because the team’s first meeting was at 8 a.m. “I’d be like, ‘Man, good afternoon,’” Brady said to laughter. The next day, they’d arrive at 6:30 a.m. “But I’d be there at 6:15, and I’d be like, ‘Man, still showing up late,’” Brady said.
This discipline cultivated a team culture of high performance and unwavering standards, transcending the typical transactional mindset of clocking in and collecting a paycheck. “We were there to push each other to succeed, and when you succeed, there’s enough credit to go around for everybody,” said Brady.
The result was more than just championships; it was a bond built on camaraderie, mutual respect, and a collective commitment to a shared mission. “I bled with them. We played in the heat. We played in the cold. We lost, cried, and celebrated together,” Brady continued, reflecting on the deep connections forged within the team. And despite their diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, races, educational attainment levels, and the like, he noted, their love for the game and their shared goal united them. “It didn’t matter. We all loved each other. We all loved what we were trying to accomplish,” Brady concluded.
Ruth Umoh
ruth.umoh@fortune.com
Today’s newsletter was curated by Natalie McCormick.
Smarter in seconds
Raj’s world. FedEx’s CEO is charting his own path—in the Smith family’s shadow
No secrets. Airbnb CEO refuses to have one-on-one meetings because they often turn into therapy sessions
Bounce back. Why Eli Lilly’s CEO says failing faster is essential to the company’s success
Bullseye. Target’s CEO brought his top 50 leaders together. Here’s the advice he gave them
Leadership lesson
More from Fortune’s interview with Tom Brady.
"The reality of your business and your career is overcoming adversity. The only way to do that is to fail. The only way to fail is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. To me, failure is amazing."
News to know
Silicon Valley leaders, leveraging ties to figures like Elon Musk and JD Vance, are trying to shape the Trump administration by proposing tech executives for key government roles. NYT
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood says she believes Elon Musk will be effective in bringing efficiency to the federal government, citing his technological expertise and ability to run several companies simultaneously. Fortune
Donald Trump is reportedly considering investor Scott Bessent and Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as the Treasury Secretary. Relatedly, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said he has no interest in joining the next administration. WaPo; Fortune
Bernard Arnault's 32-year-old son, Alexandre Arnault, has been named deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy, marking a significant step in LVMH's succession plan as the next generation gains influence within the luxury conglomerate. Puck
Rank risers
A round-up of who scored a seat in the C-suite
REI Co-op tapped Abigail Jacobs to be its next chief marketing officer. Qualtrics named Rachita Sundar as its next CFO. Larry Konecny will become Red Lobster’s chief operating officer.
New to the corner office. Hyundai appointed José Muñoz as its next CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2025. He was most recently the automaker's global chief operating officer.