Redskins Coach Jay Gruden: 'Have to Put Team First'

Loudoun County, VA - Washington Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden shared some leadership tips from his playbook with business leaders: get to know your team personally and help your staff grow and move on when it's right for them.

Gruden headlined a Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Friday, where broadcaster Larry Michael interviewed the coach about how management skills in football can help business owners succeed.

The team's head coach since 2014, Gruden noted that he was raised to be a coach; his father, Jim, was a college and NFL assistant coach, and a former scout for the San Francisco 49ers. So he grew up attending practices, interacting with players, and going to bowl games.

At the event, Gruden shared many leadership tips with the business leaders, including about hiring, managing, motivating and training staff and players.

Michael pointed out the extreme competitiveness of Gruden having become a NFL head coach since there are only 32 nationwide. He asked Gruden about his career motivation and mentors.

"I think the one thing that's helped me besides working for the people I've worked for is that I've had to experience all levels. As a player, I've experienced being a back-up, I've experienced being cut, I've experienced being hurt. I've been a starter, been a so-called star," Gruden replied.

"As a coach I've been a graduate assistant, I've been an offensive assistant, I've been a coordinator, I've been a head coach," he added. "So I got to see all levels of playing and coaching and I understand how to try to cater to each level to make sure that everyone feels they are important... There is no rank. Everyone has to be treated equally."

In managing the young rookies, Gruden said that it is important to get to know the players personally on and off the field.

"Then you get them out on the football field and find out what out their strengths and weaknesses are and figure out the best way to motivate and coach them. That's the most important thing. You have to take each individual for what they are," he said.

With 90 players on the team, Michael asked Gruden how he manages so many players with different personalities in order to make them one unit.

"They are all different," Gruden replied. "You have to respect their individuality... Same as with the rookies. You have to put team first."

In terms of hiring coaches, Gruden said the critical factor is getting to know them first. “You want make sure you put in the time to hire the type of people that you want leading the players that they’re going to be leading," according to Gruden.

"You have to get to know them before you hire them - very important," he emphasized. "And then you always have to try and let them accelerate their career. Nobody wants to stay in the same position. You never want to be... a quality control guy, so you have to make sure they do their work, work hard and then when the time comes you have to help them leave, if they want to leave, or promote from within your organization.”

Photo credit: Patch editor Sharon Reed