3 Leadership Qualities I Learned in the NFL to Build My Charitable Foundation Some leaders are born but others invent themselves because it is the only way to achieve their vision.

By Brad A. Smith

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

This column is part of a series formed from a partnership between Entrepreneur and NFL Players Inc. Click here to see the other columns.

Being the leader of an organization is not solely based on talent. You might think leaders are born, but in my experience great leadership comes from great commitment. Three key traits contributed to my success as a leader while starting my charity, the True Foundation.

1. Have a 'cause' bigger than just financial gains.

Your Integrity should follow into your professional life, where it is imperative to making sound business decisions. When establishing the True Foundation with my wife, I discovered that many athletes were using foundations for their own personal financial gain and not to make a difference in their communities. We decided from the beginning that our focus was on helping others. If you're not starting a charity, then decide how your company helps others.

Related: Four Ways to Better Involve Your Company In Charitable Activities

2. Be a visionary who can help execute.

"Write the vision, and make it plain so they may run that readeth it" Habakkuk 2:2. If you don't know where you're going, it's impossible to lead others. It is my experience that once you envision your plan, you have to make it easy to come to life. One example from my experience is we wanted to be more effective at reaching the young ladies in our community. Once that vision was clear, we put in the work to implement a life skills and goal setting seminar.

Related: 8 Questions to Refocus Your Vision and Achieve Success

3. Embrace your skill set and develop it.

Determine what skills you need to successfully roll-out your dream and spend the necessary time developing those skills. Sometimes, this requires refining the skills you've gained from other areas of your life. As a college quarterback, I never had the responsibility to block any defenders. But once I got to the NFL, that skill was required of me to be a leader on my team. It was a skill that I needed to prove to my teammates that I was willing to adapt and do anything for the success of the team. Becoming a better blocker required lots of handwork but it allowed me to help my team win.

So question your integrity, think about where you want to go and how to get there. Put in the time to develop the necessary skills. Becoming a successful leader takes a person who is willing to put their ego aside, roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Related: 5 Skills You Must Acquire Before You Can Lead

Wavy Line
Brad A. Smith

NFL Wide Receiver and Founder of True Foundation

This author is part of a series formed from a partnership between Entrepreneur and NFL Players Inc. Click here to see the other columns.

Wide Receiver for the NFL, Brad Smith and his wife Rosalynn started True Foundation to promote education, discipline and organized activity for youth in the community. While teaching new skills and instructions, the foundation endeavors to achieve a sense of community ownership in all participants.

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

'I Am Just Floored': Woman Discovers She Won $1 Million Lottery Prize While Checking Her Email at Work

Initially, she thought the email was a scam, but went to lottery headquarters and walked away with a six-figure check after taxes.

Business News

'I've Got the Bug for Business': See All of Mark Wahlberg's Entrepreneurial Endeavors, From Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to Wahlburgers

Mark Wahlberg owns businesses in several categories, including entertainment production, apparel, fitness, and nutrition.

Business News

Google Wants Employees Back in the Office, Considering 'Attendance' in Performance Reviews

In an email, a Google executive reportedly told employees that many new features and products unveiled during Google's developer conference last month were "conceived, developed, and built by teams working side by side."

Business News

South Park Creators Spent 'Infinity Dollars' Renovating Iconic Colorado Restaurant, Set to Reopen Soon

Casa Bonita, a long-time favorite of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, went bankrupt during the pandemic. The duo purchased and painstakingly renovated the Mexican spot "like a piece of art," Stone said.

Business Models

What New Aviation Practices Can Teach Us About Collaboration and Innovation

By identifying niche markets, embracing technological advancements and fostering collaboration, entrepreneurs are changing the aviation industry.

Growing a Business

14 Easy Ways to Rank Your Website Higher on Google

Despite Google's algorithm and regular updates, you can quickly boost your website's ranking with these tips.