While interspersing many funny stories from his 15-year professional football career and as the father of two Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks, Manning held the audience in the palm of his hand as he drew parallels between life on the gridiron and in the auto repair shop.
"Football is a metaphor for life and business," Manning says. "Four principles of success can help you succeed in both."
Promoting teamwork, being flexible, developing an attitude of leadership, and playing hard every day are the four principles that the All-American quarterback, NFL MVP and father of Eli and Peyton Manning said will lead to personal and professional success.
"Developing an attitude of leadership is very important," he says. "The quarterback must be a leader, but all members of the team can be leaders by asking themselves "what can I do next time to change the results?" Take the lead to create a positive environment and help others succeed. Any individual company or nation cannot successfully compete without a leader."
Teamwork is developing a sacred trust and helping and depending on others to succeed, he said. "You get better by helping others get better," Manning says. "Let others know what you expect of them and how you can help them."
Manning, who was a star on many losing teams during his NFL career, cited an example of how his team, the New Orleans Saints, acquired an offensive lineman one season from the St. Louis Cardinals. Conrad Dobler, who had the reputation as "the meanest or the dirtiest player in pro football," became a leader on the Saints offensive line. He began a policy of fines for mental breakdowns on the line that resulted in quarterback sacks.
"I was getting sacked 60 to 70 times a year, and that year I was sacked 17 times," Manning says. "I could actually walk on Monday morning for the first time in my career."
Companies and leaders that are flexible will have the most success, he said. "If there is a better way to do the job, somebody who is flexible will find it. Be committed to flexibility."
The most important principle is to always play hard. "Every single Sunday I put on the uniform, I went out to play the game," he says. "The greatest rewards come from playing the game, not winning games. How hard you play is the most important thing, not whether you win or lose."
