It’s that time of the year, college football season, and with the continuing change in rules and conference realignments, the coaches are not only under enormous pressure to win but are trying to maintain the players they recruited.
Two major factors make it difficult to keep players on the roster, and these same two factors are reshaping college sports. First, the establishment of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer portal which allows athletes to put their names into a database and switch schools without sitting out a year. If players feel they are undervalued or not getting enough playing time, they can leave their current program and go where they hope to feel more appreciated.
The transfer portal mirrors what's happening in the business world, where employees are increasingly quick to change jobs not only due to perceived stagnation in promotions or pay, but also because of several other factors. Many seek a better work-life balance, more opportunities for career growth and development, or a company culture that aligns with their values. Additionally, employees often leave when they feel disengaged or unfulfilled in their role, seeking positions where they can find greater meaning and satisfaction.
The second factor that makes it difficult to retain players is the introduction of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules, which allow athletes to sign endorsement deals, mirroring the growing trend in business where personal branding and external opportunities can outweigh loyalty to a single employer.
Employees today are increasingly focused on building their personal brand by cultivating their professional reputation, expanding their network, and showcasing their expertise through social media and public engagements. This emphasis on personal branding often leads to exploring external opportunities such as freelancing, consulting, or side businesses which allow individuals to diversify their income and experiences. Just as athletes maximize their marketability through NIL, employees leverage these opportunities to advance their career, sometimes prioritizing individual growth over long-term commitment to one organization.
Clemson University is my alma mater, and I value the education and experience I received while attending. I picked Clemson because of its small community feel and the opportunities that a large university afforded me in pursuing a career. I was not aware of the concept of culture back when I was in my late teens and early twenties, but as I look back today, it was the culture that attracted me to Clemson. (Well, the fact that it had just won its first national championship in football may have played a little part in my decision!)
Dabo Swinney, the head football coach at Clemson, has faced significant scrutiny from the sports world for not relying on the transfer portal to build his team. And his recruiting philosophy does not align with those athletes who are looking for a football program solely for the purpose of securing lucrative NIL endorsements. Instead, Swinney focuses on building a team that embodies Clemson’s mission of educating students to engage thoughtfully with current issues while promoting knowledge, personal growth, ethical living, and respect for others—principles that are also reflected in the athletic department’s core values of Family, Integrity, Innovation, Growth, and Excellence.
By examining how Coach Swinney integrates these values into his leadership, we can draw valuable parallels to the leadership practices employed in our own businesses.
In a recent interview with Coach Swinney, he shared insights into why his teams have consistently enjoyed successful seasons and explained his belief that the transfer portal and NIL can be counterproductive to building a dedicated team culture. I took from the interview these six key principles that capture Swinney’s leadership philosophy and which I believe are essential to building a winning culture in business.
- Build teams around a culture of love and accountability. He holds himself and everyone around him to lofty standards while fostering a supportive environment. He wants each player, coach, and staff member to feel loved and valued.
- Lead by example and practice what you preach. He leads with energy, passion, positivity, and integrity.
- Develop people, not just football players. He stresses the importance of getting an education and developing life skills to prepare his players for success after football.
- Let your faith guide you, and lead with purpose. He makes decisions that align with his values and beliefs.
- Build strong relationships with players, coaches, and staff. Without a personal relationship there is no trust, and if you don’t have your team’s trust, they won’t follow you.
- Have a team-first mentality. The success of the team is more important than personal accolades.
Embrace Family, Love, and Accountability
The university, athletic department, and Coach Swinney all subscribe to the values of family, love, and accountability. He says they stand together, supporting each other through both good and tough times, holding one another accountable as a family. They help each other grow out of love and respect, not seeking the easy way out simply because they aren't in the spotlight. This belief in collective strength is why Swinney views the NIL and transfer portal as counterproductive—they shift the focus to individual financial gain, which he believes undermines team cohesion and shared goals.
Business leaders often struggle with soft skills, fearing that showing compassion will be seen as a weakness and diminish their authority. They may feel the need to uphold a hard-core, metric-driven persona, overlooking the importance of their team’s emotional well-being, intellectual growth, and physical health. However, true leadership means treating your work family with the same respect and love you show your home family. Love involves holding yourself accountable, offering praise for a job well done, and providing guidance when improvement is needed.
Lead by Example with Ethics, Respect, and Integrity
Coach Swinney leads with passion and courage, always doing what is best for the team and the university, even if that means facing scrutiny for his decisions. He upholds strong moral principles and ensures that his actions consistently align with his words. Leading by example doesn’t mean suiting up in pads and a helmet to take the field; instead, it’s about making decisions that reflect those principles and setting a standard for others to follow.
In a small business, leading by example similarly involves embodying the values you expect from others, ensuring that your actions align with the principles the company promotes. It doesn’t require that leaders do every task themselves but rather make ethical decisions and foster a culture of trust and accountability. A leader’s role is to empower their team, provide the necessary tools and training, and establish processes that allow the business to function effectively without constant direct involvement.
Develop Personal Growth
Swinney has cultivated a culture that values excellence in all areas, including academics. This culture encourages players to take pride in their education and strive for success beyond football. The football program at Clemson maintains structured daily schedules that ensure players have adequate time for classes, study sessions, and academic work. Under the leadership of Coach Swinney, the football program has maintained a graduation rate of over 90% for its players, which is among the top ten in the nation. Swinney emphasizes the importance of education and personal development over financial incentives. He emphasizes the need for balance, ensuring that NIL does not overshadow the educational mission of college athletics.
Great business leaders understand that taking the time to collaborate with their people and have influence in a person’s life is more important than winning a deal or making a dollar. Employee development is a long-term initiative that also offers short-term benefits such as improved employee performance and a positive employee attitude. Recognize that some employees are not aspiring to be managers, but we all desire our managers to genuinely care about us personally and to support our personal development.
Lead with a Purpose
Coach Swinney has a strong religious faith and it guides the decisions he makes in life and on the football field. His stated purpose is: “We want our players to graduate, to leave here equipped with tools for life. Because of our program, they are equipped, they know what discipline means, they know how to show up on time, they know how to handle adversity, respect others, be a good teammate. They understand what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself…”
The key to leadership is leading ON PURPOSE with a sound set of beliefs on which you base your policies and actions. Leaders make it their purpose to continue to develop a culture that encourages employees to communicate with the same transparency as its leaders, without worry of being judged negatively. This culture creates trusting teams where people are not afraid to ask for help or to admit they made a mistake. Recognize that we all desire to work for a company that genuinely cares about us and supports our personal development. Great leaders of world-class companies make it their mission to cultivate their employees' emotional resilience, encourage their intellectual development, and enhance their physical wellness.
Build Strong Relationships
In sales, we talk about building relationships with potential clients, but with any relationship we first must gain the person’s trust. Coach Swinney has been known to go to the dorms after practice to check in on first-year players and use that opportunity to connect with them on a more personal level. He talks with them about their schoolwork, their family, and their relationships with friends. A coach must be authentic, humble, and purposeful to build trust with their team.
Business leaders know that trust is built from the top down, always doing what is best for the employees and with the success of the company in mind. Teams that thrived through the pandemic were those managed by leaders who put their people first and recognized that trust is ultimately about building relationships by showing empathy and vulnerability. The empathetic leader looks at every interaction as an opportunity to connect with their people. This new leader is authentic, humble, and operates with grace under pressure.
Exhibit a Team-First Mentality
Coach Swinney’s culture focuses on building a team that prioritizes the collective well-being of its members. He believes that the transfer portal and NIL, which often emphasize individual gain, do not align with Clemson’s team-first philosophy, because there is no "i" in team. Every great sports team has at least one standout player, but a great coach ensures that even the most talented understand their success is tied to the strength of the entire team.
Similarly, effective business leaders are those who embrace their company’s mission, vision, and core values, fostering a culture that breeds a winning team. A great business leader focuses on developing the entire team, not just the star employee, and recognizes that true success comes from a collective effort.
In conclusion, Dabo Swinney's leadership at Clemson exemplifies the principles of integrity, respect, and leading by example, all of which are crucial not only in sports but also in business. His approach to cultivating a strong team culture—where personal development, accountability, and trust are prioritized—serves as a powerful model for any business leader. By embodying these values and focusing on the holistic growth of individuals, leaders can foster an environment that not only drives success but also nurtures long-lasting, meaningful relationships within their teams. “Sometimes Clemson people get mad at me,” Swinney says. “I get emails and letters—they get mad at me because I don’t really care about the scoreboard. I care more about how we do it. How we play. How we win. At the end of the day, you can win, win, win, win, win on the field, but if you are not impacting your players’ lives in an incredibly positive way by how you win, you lose. That’s just a core value we have in place here.”
In Dabo Swinney’s world, that’s the Clemson way. What will be your business’s way?
