The Mentor Leader :: Tony Dungy

by Tim Schraeder on 08/05/2010 in Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit 2010 with 34 Comments

One of the most admired and beloved figures in professional sports, Tony Dungy’s name is synonymous with character and integrity. A former professional football player, he coached the Indianapolis Colts for seven years, becoming the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl. Since his retirement, he has written two best-selling books, Quiet Strength andUncommon, and is an analyst for NBC’s Football Night in America. Involved in the work of many not-for-profit organizations, he also takes an active role in mentoring younger athletes. Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, will talk to him about his new book, The Mentor Leader, and how to positively influence others through personal coaching.

Craig Groeschel: Your leadership style is very different and one word that defines your style is mentoring.

  • When he was young, his dad told him that his job as a teacher was to help people get As.
  • His coach later told him that his job was to help his player play better.
  • He saw his role as helping.
  • Leadership is all about helping those that you lead.

Typically, the coach is the authoritative figure who uses fear as a motivator.

  • He tried to develop relationships and help his players understand that he was there for them.
  • He was initially criticized for being too soft.
  • He believed that if the players would believe he was really there for them that a bond would form that would lead to them succeeding and their team leading.

What about when that style isn’t working?

  • Stubbornness is a virtue if you are right.
  • Persist, stick with what you believe.

You can work yourself into the ground, how do you live with life balance?

  • Football and winning aren’t everything. Family life and spiritual life is everything.
  • I didn’t want to burn my assistants to the ground.
  • He tried to schedule time for them to have sufficient family time.
  • If people are doing well at home they will do better at work.

What would you do as a mentor to help people understand life balance?

  • I’d show you what I’m doing.
  • Be efficient.
  • Don’t waste time.
  • Don’t mistake hours for productivity.
  • We can be more efficient if we work hard in the time we allot.

What do you do if you’re looking for a mentor?

  • We have to be available for people to mentor.
  • When God has blessed us we have to share it.
  • When you are looking, look for people you admire.
  • Mentoring can happen at a distance.
  • A 30-second conversation from a mentor can change your life.

Who were people you’ve learned from?

  • He watched Tom Landry from afar.
  • Mentors don’t always have to be icons.
  • They can be people around you that are just slightly ahead of where you are in your life.
  • You can mentor someone from any level.

The word mentoring intimates people. It sounds formal. What does mentoring look like practically?

  • It’s incumbent on the person who is mentoring… discovering what people need, their stories, etc.
  • The person being mentoring has to be forward to express what they need.
  • The mentor shouldn’t be the one always asking questions.
  • Mentoring is a process of building trust.
  • Informal is much more powerful than formal.

What was one of the most life-changing moments of your life?

  • He was going to quit his football team his senior year of high school.
  • His coach encouraged him to stick with it.
  • Why would you ever let anyone stop you from doing something you enjoy?
  • Don’t allow others perception of who you are determine who you will be.

No matter where you are in life, one word can be life-changing.

  • The biggest thrill you get in mentoring is seeing people developing and growing.
  • His biggest thrill wasn’t winning the SuperBowl, it was seeing his players becoming better people.

If you want to mentor or invest in someone, what type of person should you look to invest in?

  • We have to be intentional to reach out to the young people in our communities.
  • They are young people everywhere looking for mentors.

Do you see yourself going back into coaching?

  • He sees himself working more with young people and investing in their lives.

Out of everybody who has been a mentor/role model, who was most important?

  • His parents and many others, but Jesus Christ was the most important.
  • He’s been the best mentor and leader I’ve had.

Who is Christ to you? What has He done?

  • What would it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?
  • Christ came to give us a relationship with God and show us a way to live.
  • Nothing can take away from my relationship with Christ.


Tim Schraeder
Tim Schraeder is passionately committed to helping churches effectively communicate the timeless message of the Gospel in a way that’s relevant to our ever-changing culture. He presently serves as the co-director of the Center for Church Communication and is the creator and general editor of Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication, a field guide for church communication leaders. Tim lives in Chicago where he can be found in any neighborhood coffee shop that has free wifi. Subscribe via RSS | Subscribe via Email | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Sign Up for My Newsletter
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  • Matt P

    While Dr. Peter Zhao Xiao presentation was inspiring, some of the facts are countered by continued oppression of all religious freedoms in china. I am personally suspect of the messenger, who parrots what the Chinese government feels would take the edge off some of the political and social pressures being applied from outside their borders. It one thing to say these are changes, but the reality will be watching their feet and what they actually do. Jury is still out. However I do agree that china will eventually take over the title of world largest economy sooner than later. To which we need to get our house in order.JMHOMattThanks for your recap of the session

    This comment was originally posted on while waiting

  • http://www.newlifefellowship.org/ drewhyun

    Hi Matt-I figured there would be some suspicion over the talk, considering China’s phenomenal recent rise and relative "newness" to the world scene – including its entrance as a world leader in Christianity. I think the default mode of most Americans is to feel threatened and/or anxious, considering some of the criticisms that people will volley at C’s government and/or policies.At the same time, I think we (in the US) have our own flaws, perhaps not with religious freedoms but in other ways, particularly as American Christians.I actually thought Dr. Xiao was fair in admitting that the spiritual compass of China is integral to the nation as a whole – I thought it took great courage to say that, and to hint at the possible failure of what will happen without Christ in the country. At the very least, I hope we can support the movement of Christ in China for the transformation of the entire society. I know the Chinese government may be erring in some ways, but I must confess that the US government lacks in a lot of ways too. I hope we can both admit our strengths, weaknesses, and worries, and still be able to come to the table about how Christ can truly transform our world.

    This comment was originally posted on while waiting

  • Shere-Ling Kraus-Yao

    Thanks for your replt to Matt. What a courage to say whay you said. I pray tht more people will support the speaker’s pled for help – support China maturity in Christianity will only do good to other countries in the whole world.

    This comment was originally posted on while waiting

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