Getting in the Zone: What Business Leaders Can Learn from Patrick Mahomes

Instagram post by coach dan casey.
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This video (shared by Coach Dan Casey on Instagram) shows the small gesture Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, makes to the sideline that he’s ready for the next play. His teammates and Coach Reid say it indicates when Mahomes is in the zone.

Travis Kelce said, “When he gets in his super-competitive mode, he’s locked in.”

Coach Reid said, “He doesn’t even know he’s doing it.”

Whether he's dodging defenders, making behind-the-back passes, or leading the team down the field, there’s a point where everything just clicks. He signals to the sideline, calling for the next play, ready to keep the momentum going.

As business leaders, founders, and executives, we face our own kind of high-stakes game every day.

Though we may not be on a football field and have more than a game at stake, we need to get in the zone, stay there, and lead our teams with the same focus, agility, and confidence that Mahomes displays.

But how do you do that in business?

Here are three key ways to get in the zone, stay there, and lead your team to a championship-level performance.

1. Getting in the Zone: Preparation Meets Opportunity

Mahomes doesn't just wake up on game day and become great. He spends hours studying film, practicing throws with teammates, and running drills. His in-the-zone moments are the result of preparation. The same goes for leaders. You can't expect to reach peak performance without putting in the groundwork.

For business leaders, this preparation looks different, but it’s equally crucial. It might involve analyzing market trends, deepening your understanding of your industry, or strengthening your leadership skills. Are you learning, growing, and adapting as fast as your industry demands? When opportunity knocks, will you be ready to capitalize on it?

The key is discipline. Just as Mahomes commits to practice, leaders must commit to ongoing self-improvement, whether that’s through education, developing a more agile mindset, or executive coaching. Preparation is how you position yourself to recognize and seize opportunities when they arise.

2. Staying in the Zone: Focus, Flexibility, and Trust

One of the most remarkable things about Mahomes is his ability to remain calm under pressure. When the game is on the line, or he is being chased by defenders, he doesn't panic—he focuses. For business leaders, staying in the zone means maintaining focus amidst chaos. In our world, the pressure comes from shifting markets, competition, or unforeseen challenges with employees, customers, or suppliers. Staying locked in means you’re ready for whatever comes next.

But focus alone isn’t enough. Flexibility is key to staying in the zone. No game ever goes exactly according to plan, and no business does either. Heck, hardly any business day goes according to plan, does it?!

Mahomes doesn’t just stick to the playbook—he improvises. Similarly, great leaders stay flexible and adjust their strategies on the fly when circumstances change. They recognize that what worked last quarter may not work now, and they’re willing to adapt.

Finally, staying in the zone as a leader requires trust—trust in your team, your process, and your own instincts.

When Mahomes signals for the next play, he’s trusting his teammates to execute. He doesn’t micromanage; he empowers. For leaders, this means cultivating a culture where teams can perform at their best without constant oversight. Trust your team to make decisions, take risks, and grow. That trust keeps everyone focused and aligned, even when the pressure is on.

3. Leading to Victory: Keep the Momentum Going

Once Mahomes is in the zone, he doesn’t slow down. He signals for the next play quickly, keeping the defense on its heels. For leaders, this means knowing when to capitalize on momentum and push your organization forward. Too often, companies lose steam after initial success because leaders fail to sustain momentum. Sometimes, leaders take success for granted, as if the next steps will be easy because they surmounted the last hurdle.

Keeping momentum in business requires a forward-thinking mindset and decisive action. Are you continuously looking for new opportunities to innovate, grow, or pivot when necessary? Or, do you wait to see what your competitors or customers do? Are you setting the pace or is someone else?

Are you building on your team’s strengths and wins, while learning from setbacks? Like Mahomes, you can’t afford to coast after a touchdown. The game isn’t over whether the Chiefs scored or the opponent did. Play to the very end, even if it’s decided by the smallest sliver of a toenail amount. Give your best the whole time.

In football, it’s not just the quarterback who wins the game; it’s the entire team working together. The same is true in business. As a leader, it’s your job to ensure that your team feels like they’re part of something bigger—that every role matters, and every contribution propels the organization closer to its goals. Create a culture of accountability, where everyone is invested in the outcome.

Include rewards too because when the team reaches the pinnacle because of its investment, the celebration is sweet!

The key to championship-level leadership is a blend of disciplined preparation, laser-sharp focus under pressure, the flexibility to adapt, and the trust in your team to execute.

So next time you feel the pressure mounting, think of Mahomes. Signal for the next play. Stay in the zone. Keep your team moving forward.

You can probably nearly pinpoint when you will feel pressure again the same way Mahomes can because he watches game and knows the schedule. What can you anticipate coming up? How can you prepare for it? How can you get in the zone, stay there, and lead your team no matter what else is going on?

Championship seasons aren't won by accident—they’re the result of intentional, consistent leadership. What is your intention for your team?

7 Leadership lessons from Super Bowl LVII

Sports are an easy way to learn about teamwork and leadership because we can literally observe both in action. I did just that last night, along with 200+ million others, while watching the Kansas City Chiefs v. the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

NFL experts talked for two weeks about how talented both teams are and how much they had in common—including the coaches worked together. The experts anticipated the Eagles would win. The Chiefs quarterback was injured, so I did not begrudge their dismissal of the Chiefs.

Since it was going to be a tough game, I took notes during the game about what I noticed about leadership so as to not be influenced by the final score. The final score was Chiefs 38 - Eagles 35.

Below are the seven leadership lessons that business leaders could take away from the Super Bowl:

🟦  Visualize your life. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni shared in the weeks prior to the game that he listened to Whitney Houston’s rendition of the National Anthem to picture being there in that moment. He talked about all the work that goes into making it to the Super Bowl and that he wanted to appreciate the moment if he ever made it to the game he dreamt of since he was two years old. And he did make it there.

Seeing tears stream down his cheeks while Chris Stapleton sang the National Anthem was a beautiful moment for everyone. Here’s the video. Enjoy it. Then, visualize your own life. What do you picture for your life? Career? Team?

🟦  Lead with heart and focus. The Eagles and Chiefs played with heart the whole game. Usually, one team loses momentum and the winner takes over by the middle of the fourth quarter at the latest. But, last night, neither team gave up. They played with heart and focus the whole time. Literally, the whole time, as the game came down to the final seconds.

How do you show up when things are tough? Do you give up at the first or second sign of trouble? Or, do you play with heart the whole time? Think about how you act and what you say to your team during the tough times. Are you showing up the way that builds momentum or could you improve how you show up? Reflect on how you did during the pandemic if you’re not sure. A recession is coming, so your chance is coming again.

🟦  Take responsibility for mistakes. The Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, is just 24 years old in his second year in the NFL. Obviously, he has strong leadership skills. One relatively minor indicator of his strength as a leader was after the Chiefs scored off a fumble, Hurts was shown talking to each offensive lineman. He took responsibility for the fumble and kept their heads in the game. Another Eagles player took responsibility for a holding penalty called on him late in the game.

How often do you see leaders take responsibility for mistakes? Is it more common to see them analyze the cause of the mistake first, even to the point where they place blame on others? Reflect on your most recent mistake, or one you caused. What could you fine-tune to be clear about the responsibility and keeping your team’s head and heart focused?

🟦  Choose your level of excellence. The Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, had his ankle re-injured prior to halftime. He winced in pain that made everyone around me wince too, even though our ankles didn’t hurt. Luckily, halftime was almost thirty minutes long, so he had extra time to take care of his ankle during the break. He played the second half, even running a few key times. After the game, Mahomes commented that the ankle did not feel great, but he was going to play hard and leave everything he had on the field.

Great leaders do not make decisions like that on the spot. They think about it, visualizing it even. What’s your standard for yourself? What’s the equivalent “leaving it on the field” for your team? Can your team count on you to do everything you can to put them in a position to win?

🟦  Share the credit. After the game, Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said, " I'll give the credit to the big O-line, and Patrick Mahomes, and all those guys around them. Eric Bieniemy was phenomenal also…The great quarterbacks make everyone around them better, including their head coach.” Mahomes gave credit to his teammates and coaches too. Eagles Coach Sirianni acknowledged all of the people who help get teams to the Super Bowl.

How do you respond when given praise and recognition? Do you graciously accept it and name others who earned part of it? Or, do you minimize the praise saying things like, “That’s our jobs.” Or, do you accept the recognition for yourself and take all the credit? Reflect on your most recent experiences and see if there’s something to improve so it is clear you are sharing the credit.

🟦  Look forward. Whether you win or lose, act the same. Shake the opponent’s hand (or, hug if warranted), congratulate them for their season, and walk back to your team. After the game, Coach Sirianni said the game does not come down to one play and the Chiefs were better than the Eagles were today. He also said, “We’ll use this pain. We’ll use this failure to motivate us so we can make it a strength.”

 Mahomes said something similar after the Chiefs lost the Super Bowl two years ago. It worked for him and his teammates!

 The leadership lesson is to look forward. The loss was not a failure. It was preparation for the next season. The Eagles will be even better next year because of how they feel today. How does your team handle losses and failures? Does it get better or wither? What’s your role as the leader? Can you do more to help build forward momentum, even when something does not go according to plan?

🟦  Praise generously. FTR, I’m not the halftime show’s target audience. I would have loved to hear U2’s new version of “One” or Chris Stapleton for fifteen minutes. However, Rihanna deserves heaps of praise for her halftime performance. Unless you can swing from the rafters, dance, and belt out songs when you are four months pregnant while taking care of a nine-month-old at home, keep your criticism to yourself. Her voice is phenomenal. The criticism I saw was personal toward her, not that the $1.5 billion business women cared about those folks.

Reflect on how you criticize and praise. Can you be more generous with praise and keep some criticism to yourself? Does every negative opinion have to be shared? Remember, what you say affects your reputation.

I had more notes about leadership showing up in various plays, opponents talking after plays, the Kelce brothers, and Terry Bradshaw’s behavior toward Coach Reid, the referee decisions, but those seven are the main points leaders in all fields could learn from those who took the field last night. 

One of the worst moments of the 2022 AFC Championship inspired one of the greatest

They say adversity builds character. I have said for years that adversity reveals character too.

As a Kansas City Chiefs fan, the AFC Championship victory over the Cincinnati Bengals was thrilling. A lot of character was revealed January 29, 2023, the days leading up to the game, and the days since.

Here are a few examples:

🔴  If you follow the National Football League (NFL), you already know about Patrick Mahomes and his character. The Chiefs quarterback worked hard to care for an ankle sprained the week prior to be able to play in the AFC Championship game . He overcame his injury, along with injuries to several top players, to lead the KC team to victory.

🔴  On a different note, the Bengals quarterback, Joe Burrow, arrived in KC wearing a shirt with a cute teddy bear that said, "Sorry in advance." His attitude went from swagger, which generally inspires a team in big games, to arrogance. After being sacked four times, he really was sorry. Maybe he learned something about the difference between hubris and arrogance? Maybe about character too.

Beyond those two most talked about players, one other player was talked about right after the game and the days since: Bengals defensive player, Joseph Ossai.

With seconds on the clock and the game on the line, Ossai made a mistake the Chiefs capitalized on to win the AFC Championship. The Chiefs will play this coming Sunday, February 12, 2023, for the Super Bowl championship, and the Bengals season ended.

The Bengals rookie was on the sideline in tears after the game. He blamed himself for the Bengals missing the Super Bowl.

Several teammates and coaches consoled Ossai immediately after the game and in the locker room, where his heartache continued. One teammate even stood right next to Ossai for post-game interviews. The protective teammate was not going to let anyone ask Ossai "dumb questions." A lot of character was revealed in those moments.

One of Ossai's teammates blasted him as they walked to their locker room after the game. He apologized Monday, acknowledging he himself was not a great teammate. Learning from his outburst showed character.

Bengals head coach, Zac Taylor, told Ossai and the press that one play did not cause their loss. In fact, one could list several missed opportunities the Bengals had to score during the game. The Chiefs had plenty of misses too. It was a tough game.

When Ossai spoke later that night about the play, he owned his error and spoke with deep emotion about learning from it.

Ossai's reaction showed character. Heck, he played with heart to the final seconds. That showed character too, right? Wouldn’t you want a player like that on your team?

Where did Ossai’s character come from? He has it inside already.

Ossai was born in Nigeria and moved with his family to Texas when he was ten. That's one big character-building experience. He played football for University of Texas, was drafted in 2021 by the Bengals, was injured in a preseason game and out for his first season. So much character-building!

Ossai's mistake was not malicious, and, while Mahomes ended up on the ground far out of bounds, he was hurt (whew!).

A few days after the game, Ossai’s sister posted appreciation for all the love, support, prayers, and kind messages. Her post was viewed more than 500k times and had thousands of likes and replies. Most of the replies were from Bengals fans, and I shared a heartfelt message about Kansas City fans’ care for him too.

Ossai will wrap his head and heart around that one play soon. Ossai is just 22 years old. He will have a lot of character to bring to leadership roles in wherever his journey takes him.

When adversity reveals character, believe it, especially when it is about yourself. Whether you like what is revealed or not, learn from it.

That always builds character.

Everyone can learn from Ossai in this situation.

Look for the lessons from his teammates and coach too. How do you show up for others who make mistakes? Character is revealed then too.

(Source: Inside Bengals’ Locker Room, Teammates Know Loss Wasn’t Joseph Ossai’s Fault; Sports Illustrated; January 30, 2023)

Core values rise above victory and defeat

In what already has been called one of the greatest football games of all time, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills January 23, 2022 after both teams combined for 25 points in the final two minutes.

The Chiefs tied the Bills with only 13 seconds left on the game clock, which led to overtime and the Chiefs victory.

See previous post for more about leadership lessons demonstrated by both teams.

They say adversity builds character. Both teams built plenty last Sunday.

I say adversity also reveals character.

Whether you win or lose, you are who you are. The truth of what you value shows no matter the score, or promotion, salary, revenue growth, number of likes, car, house, or other external factor.

It is really no wonder, then, that both teams showed plenty of character after the game.

On the field, players from both teams gathered to pray together (see photo). After a gut-wrenching loss, Bills players could still see the bigger picture and joined the hometown Chiefs in prayer. In victory, Chiefs players saw something more important too. In victory and defeat, core values will always show.

Chiefs fans were so inspired by Bills quarterback Josh Allen, that nearly 18 thousand of them have donated $13 each to a favorite nonprofit of Allen’s, Oishei Children’s Hospital. More than $400k has been donated in less than a week.  (source: Oieshei Children’s Hospital post)

Whether you’re in the NFL, work for a children’s hospital, founded a tech company, advocate for those in need, teach, or take care of kiddos full time, your core values are evident to those around you.

Your behaviors, decisions, and interactions reflect the truth of who you are. Your core values rise above victory and defeat, no matter what you say and no matter what others say about you. Live accordingly.

5 Leadership lessons from the NFL playoffs last weekend

I have written several times about lessons learned while watching NFL games because of their service as a mirror for business leadership. This past weekend provided an unending number of lessons. Here are the top five that can apply to nearly any leadership position.

Know your competition. When the Bills took the ball to start their game against the Chiefs, they took it all the way down the field. They went for it twice on the fourth down. Both times, the highly experienced announcers were surprised, as were most fans. But, the Bills coach knew his competition. He had a vision of the game and had stated that field goals worth three points would not be enough to win against the Chiefs. Does your vision align with the competition’s game plan and ability?

Show up ready. Last week, and a few other times during the season, the Chiefs were out of sync at the start of the game. There would be no time for getting it together during yesterday’s game. They needed to show up ready to play like champions from the start. How do you show up every day? Can your teammates rely on you to have it together every day?

Use patience as a tool. Patience has not always been my favorite skill, but Chiefs quarterback spoke of it last week. He said he focused on patience instead of rushing plays. So many companies and leaders react and overreact when the market or employees change. Like Mahomes, you can’t take all day to assess before moving forward, but you don’t need to panic either. Where would you and your team benefit from patience? How would deeper assessment position you better?

Build character daily. Competition, like adversity, builds character; additionally, it also reveals it. You need character to lead through today’s all-encompassing challenges. Both quarterbacks in the Bills v. Chiefs game demonstrated strong character all week and all day yesterday. After the game ended, Chiefs quarterback left his team’s celebration to find Bills quarterback, Josh Allen. They showed respect for each other, as both did in the media prior to and after the game. You can’t learn that during a game. How do you build and reinforce your character every day? Is your character strong enough to handle adversity? Would your team at home and work say it is?

Never give up. All four games came down to the final seconds last weekend. Obviously, no one on any teams gave up. Cincinnati’s quarterback, Joe Burrow, was sacked nine times, yet lead his team down the field to position their kicker to win their game. During the Bills v. Chiefs game, both teams scored in the final two minutes. Neither team gave up. The Bills scored with 13 seconds left in the game to take the lead. It would have been understandable, expected even, for the Chiefs to assume the game was over—everyone except diehard fans did. The Bills were celebrating on their sideline, and the announcers were giddy in their booth.

Now hoooooold on thar, Baba Looey!

Thirteen seconds was enough for the Chiefs yesterday. They won the hard-fought game. What’s going on for you that would benefit from some fearlessness and tenacity? Have you given up too soon and could power up?

When asked what he told Mahomes prior to the final 13 seconds, Coach Reid said, “When it’s grim, be the grim reaper.” (Press conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3TSKmStaZ8)

Go win your game today!