David Novak 0:04 

Welcome to How leaders lead where every week you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world, I break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader. That's what this podcast is all about. Today's guest hardly needs an introduction. Joining me today is legendary quarterback Peyton Manning. After his extraordinary career in the NFL, Peyton is now succeeding in the business world, leading his own production house bourbon brand charitable foundation. I mean, is there anything this guy can't do? But here's what I really love about Peyton. No matter what he does, he leads with authenticity. He doesn't feel like he has to know all the answers in these new ventures. He's comfortable in his own skin, asking questions and getting his team on board to figure out solutions. That authenticity also helps him know when to say yes to an opportunity and when to pass when it doesn't work for him and his family. In fact, he decided against a traditional broadcast career for that very reason. Instead, he and his brother Eli host, the Manning cast, which is an alternate live broadcast of Monday Night Football, with famous guests and lots of candy conversations. It's creating a ton of buzz and even took home a sports Emmy, people are drawn to the authenticity in the Manning cast and impedance leadership style. That's why it's so darn important for us to learn from leaders who aren't afraid to be themselves. So here's my conversation with my good friend, and soon to be yours, Peyton Manning.

You know, I'm sure I'm the last to know this. But in doing my research for our conversation, I learned that your nickname is The sheriff. Where's that come from? And what's that say about your leadership style?

Peyton Manning 2:00 

Well, I've never referred to myself as the sheriff. I want to be on the record by saying that but some fans do call me that if I'm walking through an airport or at a golf course sometimes I'll get a sheriff call. It was an ESPN game and the broadcaster's basically said, Peyton Manning is the sheriff. When he comes into town, he lays down the law, and he always gets his man. So it was a football theme that you know, I was gonna find the guy. I was gonna throw a deep crowd on him go after him. So, you know, as far as transferring to my leadership style, I'm probably actually the opposite, David. You know, to me, a sheriff is kind of a one man show. I'm more of a team guy trying to have good people around me that are smarter than me. That helped me so I think it's more of a football nickname.

David Novak 2:48 

I don't think I've ever seen a sports superstar become a business superstar as quickly as you have. You've been a restaurant franchisee you're a celebrity endorser. You on a golf course, you've got your own whiskey. You've got Omaha productions, and you've got the payback Foundation, which is fantastic. I just want to start out by congratulating you on all this. And I have to ask you this question with all you've accomplished on the business front already. Do you even miss football at all?

Peyton Manning 3:19 

Well, I don't miss getting hit anymore. I say that. It's not fun. When you have 300 pounders coming after you and driving you into the ground and telling you they'll be back in a couple of minutes. You little punk. You know, there's some really friendly D lineman out there. I don't miss that. When I do miss David about playing football is being a part of that team. Right football. I will say it is the ultimate team game, the bonding, the camaraderie and the sacrifice with 53 Guys practices, plane rides, I missed the camaraderie of being on that team. But I found myself in this second chapter, kind of being a part of a number of different teams, the Omaha team, right? The sweetens Cove team may not be as big may not be 100 people on a plane ride, go into a Broncos or Colts game, but it's smaller little teams, and the same principles that I learned in football. I feel like I'm applying to this second chapter, right? communication, teamwork, being unselfish. And asking questions. They be the one thing I think most of the coaches that coached me would tell you that I asked a lot of questions and to me, I was the first to admit, if I don't know something, tell me what's happening here. I'm not sure what this defense is. If a quarterback doesn't ask questions, I think he's gonna be in trouble. And I've asked more questions in the second chapter about all these different ventures because I'm not an expert. I don't know the answers. Let me be around somebody that knows more than me and pick their brain and try to get smarter in these ventures.

David Novak 4:53 

Do you think having that kind of vulnerability and opening yourself up and letting people know that you don't have all the answers? D Do you think If that is one of the keys to you getting the best out of people,

Peyton Manning 5:02 

I certainly hope so because I felt like it worked in football for me. I felt like I was the hardest on myself. You know, football is interesting game, David, you film every game, you watch the film of the game, the next day, you also film every practice, and you watch the film of that practice the next day. So every day you are being graded, and evaluated. And if you make a mistake, you have to answer for it because the camera is watching. And I always felt like if I made a mistake, I was the first to go, Hey, this is a horrible decision. It's greedy. It's undisciplined, hey, wide receiver, you're wide open, I should have gotten you the ball. I felt like my teammates, at least respected that, that I was hard on myself. I was trying to do better. And I think if you admit that you don't know everything, and that you aren't going to make mistakes. I do think people will play harder for you. I felt like my receivers played hard for me, because they knew I was doing everything I could to get ready. And so I've tried to take that same approach. In the second chapter of asking questions, trying to understand, you know, trying to be a good listener. David, there's an old saying, you know, words have power. What I think silence does to being a good listener. Going back to the football thing, I was always taking input from my teammates, hey, Peyton, I can get open on this route, right? I can go a deep out and up on this guy all day, boom, very next play, I'd audible to and out and up. And that receiver felt like he was empowered because I took his input and implemented into the game plan. Same thing on these different business ventures. Right? If you have a good idea, bring it up. Let's get it into the game plan. It's not all coming from me.

David Novak 6:36 

You know, it's interesting, because one law of leadership you have is no involvement, no commitment. So you're obviously getting commitment that way, you know, given the overwhelming amount of what you could do on the business front? What kind of filter Do you run opportunities through to keep you focused?

Peyton Manning 6:53 

I mean, I try to do things that kind of fit. I feel like I say no to a lot of potential opportunities, David, if they're just not a fit, you know, I'm not trying just to do everything. Although a lot of people would probably call BS on that. They probably say Peyton has never turned down a commercial, it actually is true. I have turned some down. But look, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy kind of joining these teams. I enjoy the commercials because I get to laugh at myself and show people. I don't take myself too seriously. But I do think you have to say no to certain things, if you just say yes to everything, and you kind of spread yourself a little too thin. Or you're not going to be as good at the things that you are involved with. And so much of what I learned in football applies to this that, like when I played for the Colts, David, we ran very few plays. But we were very good at those few core plays, right? They were our staples. We had an identity of who we were, we weren't running 1000 plays and doing each of them just okay, we were running 25 plays and being great Adam. And I've tried to take that same approach that sign up for certain things and give everything you can to those specific teams,

David Novak 8:04 

do you have a purpose that gives you joy in what you choose to do? I mean, when you're thinking about those opportunities,

Peyton Manning 8:09 

I mean, just the teamwork and the working together to form something, and to see it kind of grow and have some success. To me. That's what it's all about. When I joined the Colts, we were three and 13. My first year David, I threw 28 interceptions. That's still a rookie record that I hold today. I would like to get that off my resume. It's a lot of interceptions. But we went three and 13 We learned a lot. I kind of hung in there. The next year, we went 13 and three. And so it's fun to be a part of something on the ground up when things are not great. And you got to work together and dig yourself out of this hole. And so, you know start in Omaha from the ground up during COVID and kind of seeing where it is today and the different projects we have going. sweetens Cove we started during the pandemic. Two years later, we're in 12 states selling this BB and the golf course is extremely popular. So to me coming in when something is already up and running and successful is not as attracted to me as kind of being in there from the ground up.

David Novak 9:11 

I remember how you took that team out of the ditch and take it to the Super Bowl. You know, I lived in Louisville, Kentucky and Indianapolis was my team and you are my man. You know, I've heard you talk about how important an NFL center is to the success of a quarterback and you and the Indianapolis Colts center. Jeff Saturday you had a very special relationship. Who is your Jeff Saturday these days? And and what makes that partnership work?

Peyton Manning 9:38 

Yeah, I feel like I have a couple of them to tell you the truth. You know, just being on these different teams. I agree. I mean, Jeff was integral to all the things that we did I mean, our lockers were right next to each other. We sat by each other on the plane rides. You know, he and I are very comfortable in close proximity to each other as you would imagine a quarterback and center should be so I mean, there's only one jet Saturday's like one real center for a quarterback. But for me on each of the teams, you know, on the payback Foundation, we have an executive director that I work closely with trying to find different agencies and groups that need help that we really can make an impact on, you know, the different partnerships that I have like nationwide, for example, I feel like I have a Jeff Saturday there, that's kind of telling me, hey, Peyton, here's what we're trying to do. Okay, here's the concept. And so it's important to have that, but it goes back to those same principles, right communication, talking about trying to be on the same page,

David Novak 10:33 

you know, I was talking to one of your friends, and they said that there's fame, and there's Peyton Manning fame, which is at a totally different level. When you walk in a room, you're, you know, a huge guy, you know, big personality. But here's the thing, they said that you're really good at handling that fame, and not everybody is. How do you think about fame? And notoriety? And and how do you navigate it so well,

Peyton Manning 10:59 

I mean, I think what you're looking for is just trying to create normalcy. And I felt like my parents did that, for me and my brothers growing up, obviously, it's changed with social media, and the cell phone camera, you're sort of always on, if you will, when you're out in public. But, you know, I watched my dad for many years. If we were at a restaurant, somebody would come up and ask him for an autograph. I remember him saying it takes the same amount of time to be nice, as it does to be a jerk, right. And so he always took the time. And I felt like people always respected my dad, maybe not because of this, you know, incredible success that he had in the NFL, but because how he treated people, and he took the time. And so look, sometimes when you're in an airport and you're running to catch a flight, sometimes you have to say, Hey, I can't take a picture. I got to make that flight, right? And if that person thinks you're a jerk, well, you know, I was trying to make the flight to get home. So I can't say I've been perfect in that category. But the people are what make football great, the fans, right? And you got to have a connection with them. And so I enjoy those interactions with those people with those fans talking about something that I've been a part of, or some kind of connection. I love that right? Hey, Peyton, you know, my brother went to Tennessee, I used to see you play in college. I mean, I feel there's a connection right away. So you know, obviously, with our kids, too, we try to create a normal environment, right? We don't have our kids on social media, right? We want them to be normal kids growing up. And I think when you go to the same places a lot, right? The same sporting events with your kids, right? I'm coaching youth sports, you get used to being around those parents, that kind of makes things a little more normal.

David Novak 12:39 

You know, the one thing I will say having the opportunity to be around you is that everybody that knows you says that you're the absolute real deal. I mean, you don't try to be anybody other than yourself. And I think people really appreciate that. Now, I'm sure you'd agree you can't get better as a leader without a plan to help you develop. It's why send out a weekly leadership plan. This weekly plan gives you practical steps you can take to develop leadership skills that will help you grow. Each week focuses on a different leadership topic, topics like culture control, innovation, and handling conflict. Now, you might know a lot about these things. But how often are you taking time to actually get better at them, this free weekly leadership plan will help you do just that. It will improve your leadership skills and give you simple ways to navigate any leadership challenge you'll face. Sign up for the plan today at how leaders lead.com/plan. You know, I want to dive into some of your businesses and get into how you lead. And you've kind of talked about some of your basic tenets already. But let's start with Omaha productions. Tell us about how that came to be and the scope of your work these days.

Peyton Manning 13:58 

Well, Omaha, like I said, we started during the pandemic and basically like everybody was home more during the pandemic, not able to travel and I really kind of enjoyed that being home doing, you know, things virtually. And I kind of was looking at a little self analysis of okay, what can I do that I don't have to physically be there everything that I was doing, David, I had to be in, right I had to fly and be in the commercial or give this speech and be a part of this. And so, you know, what can I do? What can I create or build or own that I'm a part of, and I'm putting my stamp on it, but I don't physically have to be in it. So that's kind of how Omaha started. And, you know, kind of one of our first projects, you know, David was a show called Peyton's places. It's a documentary on the history of the NFL, we're telling it in an entertaining way, right. The stories the people that have made the NFL what it is today over the past 100 years. I'm the host of it. Omaha is a part of that. You ESPN reaches out and says, hey, we'd like to have places and some other sports like to have it in college football. We'd love to have it in college basketball, we'd love to have it in tennis. Would you kind of help us do that? And so Omaha kind of created the places franchise, if you will, where I'm watching the shows. I'm a part of it. I'm helping with guests and ideas, but I'm not the host of it. Right. John McEnroe, host John's places write about tennis. Sue bird is going to host college basketball, Vince Carter does pro basketball. And I'm as proud of those shows David as the ones that I'm physically in, because I feel like I've been a part of it. It's been a team thing. And to watch Vince Carter do it. Vince is awesome. So I really enjoy being part of that. So that's kind of how it started. And now we're realizing that maybe there's some places outside of sports and we're about to start Luke Bryan's it's all country places, Luke Bryan is going to host the version of country music places, and we're talking to somebody else about hip hop, and there's maybe a military aspect. So it's something that has a chance to grow. So that was kind of how it got started. And then obviously, starting last year, we kind of started the Manning cast that Eli and I host this Monday Night Football show from our hometowns, I do it from my neighbor's garage. Eli does it from his back house right on his golf simulator. And we get to watch football together from our house with our friends. And Ilan, I thought they were joking. He's like, wait a minute, he says you want to pay me to watch football with my brother from my house. I mean, no one went to Ole Miss. That sounds like a pretty good idea, even for an Ole Miss grad. So anyway, we have a lot of fun doing it, Omaha produces that, and once again, in return for being a part of that ESPN in Omaha have teamed up for a mega cast. In golf, we're doing one and ultimate fighting. And we're gonna do six college football shows, shows that I'm not physically in but we're a part of. And I'm equally as proud of that.

David Novak 17:05 

And that's fantastic. You don't, by the way, I saw you live the other day at a golf event. And he's as nice as you are. He's one hell of a great guy.

Peyton Manning 17:13 

I'm not going to tell him you said that. I won't tell him.

David Novak 17:16 

I tell you what really makes your Monday Night Football show. So unique, obviously, is the expertise and the insight that you both bring to the party and you get sort of like you're in the huddle in the locker room, the behind the scenes all that's great. You know, how do you see innovating on this terrific foundation that you established in your first season, because you just talked about a lot of innovation that you're having with your other properties, what's going to happen with Monday Night Football? Well, it's

Peyton Manning 17:41 

just fun to be a part of something different, right. And that's kind of what ESPN was looking for. It's an alternate viewing option, right? It's an alternate broadcast. It's called a mega cast. And they want something different. They don't want just he and I talking about the third and to coming up or the two minute drill that they want us talking about that when the game is really important and the games on the line. But in between on that second one running play that nobody cares about. We have guests on like Condoleezza Rice, who loves football, Snoop Dogg, who's been a youth football coach for years in California that loves football, Eli and I are sitting on the couch, we are sitting at a bar with our friends watching the game and the viewer is sitting there watching with us. So we're going to kind of build off that ESPN did some research, David, they felt like a younger audience was watching that we were reaching out to different people who may not be watching football. That's what they wanted. And so we're going to build off that we have a lot of guests that we tried to get last year that didn't come on, for whatever reason they were busy. We'd love to get President Obama, President Bush, both guys that love football, we'd love to get Tiger Woods, you know. So there's some guys that we still want to get in. I think that'll make it different and kind of keep it fresh every single week.

David Novak 19:00 

You know, one of the things I noticed about your commentary, it almost seems countercultural. In a world where everyone wants to bash people for making mistakes, you stay positive. Why do you take that route?

Peyton Manning 19:12 

I really don't consider what we're doing even broadcasting I really consider it being a fan of the game. But to be a really good broadcaster. I think Chris Collins worth is probably the best in the business. You have to take a negative stance at times you have to say hey, this is not good enough. And this was very disappointing. And you know, that's what Johnny Miller did in golf. That's what college board does in football. But Chris does the homework he prepares and I have great respect for him and that's why he's so good. I still feel like Eli and I are still fans and maybe still X players that understand how hard it is to throw this seam route into two man coverage. Right? It is not easy and they're paying these defensive players a lot as well. And just knowing how hard it is as opposed to so many people are going to buy Ask the quarterback for throwing this interception. I'd rather say what a great play by this linebacker. That's an awesome play. That's a hard throw to make, you know, because I'm pulling for those quarterbacks David in the hardest way. I've been there. I threw six interceptions on Monday Night Football one time, I probably would have thrown seven. But you know, but the clock ran out. I know how hard it is. So for me to get up there on my soapbox and say, that's terrible. He can't play. You know, I'm just not going to do that. I mean, I'm talking to these quarterbacks before the game. I'm texting a lot of math to the game. Hey, hang in there. Keep fighting, right? It's a unique fraternity. And I kind of want to stay in that fraternity and try to be positive, I guess.

David Novak 20:42 

You know, that makes a lot of sense. And you mentioned broadcasting and the difference. You've got these great television properties that are taking off. They're all being renewed and expanded and everything's great. I think a lot of people were surprised that you didn't go the broadcasting route and become a play by play announcer and team up with somebody like Jim Nance, et cetera. Why didn't you go that route? I mean, there's obviously a lot of money in it.

Peyton Manning 21:07 

I had some opportunities. And going back to Chris Collins worth, I remember him telling me, Peyton, I understand you're talking to him just know what you're signing up for. I mean, is all encompassing I mean, Chris Collins worth, he's watching film all week, probably more so than a player does. Because he's having to watch the offense defense special teams of both teams. He knows every single player where they went to college, who the backup is. And I remember him saying like a Peyton, you got young kids, be sure you really want to do that, because you are going to be away from them every weekend. And even when you're home, you're really not home. I mean, you are working. And so that really had a big impact on me. Ashley and I have 11 year old twins feel like we're very present in their lives, right? I take my kids to school every morning, helping coach their use sports, taking them to practice. I love that I cherish those car rides to school or to practice. My dad was at my little league baseball games, that was important to me. He never necessarily coached me, but he was there. So I didn't want to miss that opportunity. And to be a great broadcaster, John Madden is the one that kind of started that. I mean, you have to go to practice, you have to interview those players in person, you have to interview the visiting team coming in, right? You have to sit around and wait till Sunday night or Monday night to do the game. It's a three or four day commitment. And there's no home games, you're gone every weekend. I wanted to be home in the fall. And I wanted to go to my son's flag football game or my daughter's volleyball game. And so I kind of kept passing and all of a sudden COVID hits and people are doing some things remotely and ESPN kind of said, Hey, would you consider sort of doing something different. And that's kind of how the main cast came about. And it's kind of fun, like I said, to do things a little differently to be a little bit of a disrupter. And it's been a lot of fun, and I get to be home, Eli gets to be home with his kids. And so it's really worked out well.

David Novak 23:01 

I think that's exactly a great way to describe what you've done, you've definitely disrupted the industry with something that people just can't wait to watch. You know, as a quarterback, you know, every single person on the field and what they're supposed to be doing. How does that translate now into how you run your businesses.

Peyton Manning 23:18 

I mean, certainly I tried to study and learn as much as I can preparation, David was where I felt I got my edge in football, I couldn't out throw anybody. I certainly couldn't outrun anybody. If you ever watched me play I had a coach told me once that I couldn't run out of sight in a week. Nice thing to say. But I thought I could at least out prepare him. And I've tried to kind of take that same approach, you know, in this second chapter working, trying to learn trying to ask questions, but trying to also have an identity and figure out what my role was right? As a quarterback, you know, I was not going to get involved in the defensive schemes, right? That was for our defensive players, I was going to encourage them to be a good teammate, I was going to kind of stay in my lane with the offense. And so I've tried to kind of take that same approach and help and pitch a show to a network calling somebody about hey, would you consider being a host of this show? You'd be great at it right? To me, I found David, the direct two way communication going straight to the person if you can, as opposed to going through a middle person, right? Just go to the person directly. It's the best way I remember one time in football. I had a coach that was calling the plays. But he and I weren't really meeting together during the week. We were kind of having to go through an assistant coach and it was telling him hey, this is how I want you to do it. And we weren't playing well. Finally, we got rid of the middleman. I went directly to the play caller we started watching film together. We got on the same page. And we started having more success and that was a great lesson for me that anytime you can eliminate the gray area, eliminate the middle person go directly to the source with direct two way communication. I think it's more effective.

David Novak 24:59 

You And a lot faster for sure. You know, what's the conversation with Peyton Manning? Like when you have to be direct about something that's not going well on the business front?

Peyton Manning 25:10 

You know, just being honest. And look, I mean, most of the time, I'm kind of starting with me saying, Hey, I didn't do my part the right way. This was a mistake on my end, I have to be better. I think he got to start that way. When you come in pointing fingers and blaming, saying you guys didn't do your part, right. I think you've lost the room right away. It's we you know, football is very much that way. Sometimes the media can try to divide a team, right? You have the Broncos offense, the Broncos defense, like it's two different teams. No, no, no, it's one team. Right? We lost together. So I've tried to take that same approach is to what can we do better, but also being very honest, right, and having a debrief on what we just did, right, Eli and I do that Monday night show. On Tuesday, we have a debrief hate this part was great, Peyton, this part one so good, right, you were talking too much whatnot. So hey, hit me straight, right. give me feedback, write my notes down, figuring out how we can do it better than next time. That's the only way to go about it. I think.

David Novak 26:15 

We'll be back with the rest of my conversation with Peyton Manning in just a moment. I love what Peyton said about out preparing the other guy. And it reminds me of a fantastic conversation I had not too long ago. With the one and only Jim Nance. Jim makes it look so easy when he's calling March Madness are the masters on CBS. But what you don't see is the incredible amount of hard work he does before each and every broadcast.

Jim Nantz 26:41 

Number one, every show is your most important show. You never take anything for granted. I feel like out of respect to your audience in respect to the subject such recovery. You have to do the full detailed research. I'm a guy that if I'm not prepared, I don't feel right. I feel off. I feel anxious.

David Novak 27:01 

If you want an inside look at how Jim Nantz always shows up prepared. Don't miss our conversation, Episode 76 here on how leaders lead. You know in March of 2019, you became part owner of sweetens Cove golf club, along with Andy Roddick and a few other people. How'd that happen?

Peyton Manning 27:25 

I tell you it's a funny story. Andy kind of reached out to me and Andy has been involved in different business ventures and his second chapter and he said Peyton got involved with some real estate guys. We bought this golf course outside Chattanooga, Tennessee called sweetens Cove. It's a nine hole public inexpensive golf course it has a shed for the clubhouse, but it has some magic to it. You got to come play it and consider being a part of it. And so I spent a lot of time in the Chattanooga area, but I had not played the course I'd heard of it. I went and played it with Andy. And it just hit me. I mean, I got it. Public inexpensive. No fancy clubhouse, and nine holes, two pins on each green. In case you want to go for a second loop, you can hit some different pins, bring your own beer, bring your own food, right, just something different about it. And so I said I'm in, we bought it. The golf course was great. And all of a sudden, we noticed this kind of tradition that was starting David that people were coming. They were bringing a bottle of bourbon or whiskey. They were taking a shot before they hit their first tee shot on number one at sweetens Cove. And they were leaving the bottle for whoever was behind them. Somebody else from Atlanta, somebody else from Charlotte, the maintenance staff. And it became this real organic tradition. And so we kind of said, Hey, this is kind of real, this is authentic. Maybe we should start our own bourbon. So that's how sweetens Cove bourbon got started, right? They say two things about bourbon. It better taste good. It better have a story with it. We felt we had a great story. We hired this superstar master blender and a Maryanne Yves. She's an absolute Rockstar. She's the quarterback. It tastes good because of her. So that's why it's kind of gotten off to a good start. And once again, it's a Tennessee thing. I love the state of Tennessee. It's a golf thing. I love that and it's a team that's been fun to be a part of

David Novak 29:19 

in it is a very good whiskey. There's no doubt about it. Thank you gratulations on that, you know it was there anything about the whiskey business that kind of caught you by surprise any big learning that you weren't expecting?

Peyton Manning 29:31 

Yeah, I mean, I was truly an amateur, you know, kind of when it came to that side of it didn't know a lot about it wasn't really a whiskey bourbon drinker, you know, but my dad kind of in his later age has started enjoying an old fashion and so he and I were together we'll have an old fashion together. So that's been a good father son thing, but I've been the first to admit, hey, I'm an amateur on this. I need to learn about it. Yeah, I don't like when people sign up for something and immediately they become an expert, right? That's just not the case. And so trying to form a team with some experts like Maryann, it's competitive. There's a lot of options. When you go to a bar or restaurant for picking a bourbon, what are you going to do to try to be a little different to maybe try to stand out, we really try to preach the connection to the story of kind of how it got started to this organic tradition. Certainly, anywhere in the golf field, we feel like those are good opportunities that people that love golf, people that have heard about the golf course, but like football is competitive, you better not be sitting still, you better be trying to grow and stay ahead

David Novak 30:36 

and paid. And you've said you haven't turned down too many commercials. I'm glad you have turned down some of the great commercials with nationwide. And you seem to have a real special partnership with Brad Paisley. How do you think about that partnership? And what makes it work?

Peyton Manning 30:53 

I tell you, Brad is a real pro. I mean, putting up with me and all these commercials. I feel like the commercials work, David because I think I am genuinely annoying Brad and these commercials. I really think I am and he has that perfect mix of acting like I'm not bothering him. But sometimes like yes, okay, Peyton, you're getting on my nerves. And that's why it works. Right? He and I have gotten to be good buddies. He's played a couple charity events for me. And well, what a pro. The coolest thing about those commercials is that in between takes, Brad's always got a guitar. And he's always strumming something. And he is as good a guitar player as anybody in the world. But he has good ideas as well. And like me, he likes to laugh. And the nationwide team has been so good at kind of saying, Hey, here's the idea. But Peyton and Brad, how would y'all say that? And Brad's like? Well, I think I might say it like this. And I'm going yeah, I'll come in. And that's why it works. Right? collaborative team effort. I mean, Brad and I aren't actors, right? We're not. They're not given us a script saying, here's how you have to say it. We're kind of working together. We laugh a lot, which I think's important. Try to get the message across. Brad doesn't believe we're in a band. I do believe we're in a band. We're butting heads. And it's been a lot of fun, though.

David Novak 32:10 

I got a really important question for you, you know, with everything that you got going on in your business career. How's it affecting your golf game, Paden?

Peyton Manning 32:18 

I tell you, David, I've been really disappointed. I was so convinced that once I stopped playing football, I get to play golf in the fall. You know, my handicap is going way down, right? Because my golf season was always in Indianapolis kind of May to July right. Training Camp starts golf clubs get put up, right, bad look, I think for a quarterback to be playing golf after he just threw six interceptions on Monday night, right? Not a good look for the season ticket holders. I just put them up. And you kind of start all over again in the offseason. And so my golf game went like this. I said, I I get to play year round. I'm going to take it down low and it just hasn't happened. It's been disappointing. I love to play got a good group here in Denver to play with, you know, still love putting together a golf trip. I love organizing that and kind of creating the foursomes and all the accommodations. I still love that. But I wish I was playing a lot better than I.

David Novak 33:16 

Well persevere, my friend. There you go. This has been so much fun. I'd like to have a little bit more fun with you with some rapid fire questions. It's my lightning round. Think of it as a two minute drill. I like you ready? Sir? If you could be one person for a day besides yourself? Who would it be?

Peyton Manning 33:33 

Jim Nance to call the masters to call the Final Four to call a Super Bowl all in the same couple of months. Nobody hits you in the back. gymnasts. What's your biggest pet peeve? Me being late because of traffic or something and maybe somebody else being late to something? We've kind of scheduled football time right eight o'clock meeting at 750. You kind of learn that early.

David Novak 33:58 

In which situation of these situations would you be feeling more nerves before the opening drive of the Superbowl or the opening monologue on Saturday Night Live

Peyton Manning 34:08 

without a doubt opening monologue of Saturday Night Live because football at least I thought I knew I was doing right those six interceptions. I feel Monday night. I wasn't nervous. I just stuck up the whole place. Because I live I didn't know what I was doing. That's what I'm nervous.

David Novak 34:26 

If I were to get into your car right now, what would be coming out of the speaker's

Peyton Manning 34:31 

country music. You know when you go to school in Tennessee and Tennessee is a big part of your life. Country music is a huge part of it. So it would be 100% country music.

David Novak 34:41 

What's something about you a few people would know. I like to

Peyton Manning 34:45 

sing Believe it or not. I'm a bad singer. I cannot hit a chord but I like to I sing in the shower. I sing in the car. I've made some bad efforts to sing on stage with some of these singers. It has not gone well. But the effort is there. Right, people can appreciate the effort.

David Novak 35:03 

Who's your favorite quarterback to watch these days?

Peyton Manning 35:06 

Patrick mahomes is fun to watch. I mean, he is having fun out there, the way he plays it is high energy. And he's my favorite player to watch right now,

David Novak 35:15 

your longest touchdown run, believe it or not,

Peyton Manning 35:18 

I had a 33 yard touchdown run. It was against the Buffalo Bills, it was a running play. I didn't tell anybody. But instead of handing it off, I just kept it. And everybody was blocking the running plays so well, that the defense said, it's got to be a running play. And they all ran and like tackle the running back and I ran down the left sideline, almost untouched. I know it's hard to believe, but it's actually true.

David Novak 35:43 

Last one in the lightning round, what's your superpower?

Peyton Manning 35:47 

You know, I'm not sure I have one. I hope being a good listener. I really tried to do that. Right. You know, try not to talk too much try to be a good listener. So I don't know if it's a superpower. But I think it's something that everybody should try to do better.

David Novak 36:00 

You and your wife Ashley established the payback foundation in 1999 to provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk. What's the project you're working on right now on that front that you're really excited about?

Peyton Manning 36:13 

Well, thanks for asking. Yeah, you know, Ashley was the one that kind of came up with the name, pay back, pay him back to the communities that have been a part of our lives, pay him back for people that don't have the same opportunities that she and I had growing up. And so it's just been it's been a fun team to be a part of, originally, the payback Foundation was just focused on kids who don't have life easy in Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Colorado, kind of the four states that have been a part of our lives. In the second chapter. We're still very much focused on the youth of our country, but also, you know, branching out into some other things into the military. Right. I have great respect for the military helping out some military foundations. We've started a number of scholarships at some HBCUs in honor of some pioneers at those schools. Right, we started one at Grambling in honor of Doug Williams started one at Southern and honor of Harold Carmichael. I've had to close people to me, David, that we've just lost in the past three years, we've started scholarships in their names to Marius Thomas was a receiver with me with the Broncos passed away last year started the Mary's Thomas scholarship at Georgia Tech, which is going to students from his home county to give them a chance to go to college. And then a lady named Maura man who is a longtime TV producer in the sports world. We lost her a couple of years ago, we started tomorrow man scholarship at NYU, to go to a film student at NYU. So that's where the payback Foundation has kind of grown. And I'm not sure there's a greater gift and the gift of education. So given these kids an opportunity to do something they wouldn't normally do. That's been pretty cool to be a part of.

David Novak 37:57 

That's fantastic stuff. What's one piece of advice you'd give to anyone who wants to improve as a leader?

Peyton Manning 38:04 

You know, there's an old saying you either get better or you get worse every day, you don't stay the same? And I think you know, going back at meeting what you don't know, working hard to try to get better. I'm still a list guy. I'm a no sky, I think writing things down on tough decisions, right? What are the pluses? What are the minuses? That's what I always did, when I chose where to go to college, when I chose whether to stay for my senior year, or turn pro as a junior, when I was choosing to go to the Broncos, right? You know, write things down. And sometimes when you're looking at them, it helps you make a decision. And I think when you make a decision as a leader, David, you know, everybody wants to judge right away, this is the right or wrong decision. They're both wrong, make a decision and go full speed ahead and don't look back and make it the right decision. After the fact, right. That's the key. This is where I'm going. I'm going all in I'm not gonna two days later, say I maybe I should have done that. That's not the way to do it. There's an old saying, by General Patton, make a decision and do it like hell, I guess the best way to go about it.

David Novak 39:05 

You know, paid in every successful person I know is had to overcome a major challenge. I want to wrap this up by you talking about the biggest challenge that you faced and what you've learned about yourself as a leader from that experience.

Peyton Manning 39:19 

Yeah, certainly professionally, my injury in 2011 caused me to have several surgeries had to miss the entire season. And then obviously, things happened and the Colts decided to kind of go a different direction. And I understood it right. I was hurt and my future was uncertain. That entire year was very tough, you know, not being able to play with my teammates, not being sure if I could play again. You know, I tried to surround myself with a lot of people to encourage me when you're going through a tough time. Don't try to go through it alone. I had family, doctors, physical therapists, teammates, coaches giving me feedback. But I think the best thing I learned about myself, David, was that I could be flexible and adaptive. I couldn't play for ball the same way, I couldn't throw it as far I couldn't throw it as hard. But I could use my experience, I could use my football intellect to still remain an effective quarterback. But I was flexible. I was adaptive, I couldn't throw the fastball anymore. But I could work the outside edges of the plate, and you can strike somebody out that way. So, you know, in many ways, as disappointing as it was to be injured and to have to go find a new team to play for. I'm almost glad that I kind of went through it, because I learned that I could handle it. I had a positive attitude the whole time. And that's important. And I learned to be flexible and adaptive.

David Novak 40:35 

Well, I will tell you this that has to be one of the most popular Super Bowl wins in history because everybody loves you. And that love that people have for you continues to grow Peyton because you're just a wonderful human being who gives so much to this world. And I want to thank you so much for taking the time to be on how leaders lead. Hey, David,

Peyton Manning 40:54 

thanks for having me a real honor pleasure. Thanks, pal

David Novak 41:06 

Well, I gotta say it's so fun to see a sports all star become a business all star. And Peyton is a fantastic example. And I love that he's having fun and being himself while he's doing it. Sometimes we feel like we have to project some kind of idealized leadership persona, but Paden shows us that being authentic, actually builds more trust with our people and creates more opportunities in the market. People are drawn to leaders who aren't afraid to be themselves. This week, reflect on what makes you the leader that you are, what would be more authentic look like? Are there areas where you feel like you need to have all the answers even if you don't? Are there times you struggle to say no to opportunities, even if they aren't a good fit? Let that authentic you shine because the world needs what you have to offer and no one else. So do you want to know how leaders lead? What we learned today is the great leaders are guided by authenticity. Coming up next on how leaders lead is Maritza mon to former Deputy CEO and vice chairman of Deloitte

Maritza Montiel 42:16 

have the courage to take risks. Without risk and without failure. You'll never learn anything. I learned more from my failures and my successes. And the important thing is not that you fail. The important thing is how you come back up. And what how you apply yourself to the future from that failure. Have the courage to fail, you'll learn a lot,

David Novak 42:35 

so be sure to come back again next week to hear our entire conversation. Thanks again for tuning in to another episode of how leaders lead where every Thursday you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world. I make it a point to give you something simple on each episode that you can apply to your business so that you will become the best leader you can be