Happy Saturday, Friends!

Like some of you, I’m watching the Arizona versus Colorado football game. As a huge Deion Sanders fan, it pains me to watch his team struggle this way. They look off, as if they were defeated before the game even began. That intangible, unifying energy that usually defines Coach Prime’s teams seems to be missing.

As I watch them play with what I can only describe as a flat spirit, something stands out to me. This team is more skilled than last year’s team. The more I think about that, the more my leadership mind begins to wonder what’s going on and what we can learn from it.

What’s going on in Colorado?

After a few plays, one thing became clear: Colorado may have made a misstep in the offseason.

In trying to replace their record-breaking quarterback with another high-caliber player, they found an extremely talented athlete. Salter, Colorado’s current quarterback, has the skills to elevate this program. His accuracy and arm strength might not match Shedeur Sanders, but his ability to run adds a new dynamic that Colorado didn’t have before.

Their offensive line and overall roster are also much stronger and more experienced than last season. That’s why I believe this is a more skilled team on paper. So what’s missing?

To me, it’s simple. Colorado replaced a skilled player, but they didn’t fully account for the leadership and presence they lost in the process.

So what can leaders learn from this?

In a world that’s becoming increasingly obsessed with statistics, analytics, and data-driven decisions, we can’t afford to undervalue the power of human intuition, the gut-level awareness that helps us see what the numbers can’t. Data tells us what’s measurable, but intuition helps us read the room, sense emotion, and understand the human factors that make teams thrive.

Things like emotional maturity, composure under pressure, and influence within a culture can’t be tracked on a spreadsheet, but they make all the difference when the game is on the line. That’s where Colorado seems to be struggling. They didn’t just lose a quarterback; they lost an on-field leader who set the tone for everyone else. Without that leadership presence, even the most talented teams can look uncertain and disconnected.

Of course, I’d much rather be discussing Coach Prime’s continued success in transforming cultures (as I did in my previous article, “Leadership Lessons from the Gridiron (Part 2): How to build a cohesive team“). Still, I think this lesson is worth reflecting on.

Just like on the field, skills matter in leadership, but it’s the unseen qualities of trust, confidence, and influence that carry teams through adversity.

Now, back to the game!