Monday, January 28, 2013


5 WAYS TOMMY CAN HELP YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD


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Tommy Limbaugh is a great man.  Tommy is the founder and CEO of 4U Management, a sports marketing company.  Tommy also married way, way up to his sweet wife Marcia.  Here is some scoop on Tommy:

“Tommy was Coach Limbaugh for 21 years at the Division I level before entering the business of professional sports. Tommy began his collegiate career at Texas Tech University in 1975. He then moved to the University of Mississippi serving as recruiting coordinator and assistant football coach. In only his second year in that position, he led Ole Miss in signing its first ever top-10 recruiting class in football.

After stints in the SWC and SEC, Tommy moved to the ACC as a member of Duke University's football staff. Once again he was recruiting coordinator and served as an assistant coach. Those years at Duke laid the groundwork for the first ACC Football Championship in 29 years. In 1986, recruiting guru, Max Emfinger, said during signing week that "Duke is vying for a top 5 berth" in terms of national success.

In 1987, Tommy left Duke for his alma mater the University of Alabama. While at Alabama, Tommy helped recruit the nucleus of the 1992 national championship team. Tommy also served as associate athletic director at Alabama. Among his many duties in that position was the implementation of a ticket marketing program for football. The program "Tide Pride" has been the most successful in the history of intercollegiate athletics. "Tide Pride" has generated more than $150 million for the University of Alabama Athletic Department. He also helped to successfully negotiate a multi-million dollar radio contract between the University of Alabama and Host Communications.

Tommy then moved to Lexington, Kentucky and the University of Kentucky as assistant head football coach and recruiting coordinator. While at Kentucky, four of five recruiting classes were ranked in the top 15 nationally.”

I have walked many a golf course with Tommy, sat in meetings, and shared meals.  Today I want to just give you 5 ways that I see Tommy is above so many people I meet in how he STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD!

Tommy is nicer than 99% of the people out there.  I have run into Tommy at a lot of golf tournaments.  I have people with me almost all of the time.  We run into each other, talk for a bit, and then separate.  The person I am with always says something like, “Wow, that Tommy is so nice.”  How does he do it?

Tommy asks questions.  Tommy remembers your name.  Tommy takes an interest in who you are and what you are about.  As the day continues forward he will check in again, and once he has met you, it appears you are friends for life.

Tommy is motivational in how he communicates.  There is no question that Tommy was an athlete.  He just exudes a “get it done” mentality.  He will be the first to say, “You can do it!”  Just walking next to him and talking makes you feel that you can do more than you thought you could.

Tommy also keeps the “main thing the main thing.”  He has helped many an athlete keep on task and target.  There is a sense of security that comes from his confidence.

Tommy is a family man first.   Yesterday I heard about Tommy’s mothers house.  I heard that they had every Christmas there up to even this year.  (His mother passed last April and they kept the house to have one final Christmas.)  He said, it didn’t matter where I was in the football bowl schedule – “if I had to drive 20 hours from Lubbock to get to Mom’s, I was there!  Family is that important.”

Tommy is a great story teller.  This is one way to assist any dinner, lunch, or meeting.  Be a good story teller.  Yes, you have to have the material, and yes, you have to deliver the goods.  Tommy can do both.  I remember one night hearing a story of Tommy’s recruiting days for Alabama – everyone was on the edge of their seat, drawn back into that moment, and it was riveting.

Tommy works hard, is available, and shows up.  Tommy comes from the cloth of “get it done.”  A late night phone call, a last minute flight, a flurry of texts, calls, and emails to get a situation under control.  Tommy knows that we “vote with our feet.”  He makes sure he is there in the flesh when it’s important.

I learn a lot of how I want to be as a leader.  I think that this list helps me and I am thankful to Tommy for giving me some things to “shoot for.”  Thanks Tommy!

Yours,

Eric

ericscofield | January 19, 2013 at 8:43 am | Categories: Transformation Friday | URL:http://wp.me/p2Ab8B-kk

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