We may have just witnessed one of the greatest victories in NFL history—the Washington Commanders beating the Detroit Lions, the #1 seeded team in the NFL, in the second round of the playoffs 45-31. I can’t help but reflect on how they accomplished it. From a team that managed only four wins last year to now being one win away from the Super Bowl—WOW! Their journey is nothing short of miraculous.
This is a team that defied the odds and silenced the critics.
Think about how they achieved this. It took what I call team strong leadership, which aligns with the ideas I share in my book Breaking Average. In one season, the entire culture of the team and the city has been reignited. This team is like a once-dormant volcano in the midst of erupting.
The Commanders’ season is a masterclass in the power of the VICTORY mindset for any organization. It takes seven critical factors: Vision, Insight, Collaboration, Trust, Ownership, Resilience, and what I call the Yes Factor. Let’s explore how each of these fueled their incredible comeback and how it’s a game plan for any organization.
1. Vision: Setting the Goal
Great teams start with a bold vision. For the Commanders, that vision wasn’t just about winning games; it was about recalibrating and restoring pride to a franchise and proving that anything is possible with the right mindset. The ownership group, along with brand-new GM Adam Peters, brought in a coach who believed in himself and those around him. Head Coach Dan Quinn and his staff set the tone early with a theme of Brotherhood, emphasizing unity and mutual support as the foundation for success. That vision became a rallying cry—a beacon that everyone in the organization could rally behind. Their mantra: "Anybody. Anywhere. Anytime."
Takeaway: A clear, inspiring vision ignites belief and unites a team toward a common goal.
2. Insight: Learning from Adversity
Insight comes from reflection and embracing the hard lessons of failure. Last season’s struggles provided the Commanders with a treasure trove of insights. They didn’t just move past their mistakes—they dissected them, learning what needed to change. From upgrading key positions to refining their play-calling, they aligned their efforts with owner Josh Harris’s focus on "Talent, People, and Culture," turning lessons into actionable strategies for improvement.
Takeaway: Adversity isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of growth when insight is gained and applied.
3. Collaboration: Building a Unified Front
This turnaround wasn’t the result of one star player or one coach—even though praise is due to their star quarterback Jayden Daniels. Don't lose sight that it was a collective effort. The Commanders showed what true collaboration looks like: offense, defense, and special teams working in harmony—all parts of the game complementing one another. When one unit stumbled, another stepped up. This season, they played for each other, not just alongside each other. They also weren’t afraid of failure.
Takeaway: Collaboration transforms a group of individuals into an unstoppable team.
4. Trust: Strengthening Bonds
Trust is the foundation of every great team. The Commanders built that trust step by step, starting early in the offseason, through accountability and consistency. Players trusted their coaches’ vision, and coaches trusted their players to execute under pressure. This mutual trust created an environment where everyone could thrive. It created a Brotherhood. And now, we all get to experience the fruits of their labor. Nothing feels more satisfying than your home team battling to the end and finding a way to win.
Takeaway: Trust empowers teams to take risks and achieve more together than they could alone. When there's a will there's a way.
5. Ownership: Taking Responsibility
The Commanders didn’t wait for someone else to fix their problems—or wait for another time, another season. Every player and coach took ownership from day one, with rookie Jayden Daniels leading by example by doing the work and inspiring others to follow suit. Whether it was a star quarterback leading by example, a savvy veteran, or a hungry rookie stepping up in a critical moment, they showed what it means to take responsibility for the outcome. That's ownership.
Takeaway: Ownership is the difference between hoping for success and creating it.
6. Resilience: Bouncing Back Stronger
This season hasn’t been without its challenges. The Commanders faced injuries, tough losses, and plenty of critics. But each setback only seemed to make them stronger. Their resilience—their refusal to give up—became their defining trait.
Takeaway: Resilience turns obstacles into opportunities and fuels a team’s relentless pursuit of success.
7. "Yes" Factor: Believing in the Possibilities
The Yes Factor is about daring to believe in what others say is impossible. The Commanders could have accepted their role as underdogs and given up on a brighter future. Instead, they embraced the belief that they could rewrite their story. That belief has carried them all the way to the NFC Championship - one game away from the Superbowl. The thought on their minds in the locker room—and for fans across the DMV—is “Why Not Us?” That reflects the Yes Factor. So, what’s been their big secret that makes the Yes Factor real? Simple, according to Coach Quinn: “It’s that preparation that goes into each week.”
Takeaway: Belief is the spark that ignites extraordinary achievement. What we need to do is prepare for it.
Conclusion
The Washington Commanders’ journey from a four-win season to defeating the top-seeded team in the NFL is nothing short of extraordinary. They’ve shown us what’s possible when a team embraces the VICTORY mindset—Vision, Insight, Collaboration, Trust, Ownership, Resilience, and the Yes Factor.
This isn’t just a story about football; it’s a story about what’s possible when people dare to believe in something greater than themselves.
As we look ahead to the NFC Championship, the excitement is electric. What if we all adopted the same mindset for our business and teams? What if we believed in our own ability to overcome the odds? The Commanders have proven that nothing is impossible. What if this could be true for you too?
Discover more in my collaborative book: Breaking Average
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