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Don’t Change for the Job — Change the Job (Like John Madden Did)

mapping out a football play

If you’ve ever been told you need to “act more executive,” “tighten up,” or “fit the mold,” let me introduce you to the king of not fitting the mold: John Madden.


The loud, lovable, telestrator-happy icon didn’t just do the job of sports broadcasting. He reinvented the entire thing.


And that is the heart of The 50% Rule.



Most people try to become the job


When people step into higher-level roles, they make the same mistake: They contort themselves into a corporate pretzel.


They try to be:

  • More polished

  • More neutral

  • More… robotic


But authentic leadership isn’t about being perfect.It's about being different on purpose.It’s about strategically showing your authentic self at work so people trust you, follow you, and root for you.


John Madden mastered that.



The Madden Blueprint: 50% Old, 50% Bold


When Madden entered broadcasting, the industry was full of calm, buttoned-up commentators reading lines like they were narrating a museum tour.


Madden? He kept 50% of what worked—accuracy, prep, insight—and then added 50%


HIM:

  • The BOOMs and WHAPs

  • The scribbles on the telestrator

  • The dad jokes

  • The stories

  • The unfiltered enthusiasm

  • The humanness


He didn’t try to fit the role. He reshaped the role around his authenticity.



Why trying to fit the job Is a trap


When you try to become someone else’s version of a leader:

  • You lose your edge

  • You dilute your impact

  • You become forgettable


People don’t follow perfection. People follow authenticity.


They follow the person willing to break the mold. The one who brings an unexpected perspective. The one who feels real.



Your Madden Moment


Ask yourself:

  • What is the “normal” way my role is done?

  • Which parts actually help people connect?

  • What feels outdated, boring, or misaligned?

  • What’s the bold, human, unexpected touch only I could bring?


That’s your telestrator moment. That’s your differentiator. That’s where authentic leadership starts.


You are not here to imitate. You are here to innovate.


And if John Madden taught us anything, it’s this:

Stop changing yourself for the job.Start changing the job with yourself.


—-------



Erin Hatzikostas is an internationally recognized leader on the impact of authenticity in the workplace. Learn more about her keynote speaking, workshops, and other authentic programs here.

 
 
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