Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shares one characteristic he thinks every leader should possess

No player in NFL history rivals New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady when it comes to success — not bad for a sixth-round draft pick. Brady was able to grow from draft day afterthought to future Hall of Famer not just because of his play or his unparalleled commitment to his craft, but also because he established himself as one of the great leaders the game of football has ever seen.

During his weekly appearance on Westwood One Radio earlier today, Brady opened up about leadership when asked about characteristics every leader should possess. “One of the great characteristics that I believe is probably the utmost priority for any leader is something that is pretty simple: it’s really caring deeply about what you’re doing and the people you’re doing it with,” Brady said (via ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss).

“I think if people know that [you] care about [them], you’re doing them such a great service because it’s a hard thing to find in this world,” the 41-year old, who led some of the NFL’s most productive offenses ever and won five Super Bowls along the way, continued. “The strongest teams I’ve been on are teams that care about one another, that care about aspects of their life, and ultimately they care about the team and the team goals.”

“I think great leaders display just caring to the people they work with, to the people they’re playing for, for the game that they’re playing, or for the business they’re leading,” said Brady. “I think that’s just one of the strongest traits that a great leader has: caring with a purpose for the people that really are allowing the leader and the people to lead — and not just about themselves, certainly. It’s never about the individual.”

Brady displayed his ability to lead his teammates on numerous occasions throughout the years — whether it is setting examples when it comes to practice (yes, he skipped OTAs this year but this should not be seen as a sign of him no longer caring) or lifting them up on the sidelines. The more personal side of his leadership rarely makes it to the public, but if judged by his remarks it certainly exists and is one part of what makes him the exceptional player he is.