Everything changed for Tom Coughlin when he eased up on his Tyrannical Tom persona and implemented a Leadership Council as a bridge between players and coach. 

It was composed of 11 players, and the results were immediate: the Super Bowl 42 Championship.

John Harbaugh has long recognized how important it is for his players to feel that they have a voice, and you don’t necessarily have to be on the Leadership Council to have one.

“One thing we try to do is that we really try to involve our players in everything we’re doing,” Harbaugh said once in Baltimore. “That’s part of the process. It’s their team in the end. They’re the guys out there playing the game, and they end up being huge leaders, especially by example.”