Being a high school quarterback shaped how he leads one of the world’s largest banks.

Dick Kovacevich, chairman and CEO of Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, has compiled one of the most successful track records of any commercial banker. In his interview, he did not focus on his professional success, but talked instead about how his experiences growing up in a small town in western Washington shaped his leadership philosophy.

Athletics had a significant impact on Kovacevich’s development as a leader. From the age of four, he played a team sport several hours every day, becoming the team’s leader as captain in baseball or quarterback in football. “On the athletic field I learned that a group of people can perform so much better as a team than as the sum of their individual talents. Through my early leadership experiences, I learned skills by trial and error that I could apply in business.”

"Just as quarterbacks are overrated, CEOs are too. You can't be an all-star quarterback unless you have some great linemen, outstanding receivers, and a good running game. Diversity of skills is an important element of any effective team."