Every organization and brand should want a manager like Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon. Along with her two sisters, Irsay-Gordon inherited the team following the passing of her father, Jim Irsay, last year. But since taking over, Irsay-Gordon has easily been the most active, present and visible of the three. Apparently, some find her willingness to be active, present and visible to be a negative.
To understand why, you have to understand how traditional corporate America often operates. CEOs and executives can become completely separated from the people doing the actual work — the ones grinding day and night to ensure execution is at its finest for the good of the company.
Instead of simply enjoying the luxuries that come with being an NFL owner, Irsay-Gordon is instinctively curious and willing to ask questions of her employees. In fact, she’s been doing it for several years now. But that’s a negative thing?
Be Curious, Not Judgmental
I’m a huge fan of Ted Lasso. In one of the show’s first episodes, Ted misattributes the quote “Be curious, not judgmental” to famed poet Walt Whitman. He talks about how people tend to judge instead of being curious and asking questions.
It’s hard to define what makes a good leader. Some lean on vision and thinking differently. Others rely on skill sets and ingenuity. But to be a good leader, you must understand the temperature of your employees. What defines them. What drives them.
Just as important is creating an open relationship in which employees understand you, and you understand them.
“It just helps to understand and to ask questions. One of the things, in my opinion, like being a good leader is about listening, really to understand. And I think that’s what the best teams do,” Irsay-Gordon told Front Office Sports.
There’s a lot to be learned from a single quote. There’s also an education to be gained from watching Irsay-Gordon in action.
She’s standing on the sideline instead of sitting in the owner’s suite. Taking notes during games, looking more like a coach than an owner. She’s wearing a headset from time to time and asking questions about schemes before games to gain a better understanding of the “why” behind a call.
Irsay-Gordon’s curiosity is a form of leadership. Her involvement speaks volumes. Yet, some consider the concept foreign and even a deterrent.
“I think the owner on the sidelines taking notes is fu**ing nuts,” Bill Simmons said on his podcast. “It’s bonkers. I can’t believe she does, and I can’t believe people haven’t talked her out of it.”
Wouldn’t any fan want an owner who’s genuinely curious and involved with their team? Male or female.
Working Your Investment
Irsay-Gordon earned her ownership through her family’s bloodline, but she’s also consistently investing her own time and money into the organization. It’s not a small commitment, and she’s taking responsibility for a family legacy. What Irsay-Gordon is doing isn’t necessarily new. Owners have spent time on the sidelines during games, depending on the circumstances and their level of involvement.
The difference is that Irsay-Gordon appears to be using that proximity as an opportunity to learn.
Instead of being present for a photo op and a handshake, Irsay-Gordon has found another avenue of investment in her team. She’s asking questions that lead to answers about why certain play calls work and others don’t. Also learning how different forms of communication between personnel are handled in different situations. She’s choosing to educate herself on the game her father loved, shaped and helped build.
The goal is to continue building on that foundation with a better understanding of how everything works in concert with one another. Yes, Irsay-Gordon is curious and asking questions. But the criticism of that approach reflects an outdated idea of what leadership is supposed to look like.
The Give-A-Damn Factor
Leadership in 2026 isn’t about having all the answers. It should be about having the humility to ask the right questions. Building relationships and comradery with your teammates. Showing that you give a damn not just about business but about the people who execute your business. If all you care is about the bottom line, you’ll never find a team that truly cares about you.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon isn’t standing on the sideline because she believes she knows more than the people around her. She’s there because she wants to understand more. She listens, takes notes, and asks questions. She educates herself on the people and processes that make her organization successful.
That’s a lesson every leader, regardless of industry, can take from Irsay-Gordon. Curiosity isn’t a weakness. Being present isn’t a distraction. And asking questions doesn’t diminish authority. It can strengthen it.
In 2026, employees need leaders who are active, inquisitive and genuinely interested in how the sausage is made, not just how much is being sold. The best leaders aren’t afraid to admit there’s more to learn. They understand that listening creates better relationships, education creates better decisions, and curiosity creates a better understanding of the people they’re asking to perform at their highest level.
Maybe the real problem isn’t that Irsay-Gordon is too involved. Maybe we’ve spent too much time convincing leaders that being involved means they don’t trust the people around them. There is a difference between micromanaging and understanding. Irsay-Gordon appears to understand that distinction.
And if more leaders embraced her willingness to be curious, listen and learn, we’d probably have a lot more organizations where the people doing the work actually felt understood by the people leading them.
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