By Matt Valentine  » 

As you approach him, you sense the distinct air of a champion. However the intimidation of speaking to greatness disappears in the first few moments of the interview as Clemons flashes that megawatt smile and instantly puts you at ease.

“Mr. Clemons, it is an honour to…” I begin, before being cut short by Clemons shaking his head disapprovingly while still smiling. The strong grip of his right hand holds mine in place as he comes over the top with the left to capture my hand in a double handed embrace.

“Please,” he pauses. “Call me Mike, or Pinball… no Mr. Clemons here.”

Pinball’s leadership on the field led him to not only be captain of the team but then to later be offered the position of Head Coach of the Toronto Argonauts, just one year after retiring. In only his second year as coach, he delivered yet another Grey Cup for Toronto.

Given his numerous achievements – the latest of which will be an induction into the CFL Hall of Fame in September – it is refreshing to see that Clemons still has a grace and humility one does not necessarily associate with top sportsmen.

What, I asked him, is the single biggest quality that makes him such a great leader?

“It is that I understand my own insignificance,” says Clemons, matter of factly. “Also, I hire people who are smarter then me.”

Clemons’ humility does not mean he is uncertain of his own capabilities; on the contrary there is brimming confidence about his every action, and an unbridled enthusiasm that makes it easy to root for him.

Given his smaller than average football stature, where did he draw his inspiration from to not only be the best in his field, but then transcend that into even larger roles such as coaching?

“Stature has little to do with personal desire,” replied Clemons. “As a person, you always have to give your best. Martin Luther King said: ‘If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan.’ It is people like Martin Luther King who I draw my inspiration from.”

Clemons’ record as player and coach speaks for itself, but his sternest test as leader might lie ahead in his new role as Argos top boss. What kind of leadership skills will it take to become the first person to win the championship as player, coach and CEO?

“People are always looking for ‘leadership in a box’, but leadership can be achieved in many ways and by many different methods,” says Clemons. “I am intrigued most by a sizeable challenge and that is what this new position is. I haven’t been a CEO before, but you have to rely on your past experiences to guide you.”

Clemons is his own harshest critic, and insists he is unconcerned about the weight of external pressures or expectations. Nor is he worried about the prospect of failure.

“I don’t believe in outside expectations, because they can never compare with my own. I failed yesterday and will again today and will fail again tomorrow, that is how I will succeed. You succeed because of failure and you succeed by coming out of your comfort zone. It’s how you respond to failure that matters most.”

It’s easy to see why Clemons was promoted each time he had reached the pinnacle of his given position. He excels at what he does, plain and simple. He’s inspiring and motivational, and brings out the best in those around him. He is, quite simply, a Natural Born Leader.

Not surprisingly, Clemons is in huge demand as a motivational speaker. He can be heard confidently talking to rooms filled with CEOs who are looking to tap into the secrets of his success, and inspire their own people to greater heights, just as Clemons has done.

I’m lucky to catch him speaking at a business conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Later, outside, I overhear three immaculately suited business types discussing what they had just heard on stage. “Notice how he seems to talk to you, rather than at you? He is so genuine, wants you to be the best you can be,” says one.

Another explains why he holds him in such high esteem. “You know he is a great leader because those around him respond positively to him, he’s proven, both on the field and on the sidelines, people just listen to him.”

If these presumed businessmen can see the advantages of stealing plays from the Pinball playbook and applying them to the boardroom, there should be no reason to doubt that Clemons himself will do very well as the Argos CEO.

I ask him whether motivational speaking to top executives at leadership conferences has prepped him for his new role.

“Through the conferences I have attended, I’ve received a vast set of experiences that I can draw upon. I’ve also read and learned about the victories and tribulations of other companies and I’ve learned from the best and the brightest. I always look at my friend Mario Forgione (former owner of Mississauga Ice Dogs) who started at the bottom of the ladder and rose all the way to the top to become CEO of his company.”

The vantage point of becoming a coach, after being a player, is that you know both sides. You understand the game from different angles, and hence are able to apply that leadership role to people who naturally respect where you have come from.

The transition to office however is somewhat different. “Leading a football team, and leading an office staff, are two distinctly different cultures,” admits Clemons. “However, similarities exist. Both (roles) must be properly managed, and you must have the ability to engage people with a compelling vision.”

When you are as good as Clemons, with his track record, it’s easy to imagine that his phone is constantly ringing with offers. And indeed they have been coming in, from all over the globe, but for almost 20 years, Florida-born Clemons had continued to call Toronto home. I can’t help but wonder why he was never drawn back to the US. I ask him what the phrase, ‘American by birth, Canadian by choice’ means to him.

“It’s a phrase that a former alumni, Brian Warren, chose, and it resonates deeply with me. Although I was born in the United States and I have a lot of pride in my upbringing there, I chose the greatest country to settle in and call home, Canada.”

Outside of being the driving force of the Argos for two decades, Pinball’s contributions to the city are too numerous to list. Between motivational speaking at conferences, his tireless work with schools and community groups, and his endless devotion to charities and foundations, one must ask where he finds the time and what does he get out of doing so much?

“Happiness. True happiness and satisfaction in life comes when you go out of the way. When you stop putting yourself first. Life is about people and family. To give is to live.”

How much of a role do factors like family and faith play in him being the leader he is today?

“My faith is the basis of who I am, even before family, in that it’s the way that I conduct myself, which allows me to be a good husband and father. The same can be said for leaders, because without beliefs and faith, there is no leader.”

The term workaholic comes to mind, and I get the impression that relaxing is low on his schedule of things to do, especially with the Argos home opener quickly approaching.

“I don’t like to relax very often, but when I do, I love to travel, and get out with my family.”

As I clench my ticket in hand for gameday, I start to think of the monumental journey Clemons is embarking on once the regular season kicks off on July 3. As a diehard Argonaut fan, there is absolutely no one else you would want at the helm of the ship. As a Pinball fan, given his prowess at anything he does, you have to think, what next?

“My next move is to see how good a team we can field this year in addition to offering a stadium feel we can be proud of. At this point, I want to focus on the here and now and develop and grow in my new position. To look past this is wasted time.”