JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When the Jaguars hired James Gladstone, the young general manager’s intelligence and unique style of communicating immediately impressed. His honesty and vision were a breath of fresh air for many. He seemed to embody the very things that he was looking for in his players and staff, intangibly rich people who were unapologetically themselves.
Gladstone comes off as wise beyond his years. His philosophy on life and as a leader are that of someone far older and more experienced. Yet, it’s organic and honest. Taking walks to clear his head in order to make the correct decision is just one example of that. It is what ended up helping him make the decision to trade for Travis Hunter.
In a recent exclusive interview, Action Sports Jax’s Brent Martineau asked James Gladstone where his leadership philosophy comes from and how much originates from his former mentor Les Snead.
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“Who I am is a credit to anybody that I’ve ever really come in contact with and the people that I really lean into most. It goes back back to my parents, my family members, my friends, really my coaches growing up,” said Gladstone.
“And certainly by the time that I got into this space, this line of work, it was easy to turn to Les [Snead] and look at Les as the example. So yeah, there’s a ton that I point to Les in particular about my modes of operation, the ways I handle business,” Gladstone continued.
Gladstone mentions it was Snead’s ability to be unapologetically himself and ability to let others do so as well that fostered his own belief to follow that same mindset. Even so, it would be naive to assume Gladstone will operate in the same way Snead does. He’s very much his own person.
Martineau followed it up by asking Gladstone about his style of communication and where that comes from. Gladstone mentioned the impact his father had on him growing up. He remembers his dad commanding a room as a storyteller. It was an inspiration for him going forward.
“I point that back to my father. I remember him as a football coach, him as a teacher, being able to be in moments where he was in small group settings and to be able to so vividly paint a visual
for what he was trying to get across always caught me. It always drew me in,” Gladstone told Martineau.
“I think a lot of it started there. Oh, this can be done really well, explicitly when it came to the realm of coaching. It doesn’t have to be where there is all this uncertainty. There can be this transparency, this directness, but also this graceful approach to ensure that it is not something that gets in the way,” he added.
There’s a sense of both confidence and humility in his speech. The path, his mindset, his approach seem to all reassure him of his decisions, while he’s never one to forget all those who have helped him along the way. He told Action Sports Jax, he knows his success is a reflection on everyone who’s helped him along the way.
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In the last couple of weeks alone, the Jaguars GM has made three trades to help build depth on this Jacksonville roster. Where some general managers or coaches might think the job is done once the offseason concludes, Gladstone is always looking for ways to continue to improve the roster.
His relationship with Liam Coen and the rest of the staff is a big part of that and something he doesn’t take for granted, even if it delays the trade itself. It’s important for everyone in the building to be on the same page and have the same vision.
“Usually there’s some delays in between there and people want to take a moment to think deeper about it. For those who are rooted in collaboration like we are, I’m not just going to go do something without taking the time to work through it deeply with those that are involved in the process,” stated Gladstone
“Making sure that there is clear vision, understanding the why, what it can do for us in the future, all those types of things have to be worked through before you can make a decision and pull the trigger,” Gladstone carried on.
Martineau asked Gladstone if he had any regrets or reservations about the assets traded away in the Travis Hunter trade or his remarks afterwards about Hunter changing the game of football itself. It possibly put even more pressure on Gladstone, Hunter, and the team. His answer was a resounding no, not at all.
“To speak it into existence isn’t something I’m scared of because it’s what we are trying to do.
It’s transparent. I think that our fanbase is going to appreciate that in particular, knowing that when they hear from us, they are not going to hear anything other than what we believe to be the truth and the best thing for us,” noted Gladstone.
It comes right back to him being unapologetically himself. He fully believes in himself, his process, and this staff to make the right decisions. Even so, as he stated, the job is never finished. There’s still plenty of work left to be done
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