Disney+ has uploaded some great episodes of ESPN’s 30 for 30 in the last couple of months. 30 for 30 is a series of 120 sports documentaries that ESPN put together from 2009-2020. The Last Dance, the epic story of the Chicago Bulls 6th NBA championship, was part of the series.

Ric Flair

One of the more compelling stories I have seen out of the 30 for 30 series is Nature Boy on the professional wrestler and entertainer Ric “the Nature Boy” Flair. Many consider Flair the greatest professional wrestler ever. Officially, Flair is recognized by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a 16-time world champion — 8-time National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion, 6-time World Championship Wrestling (WCW) World Heavyweight Champion, and two-time WWF Champion.

Richard Fliehr was born on February 25, 1949, in Memphis, Tennessee. At the age of 23, he adopted the name Ric Flair and started his professional wrestling career in the midwest and Japan. In 1975 he survived a small plane crash which broke his back in three places and killed the pilot. Doctors told him he would never wrestle again. After a vigorous physical training program, he returned to the ring after only three months.

During his five decades of wrestling, Flair was usually the bad guy or “heel.” He wore ornate robes into the ring and claimed to live the life of a millionaire. At one point in time, he wrestled a part of the group The Four Horseman — Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, and Tully Blanchard. Over the years he wrestled in the WCW, WWF, WCW again, WWF/WWE again, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, the WWE again, and All Elite Wrestling leagues.

Flair did and continues to live hard and party hard. In the episode, he claimed to drink 10 beers and five cocktails every day he was on the road wrestling. To date, he has been married five times. He has been accused of sexual assault by flight attendant Heidi Doyle. He has four children, including Ashley Fliehr, known in the WWE Ring as “Charlotte Flair.” She also is a “heel” and uses some of her father’s moves and catchphrases. Flair struggles to manage his money. Despite 50 years of wrestling, his net worth is estimated to be $500,000. In contrast, Hulk Hogan is estimated to be worth $25 million. In 2017 he had major medical issues.

In short, Ric Flair has led a complicated life. But, Flair’s real gift was the ability to create memorable catch-phrases. Catch-phrases are one way that leaders can help inculcate a culture in their organization.

Ric Flair’s Famous Catch-Phrases:

• “Woooo!!!”

• “I'm Ric Flair! The stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' and dealin' son of a gun."

• "To be the man, you gotta beat the man."

• "Diamonds are forever and so is Ric Flair."

• "I bleed like nobody else."

• “Last year I spent more money, on spilled liquor, in bars from one side of this world to the other, than you made!"

• “I spent more money on one robe than guys spend in five years."

• "My shoes are worth more...than your house!"

• “All the women want to be with me, all the men want to be like me.”

• “I'm every woman's dream and every man's nightmare.”

Conclusion

Need an entertaining keynote speech for your next group event? Let’s talk about booking the leadership lessons of Ric Flair for your next off-site or corporate retreat.

In the meantime, go on the offense and use great catch-phrases, like Ric Flair. Woooo!!!