Business growth – The Mentors Radio

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jim Steeg, known publicly as “Mr. Super Bowl” and credited with transforming the Super Bowl from a singular championship to a multi-day extravaganza. While many books have been written about Super Bowl games, never has one been written about how the Super Bowl itself became the greatest sporting event created in the twentieth century. Only one person can tell that story definitively, and that is Jim Steeg, who joins host Dan Hesse to give The Mentors Radio show audience a sneak peak into his upcoming book.   Publicly known as “Mr. Super Bowl,” Jim spent almost four decades at the upper-most management levels in professional football, twenty-six of those years leading the NFL’s Special Events Department. During that time, he transformed the Super Bowl from a simple singular championship football game into a multi-day entertainment, marketing, and media extravaganza, as well as a beloved “national holiday.” In his book, entitled Super!, Jim chronicles the history, growth, and behind-the-scenes making of the Super Bowl, with lessons from which we can all learn, including how to build a lasting institution. Currently a consultant across both collegiate and professional sports, Steeg resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In his yet-to-be-released book, Super!, Jim chronicles the history, growth, and behind-the-scenes making of the Super Bowl over his tenure, with many never-before-told stories, humorous anecdotes, and poignant moments. He takes readers behind the NFL’s velvet rope on Super Bowl Sunday, as well as the days, months, and years leading up to kickoff. He lets you in on the brainstorming, decision making, politics, issues, and problem-solving that go along with being the one man in charge of the world’s biggest one-day event. Sharing keen observations, revealing moments and thought-provoking conversations with an impressive who’s who of the NFL, sports, entertainment, television, government, and politics, Jim Steeg joins Dan to pull back the curtain for the first time.

JIM STEEG:

In today’s episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ron Friedman, PhD, award-winning social psychologist, keynote speaker, human motivation expert, and best-selling author, about what the Top 8% of elite teams do that others don’t, from ER rooms, to NFL teams to Wall Street firms. Every executive board in the country talks about culture, collaboration, and high performance. Yet the average knowledge worker spends nearly thirty (30) hours a week drowning in meetings and messages, leaving barely one day to do actual work. We’ve been told the answer is more connectivity, trendy perks, and constant togetherness. But what if almost everything corporate America preaches about teamwork is statistically dead wrong? Dr. Ron Friedman analyzed more than 100,000 data points across elite organizations—from emergency rooms and NFL locker rooms to Wall Street firms—to uncover what the top 8% of teams do that the other 92% miss. Ron Friedman earned a PhD and MA in Social and Personality Psychology from the University of Rochester. His academic and leadership roles including serving on the faculties of the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart andWilliam Smith Colleges. He is the founder of Superteams, Inc. and ignite80, and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company and Forbes. Dr. Ron Friedman is also the best-selling author of The Best Place to Work, and his landmark new book is Super Teams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO broadcast on Salem Radio in San Francisco, via live-streaming on iHeart Radio worldwide or anytime, on ANY podcast platform, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, iTunes, TuneIN, Stitcher, Google Play and all the others. Sign up for the podcast here.

RON FRIEDMAN, PhD:

Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, host Dan Hesse talks with General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Army General (Ret.), Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan, Leader of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), co-founder and CEO of McChrystal Group, and noted, best-selling author of several books. A one-of-a-kind leader with a new perspective on collaboration and teamwork, General Stan McChrystal is known for helping organizations tap into the potential of their people to better compete in a complex and interconnected world. Following thirty-four years of service in the U.S. Army—including as commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan and commander of the nation’s premier counter-terrorism force— General McChrystal delivers his unique blend of on-the- ground experience with decades of leadership to provide practical insight and wisdom to help organizations transform and succeed in challenging, dynamic environments. General McChrystal now leads the McChrystal Group as its founder and CEO, which helps organizations of all types transform how their people, processes, and technology work together to unlock greater speed and adaptability. As the author of several best-selling books, General McChrystal latest examines the character of leaders and what makes someone who they are and, importantly, how they will be remembered. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO broadcast on Salem Radio in San Francisco, via live-streaming on iHeart Radio worldwide or anytime, on ANY podcast platform, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, iTunes, TuneIN, Stitcher, Google Play and all the others. Sign up for the podcast here.

GENERAL STANLEY “STAN” McCHRYSTAL, General Ret., U.S. Army:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Dr. Rick Eigenbrod, noted executive psychologist, Vistage International Chair and best-selling author, about what happens when achievement becomes an obsessive trap. They examine the illusion of “happily ever after,” the disorientation that strikes when you reach the top, and what comes next when you finally get what you want. From our earliest childhood, every fairy tale feeds us the same seductively simple script: Conquer the obstacle, rescue the prize, slay the dragon, and you will live “happily ever after.” In our adult lives—especially in corporate America—that myth gets rebranded into the grand narrative of success: sacrifice everything, hit your numbers, achieve status, sell your business or reach the top of the ladder, and all your problems will vanish. Yet, countless leaders arrive at that finish line only to discover the fairy tale is a delusion. When the goal is finally achieved, the celebration fades, and what follows is often an unexpected, terrifying void: an abrupt loss of structure, meaning, and identity. Dr. Rick Eigenbrod brings a rare and powerful perspective to this dilemma: He holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and began his career teaching abnormal psychology and directing student mental health at University of California Davis. He went on to spend more than twenty (20) years as a Vistage International Chair, leading CEO peer groups and addressing more than 500 Vistage groups nationwide as a premier resource speaker. In addition, Rick has guided enterprise leadership development and cultural change inside global titans such as Google, AT&T, United Healthcare, and the Hewlett Foundation. Dr. Eigenbrod co-authored the influential Yale School of Management case study, “What’s Next? The Entrepreneur’s Epilogue and the Paradox of Success“, and is the author of the definitive book on this exact transition: “What Happens When You Get What You Want?” LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

DR. RICK EIGENBROD:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Peter Banko, CEO of Baystate Health and author of “The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence and Compassion“. In this conversation, Peter joins Dan to explain why firing the right people is not only ethical, but often necessary for the well-being of the company and especially for its employees. Peter is the CEO of Baystate Health, which is a connected ecosystem of 13,000 caregivers who individually and together are on a mission to redefine health and health care.  Baystate Health is a not-for-profit, integrated health system serving more than 800,000 individuals in western Massachusetts with a service area stretching from Connecticut to Vermont. Baystate’s mission is to deliver compassionate, quality and accessible care. Listen to episode below, or on ANY PODCAST PLATFORM here. BE SURE TO LEAVE US A GREAT REVIEW on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share with friends and colleagues!

PETER BANKO:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, HOST DAN HESSE talks with CECILIA KANG, award-winning journalist and co-author of An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination. In this book, Kang takes us inside Meta (Facebook’s parent company), explains the company’s decisions over the years and the impact Meta has had—and still has—on our privacy, on the news users receive, and on the mental health of young people. The conversation in this episode took place before the $17 billion settlement between Meta and many State Attorney Generals.  Cecilia is an award-winning National Correspondent at The New York Times where she reports on the intersection of technology and public policy. She was part of a team that won the Gerald Loeb and George Polk awards for their coverage of Facebook and were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Cecilia frequently appears on national television and radio as a commentator on technology and entertainment, and she is passionate about exposing the impacts and implications of technology on society, politics and culture. Listen to episode below, or on ANY PODCAST PLATFORM here. BE SURE TO LEAVE US A GREAT REVIEW on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share with friends and colleagues!

CECILIA KANG:

In today’s episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Patrick Lencioni, the world’s foremost thought leader on organizational health, about what makes an excellent leader, the critical importance of focusing on responsibility-centered leadership that is service-driven, other-driven vs. self-serving, reward-centered leadership. You’ll learn how this difference affects—and transforms—literally everything in an organization. His many best-selling books have sold more than 10 million copies and are translated into more than 30 languages. These books are short, immediately engaging and powerful, focusing on how to reduce organizational politics, silos, confusion and dysfunction while increasing organizational clarity, alignment and productivity. Pat’s current focus is on why some leaders have an unconscious unwillingness to do the difficult tasks and confront the challenging situations required to bring about a healthier and more productive organization. During this lively episode, Pat talks about his career, his observations and team-, individual- and business-changing solutions, and about his new, simple and EASY “Working Genius” assessment tool that enables anyone to increase their contribution to work and life by overcoming their unconscious unwillingness to do difficult tasks and confront challenging situations. It’s a game-changer, and immediately useful. Listen to episode below, or on ANY PODCAST PLATFORM here. BE SURE TO LEAVE US A GREAT REVIEW on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share with friends and colleagues!

PATRICK LENCIONI:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio Show, Host Tom Loarie talks with distinguished psychoanalyst Dr. James Hollis to discuss why a person might achieve what he or she wants in this life and still feel miserable? Hollis is the author of 19 books including Living Between Worlds, What Matters Most, and his top-selling Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life. He is well known for translating the profound teachings of Carl Jung into practical wisdom for our everyday lives. He has a gift for challenging us each to think more deeply and purposefully about our own lives, our own purpose and how we fit into this journey of life. He really understands people at a profound level, how we can become unconsciously “stuck” in ways we feel but don’t know what to do about it. You don’t want to miss this invaluable learning and mentoring opportunity…it literally can be a catalyst to change you and your life for the good, in ways you didn’t recognize on the surface. It can literally change your life, your trajectory, your happiness!

Listen to episode below, or on ANY PODCAST PLATFORM here. BE SURE TO LEAVE US A GREAT REVIEW on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share with friends and colleagues!

The Personal Myth in Turbulent Times – James Hollis, PhD. EXCELLENT! The longer you listen, the more absolutely excellent it is. Very enlightening. – The Mentors Radio

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Bengt Holmström, the Emeritus Paul A. Samuelson Professor of Economics at MIT, to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of receiving the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics for his contributions to contract theory. His research has advanced the understanding of incentives, organizations, corporate governance, and financial liquidity. Bengt is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society, and a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. He received his Ph.D. from Stanford and before MIT, he held faculty appointments at Yale and Northwestern. Dr. Holmstrom explains why factors that are hard to measure usually drive better behavior in incentive plans than those that are easy to measure.  He mentors his students that asking the right questions is far more important than answering questions. A self-described “AI optimist,” he considers the AI companion he has created, Charlie, clever and life-enriching.  LISTEN TO this radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or go to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

BENGT HOLMSTRÖM:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jim Tracy, founder and Chairman of the Legacy Companies and former CEO of Legacy Telecommunications, to discuss the importance of purpose and culture in business. Jim Tracy has been called the “Curator of Culture” and is also known as “The Grampion,” the title of his podcast, for his stories reflecting real life leadership experience. Legacy Telecommunications, where he served as CEO, is an infrastructure and technology services firm is a company he co-founded to make his son’s work safer. Prior to this, Jim spent 16 years leading firms in the manufacturing, sales and distribution of engineered construction products internationally. He was inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame in 2021, honored with the Bill Carlson Lifetime Service Award from NATE in 2022, and received the Business ICON of Idaho Award in 2024. He has also been recognized for his volunteerism including Habitat for Humanity, Ducks Unlimited and SIPA. His best-selling book, “Building Men – Character Lessons From Influencers” has garnered widespread praise from critics and won multiple prestigious awards leading to a three-book deal with Morgan James Publishing. His next work, Management by Cliché publishes soon. LISTEN TO this radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or go to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

JIM TRACY