The All-Star Leader Podcast

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In Part II of our conversation, Tim dives into strategic planning, goals and caring for others.  

1. How do you go about implementing mission, vision, and core values so that the people within your department know, understand and execute on them?
   1. When he first arrived he met with each coach. Told them they would get a questionnaire asking each of them about the state of the program. Strengths? Opportunities? What can be done in the next 90 days to improve your program.
   2. And then what are five or six common traits that define the A&M-Commerce athletic program.
   3. Over 18 people, there were 60/70 different terms. But there were 10 or 12 that emerged. The entire group picked out five: innovate, determination, respect, passion and excellence. PRIDE is the acronym.
   4. Important to add specific targets/goals that are measurable. Look out over three years (five is too long).
   5. Put a coach and an administrator as the co-chairs of each of six major goals.
   6. Prepares a quarterly report on progress toward the goals and provides it to the president.
   7. (Putting together measurable goals that can help you know how you’re doing)
   8. He’s very fortunate to be working on the NCAA Division II Women and Minorities Mentoring Institute. His mentee is working on her university’s strategic plan team and leaned on Tim for help.
2. As the leader of the department, how do you balance the goal of winning against the sometimes competing goals of doing things the right way, emphasizing academics, etc.?
   1. When they came up with their core values, and narrowed it down to those four to five ( by the way four to five core values are your sweet spot for people to remember, think about and implement), there were several other terms that were left behind. Integrity was one of those, but it was left out because it is so fundamental to a healthy organization, like oxygen, that without it the core values wouldn’t even matter. It is beyond/above the core values. You need to just do/have integrity.
   2. The other term that almost became a core value was initiative. He demonstrates this to younger staff by showing how he prepares for meetings with his president. Never want the president to be surprised, and want the president’s job re: athletics to be as easy as possible.
   3. Maya Angelou quote: “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Know and take care of the custodian who cleans your building.
      1. Surprised the men’s basketball coaches during the interview process: asked the name of who cleaned their office.
      2. Mack Rhoades (Baylor AD) always asks this.
3. Rapid Fire Questions (one word/phrase answers)
   1. Name one trait or characteristic you want to see in a colleague.
      1. The Golden Rule
   2. What habit has been key to your success?
      1. loyalty
   3. Most important app or productivity tool?
      1. Evernote
   4. Resource recommendation (book, podcast, etc.)
      1. All-Star Leader Podcast Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
   5. One bit of parting advice for our audience?
      1. Be intentional and sincere

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

Tim talks coaching searches, finding your why, and vision.   Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we are joined by the athletic director at Texas A&M-Commerce, Tim McMurray. Tim is in his third year with the Lions, after nearly three decades of service in senior level roles at Maryland, SMU, Northern Illinois, Texas State and Lamar. He has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share with us, and it is my privilege to host him on the show today. This is Tim McMurray; Tim thanks for coming on the show! Interview Questions:

1. Tim you’ve had the chance to experience the college athletics world several different institutions. Could you walk us through some of the key leadership lessons you picked up at a couple of those stops?
   1. Got hired at Lamar right after undergrad, and stayed there eight years mostly in athletic communications/PR
   2. Lots of great experience that he couldn’t have had at larger schools
   3. Built relationships and learned from great mentors like Mike O’Brien
   4. Not curing cancer, but might be educating the kid who’s going to
   5. Fortunate to work for Coach Jim Wacker at Texas State
   6. Then able to really grow with Jim Phillips at Northern Illinois (sport administrator); involved in football and men’s basketball searches
   7. The fact he had been at Lamar and Texas State prepared him well for the Texas A&M Commerce; how to work with smaller staff and budget
   8. A&M Commerce is one of 10 or 15 Division II schools who can be the next Grand Valley
   9. (follow up on how to connect to your purpose) men of faith and important to know/remember your why. Student-athletes and staff members are his why. And it won’t be the same for everyone. Keep reminders around you (pictures, prayer, etc.).
   10. (Daniel with a law school mock interview example of how someone may not realize their why even though they have it. And how to pull it out).
2. Let’s talk about Division II for a moment. Those who are regular listeners to the show know that I was a Division II AD at Western Oregon, but share if you would what drew you to the division and what you see as its positive/defining characteristics.
   1. While working in development at different schools, hardly got to spend any time with student-athletes (as opposed to when he started in communications), wanted to get back in touch with the student-athletes.
   2. As a candidate for the AD job, went over to Commerce from Dallas for the football home opener to “secret shop.” Wanted to show the committee that he wanted the Commerce job; not just an AD job.
   3. Recently hired a basketball coach. Had several great finalists with head coaching experience. But one finalist who hadn’t been a HC really showed him how much he wanted this job.
   4. VPs at Commerce want them to win and be successful. Treat VPs/Deans like they are a major donor and part of the family. (UCF’s Danny White recently said something similar at the Collegiate Athletics Leadership Symposium).
   5. (What did the basketball coach do to show he wanted the Commerce job?) Asked if his head coach could call Tim. Didn’t overdo it. Prepared, but not with a cookie cutter book where you just cut and paste the team logo. Had a recruiting board for who he would want to go after at Commerce (high school kids, juco kids and four year transfers). The sincerity of being interested in this job is what put him over the top.
      1. (This comes up a lot because while it sounds like common sense and everyone should do it, people don’t).
3. You mentioned in an interview when you got the Commerce job that the biggest thing that attracted you to it was the vision of the president. Can you elaborate on that and tell us specifically what that vision was, and how the president was able to sell you on his vision?
   1. When you’re interviewing for an AD job, you may only get a little time with your boss/the president. There are so many people to meet with. So it’s important to make the most of that time, and to make sure you get to hear from the president rather than just you talking the whole time.
   2. Asked direct questions. What happens when we don’t have success? What is your philosophy on getting started? President let Tim do what he needed to do so long as it was within rules and budget.
   3. Only able to work with the president who hired him for a few months before he tragically passed away.
   4. New president had worked with the prior president at another school, so he could understand and relate to those who worked for the prior president. Helped in the transition.
   5. When you have the right president, who thinks athletics is important and that it matters, you can accomplish great things.
   6. Wants to provide a best in class experience. Who is your model? Who do you want to catch? Set a goal and go get them! Constantly measure and test.

Drexel shares leadership lessons from Navy Football and the Marine Corps.  

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today I didn’t have to go far to bring a great guest to you. Drexel King works just across campus from me in Baylor University’s Leadership and Learning department.

Drexel is a graduate of the prestigious United States Naval Academy, where he also played defensive back for the Midshipmen and led them to bowl games in each of his four seasons. His career prior to joining Baylor in 2016 includes stints in the Navy athletic department as well as platoon commander and officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he led troops in Afghanistan. This is Drexel King. Drexel thanks so much for coming on the show!

Interview Questions:

1. We’re going to get into your story, but first off tell us about Baylor’s Leadership and Learning department and what you are up to over there.
   1. January start after the Marine Corps
   2. Staff development / leadership development / team building
   3. Creating/delivering content; staff retreats
2. Tell us how you found your way to the Naval Academy, and what your college experience was like.
   1. Dad was in the Army; handed him a brochure for West Point as he was nearing high school graduation
   2. Knew he needed a different / more structured college experience
   3. Naval Academy was a perfect fit; chance to play football; chance to test yourself and also serve the country
   4. How were you self-aware enough to make that choice?
      1. Was from North Carolina and lots of friends were going to the state schools; he was open to leaving the state
      2. Knowing himself; high school was very regimented and he fit in well; school/homework/sports/bed…fit well with his personality to go to the Naval Academy
   5. What was the college experience like?
      1. Wanted a challenge/test himself; chose English as a major even though math/science was his strength
      2. Went to prep school first in Rhode Island
      3. Four year grind; marathon not a sprint
      4. Not going home in the summer; you’re training – either for the military or for football
      5. Assumed some leadership responsibilities there; set himself up for success
3. Navy tends to play a demanding schedule against teams who, on paper, are bigger and faster. Over your career you played schools like Stanford and Notre Dame, in addition to bowl games against Utah and Boston College. Yet you won many of those games. How does that happen and what are some keys to prevailing against long odds?
   1. Navy recruited athletes who were good but too short/slow for larger schools; this helped develop a chip on the shoulder
   2. Most teams felt like they should beat Navy
   3. We’re going to outwork/outhustle/fight with everything we have; the bonds the team had made them closer than other teams
   4. Know what sacrifice feels like and looks like; how to sacrifice for your team
   5. What about tactics and strategy
      1. Execute what we do better than you do
      2. You can do whatever you want, but it is man to man; weapon to weapon; line up and see who is better
4. You spent some time as a coach after your playing days concluded. What are a couple of things that maybe surprised you or that you saw for the first time as a coach that you were unaware of as a player?
   1. Night and day being on the coaching side versus as a player
   2. Learned he never wanted to coach; seven days/week for most (though Navy now doesn’t allow coaches in the building on Sunday)
   3. Your livelihood is dependent on 18-22 year olds
   4. Tenured staff at Navy so very special place; Showtime feature “The Season”
5. Describe the pathway from the Naval Academy to the Marine Corps (many might think you automatically go from the Academy to the Navy.
   1. Three primary service academies commissioning schools: Air Force, West Point, Naval Academy.
   2. The Marine Corps is a department within the Navy.
   3. From the Naval Academy you can go a lot of directions (Navy Officer, Marines, Submarines, Naval Aviator, SEALS)
6. In the Marine Corps you had the opportunity to both serve under leaders and lead teams of people yourself.
   1. What are some of the traits or characteristics that you saw in the best leaders you served under?
      1. Marines all about professionalism; always faithful is the motto; always pride; getting the job done; discipline; tough
      2. Easy transition from Navy football to the Marines
      3. Leaders were extremely selfless; post-911 Marines who signed up are the best of America; they lay it on the line and make the ultimate sacrifice
   2. Talk about the difference in leadership styles between the drill sergeant and the officer.
      1. What officers are doing is training the trainer
      2. You are leading the leaders who are leading the group
      3. Officers are rare; and the infantry doesn’t see you much of the time; so you have to perform well when they do
   3. What are some that were present in leaders who weren’t as successful?
      1. New leaders struggle with wanting to be liked, and are susceptible to crossing boundaries
      2. More advanced leaders need to demonstrate humility and vulnerability; causes him to take a second or two after observing/hearing something before passing judgment
      3. Proximity helps with this; the farther away the more vulnerable you can/should be. If up close you need to be more aware of how much you let them see.
7. How do you balance planning with taking action?
   1. Circumstantial
   2. As a leader, you have to be able to do both. If your team is full of go-getters, you need to plan; if you have a team of planners you need to go.
   3. Marines you have to have a bias toward action; you won’t ever get to 100% certainty before having to make a decision.
   4. Deal with consequences, learn from it and move on
   5. You have to zoom in and zoom out
      1. Gotta know you care before I care about what you know
      2. If you’re caring for your people, you need to know what they’re doing and what they’re feeling
      3. Leaders eat last (Simon Sinek book based on it) in the Marines; leaders serve first, and evaluate the morale of the people
      4. Have to zoom in for all this; but then you can’t stay there
      5. You have to zoom back out and apply what you’ve learned to influence
8. How should leaders break down their teams in terms of how many people are under each leader
   1. Jesus kept it to 12; then had more intimate connection with 4
   2. Marines it is 3; you’re always only leading three people; this gives people ability to lead and empowered to make decisions
   3. Empower at the lowest level possible; they are the ones closest to the situation
      1. Jesus to Paul to Timothy
      2. What about flat organizations?
         1. But decisions are not having to go up and down a bureaucracy if you empower at lower levels, so the layers of leadership and structure don’t create bloat and slowness
         2. Corporations have an advantage in some ways because they can recruit to their culture (versus the military where you get what you get)
         3. Commanders Intent: with each mission you get the purpose and the end state. This allows soldiers to accomplish the end state by different means if circumstances demand it.
9. We’re hearing more and more about how to best lead the Millennial generation. What thoughts do you have on that subject that might be helpful for our Baby Boomers and GenXers who are trying to lead?
   1. Information age has created immediacy of knowledge that translates
   2. People want to know more, and organizations who aren’t transparent will struggle
   3. Mentorship is desired
   4. Continuous improvement; must learn how to communicate
   5. Mistake: forcing people out when they don’t meet a standard; you have to teach people! Go and make disciples! Look for teachable moments.
      1. (Long-term v. short-term thinking)
   6. They want to be part of a cause; connect them and their work to the cause and they will be loyal
10. You are a veteran who has transitioned to a new career, and I’d love for you to share a thought or two with our veteran listeners about how they can successfully make a similar transition.
    1. Figure out what you want to do
    2. Most veterans leave their first place of employment within a year; they aren’t finding what they want
    3. Don’t sacrifice culture; you’re coming out of a special culture.
    4. Never too early to start the transition; start networking and getting to know people in the industry you want to be in
    5. Tweak your resume so military experience translates to the job you’re pursuing
11. PTSD/Mental health
    1. Huge issue
    2. People are leaving a very comforting environment (healthcare, meals, shelter, etc.) and are then on their own…and it can feel lonely.
    3. If you don’t have a support system around you it can be extremely tough and isolating
       1. Churches can be helpful
12. Rapid Fire Questions (one word/phrase answers)
    1. Name one trait or characteristic you want to see in a colleague.
       1. Humility
    2. What habit has been key to your success?
       1. Bible/prayer each morning
    3. Most important app or productivity tool?
       1. Bear Necessities – daily planner, example: name someone you’re thankful for; name a thing you’re thankful for; name something you take for granted (three positive thoughts)
    4. One bit of parting advice for our audience?
       1. Self-awareness – always evaluate yourself and remain humble; everything you think you know could be distorted or wrong

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

Coach Robbins talks about mindset, authenticity and a blue-collar work ethic that can overcome nearly all obstacles.  

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today for the first time on the show we get to hear from a college head coach, and I can’t think of anyone more fitting to be the first than Jeremiah Robbins. Jeremiah and I first met in 2010 at Western Oregon where he was the head baseball coach. While at WOU he led the Wolves to a 252-109 record, seven straight conference titles and five NCAA tournament appearances. He left Western Oregon in 2012 to take over a Lewis-Clark State College, where all he has done is take the Warriors to five NAIA national championship games, winning the 2015 2016 and 2017 crowns. More important than his on-field accomplishments, however, Coach Robbins is a tremendous leader, a man of integrity, and someone I am proud, humbled and honored to call my friend. This is Jeremiah Robbins. Coach Robbins thanks so much for coming on the show!  

Interview Questions:

1. Most important question first: does the tropical fruit enterprise continue at Lewis-Clark State? Share with the audience what your team did every year with tropical fruit sales, how they did it and what the results were? What was the purpose in having your team do that?
   1. Instead they split/deliver firewood for a fundraiser
   2. The fruit sales was a great teambuilding exercise as well as getting the athletes out in the community
   3. 150 cords of wood; deliver and stack it.
   4. (Daniel – At D2/NAIA, finances are challenging and this is important to the program. How did you come up with these unique fundraisers, and why?
      1. They wanted to have a blue-collar approach
      2. Get creative
      3. Build bonds with the community and increases attendance
      4. (Daniel – encourage teams to match their off-field activities like fundraising to their program’s identity)
2. Let’s now rewind and start at the beginning. Tell us about where you’re from, your upbringing, and when/how baseball was instilled in you.
   1. Grew up outside of Roseberg, OR
   2. Blue-collar town and family was in logging industry. Dad cut trees for 30 years
   3. Work hard, pay dues, put time in
   4. Led to disciplined, hard-nosed baseball at a young age
   5. Had some success in high school
   6. Opportunity to play in college and bounced around a few places due to grades. But got those in order and was able to finish up at Western Oregon
   7. Then jumped right into the fire as an American Legion coach immediately after finishing school/playing
   8. Struggled early on, but grew as a coach and got a JC job before moving back to WOU and then LC State.
   9. Early age is where all his qualities/characteristics were formed
   10. (Daniel – Can you speak to those who try and adopt others’ approach to coaching, etc. rather than being themselves? How important is authenticity?)
       1. Kids want real; they will see right through you in a heartbeat
       2. Very transparent; players know who he is and what he is about
       3. This breaks down walls between players and coaches and makes them feel loved
       4. Baseball is pretty simple, but the personal relationships, discipline, etc. are what separates
       5. Getting a player to trust you is harder and harder, so as a coach you have to be on your toes to connect with them
       6. Never faked anything and is always up front with his guys
       7. (Daniel – talking about Bob Stoops and getting close to your players)
3. In many ways your college career looked similar to many of the players you have recruited and coached over the years, taking advantage of opportunities at both junior colleges and four year schools before arriving your final stop. Talk a bit about your journey through those college years and how that helps you connect with your current players.
   1. Would like to change his journey since he had to bounce around because he didn’t go to class
   2. But it has given him appreciation for the kid who has struggled some early on and just needs someone to give him a second chance.
   3. They often times just need someone to put their arm around them, believe in them, help them get a degree, etc.
   4. Learned from past mistakes and has made him a better coach
   5. Flunked out of school freshman year after not going to class all fall semester; lost his baseball scholarship and had to go get a job. Worked as a logger for a year and a half before getting back into baseball.
   6. Only one in his family to have a college degree. Wound up graduating with a 3.0 GPA after starting with a .2!
   7. Degree the most important thing for players; graduation rate improving at LC State.
   8. (Daniel - How do you evaluate whether someone deserves a second chance?)
      1. There can be sticky situations, and the relationship with the player
      2. Have you done your homework as a recruiter and a head coach before bringing them to campus? Must do this work at a higher level. Can’t just make it about athletic ability and can they help you win.
      3. Once it gets into someone else’s hands (law enforcement, etc.), there’s not much he can do.
      4. Things are getting worse. Social media is limiting face to face contact which is detrimental. He doesn’t let players email professors, etc.; have to go talk face to face.
      5. Coaches aren’t investing the time required to properly screen prospective student-athletes. Sit down and talk with the kids, for a long time and not necessarily about baseball, and just learn about who they are.
      6. First four days of the fall are meetings. They don’t touch a baseball. They have to write a paper about their “why.”
      7. They aren’t perfect; have had a few issues but generally have been pretty fortunate.
      8. Eliminate shortcut mindset and promote a growth mindset a team and hard work mindset.
      9. (Daniel – all that up front work is long-term approach which may not have short-term benefits but works in the long-run and you still win!)
         1. He has shrunk practices at times down to one hour of intense/focused practice, and gets more done than two and three hour practices he used to conduct back in the day
         2. Today he is meeting with all 45 players and they aren’t even practicing at all.
         3. Sometimes more impact from a 15 minute conversation with a kid than a three hour practice
4. When you think back to your first year as the Western Oregon head baseball coach, what comes into your mind? What do you think you did well or right, and what maybe causes you to say “what was I thinking?!”
   1. Was the associate HC when the HC had to resign immediately before the season, so he was named the interim.
   2. Had immediate success
   3. But looking back he was so wrapped up in the game that he didn’t take time to enjoy it. Still struggles with that today, but is working on it.
   4. The personal relationships are the most important. His national championship is getting emails from past players.
5. You’ve now had tremendous success at two different institutions, and at least at WOU you did so with very limited resources. How have you been able to accomplish so much with the odds stacked against you?
   1. Hard work
   2. Surround yourself with good people; you can overcome a lot with this.
   3. Coaching is not a one-man show; have a support staff of coaches/administrators who believe in what you’re doing.
   4. Don’t let a lack of resources be your scapegoat or excuse for not achieving. Compete. Have a growth mindset. It’s not about the scholarship but about playing baseball and getting a degree.
   5. Have a chip on your shoulder and use that as motivation against the better-funded schools.
   6. See challenges as motivation rather than obstacles.
   7. Go get athletes who aren’t after the scholarship, but instead those who want the LC State experience and community.
   8. (Daniel – lots of your players have been drafted into MLB, so you’re getting talented guys)
6. How do you approach balancing success at work and success at home?
   1. Feels like he has failed at this, and feels bad for his wife and boys
   2. But working on it and getting better at it
   3. Wife has been biggest supporter
   4. This summer took a full week to just be together as a family; so setting aside time is important.
   5. When you’re home, trying to leave your job at the office
   6. All goes back to mindset. Recently reading much less about baseball and much more about mindset. Angela Duckworth (Grit), Carol Dweck (Mindset), Daniel Coyle (The Talent Code) all are authors he’s reading now. This helps at home in addition to coaching.
7. Rapid Fire Questions (one word/phrase answers)
   1. Name one trait or characteristic you want to see in a colleague.
      1. Honesty
   2. What habit has been key to your success?
      1. Mindset
   3. Most important app or productivity tool?
      1. iPad app for Facetiming family and videoing hitters
   4. Resource recommendation (book, podcast, etc.)
      1. Extreme Ownership – Jacqo ; Lee Babin
   5. One bit of parting advice for our audience?
      1. Hard work and love.
8. Final question: tell us what we can expect from your team this year!
   1. Whole new team – 7 guys drafted off of last year’s team (none were previously drafted so all developed while at LC State)
   2. Great mindset and ready to go.

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

  Daniel uses Seinfeld, The West Wing, and past interviews to talk about leadership as influence.   Outline:

1. Seinfeld clip demonstrating influence (link): eating dessert with a knife/fork.
2. Daniel bio
3. Main theme from John Maxwell: defines leadership as influence
   1. Can always influence regardless of positional authority
   2. The Wave at sporting events is an example of this - influencing those in your orbit to then influence others outside your orbit and so on.
   3. Houston/Harvey citizen rescuers
   4. West Wing clip also demonstrating the power of influencing those close to us (link).
   5. Daniel shares a leadership failure from his WOU AD days.
   6. Team captains are good examples because they don't become leaders after being named captain; they were leaders and therefore named captains
4. Specifics on how to influence effectively (based 21 Great Leaders: Learn Their Lessons, Improve Your Influence by the Orlando Magic's Pat Williams)
   1. Vision (Walt Disney, Nelson Mandela)
      1. Tim Selgo from Anchor Up
   2. Communication (Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, MLK)
      1. Joe Castiglione clip on instilling values/culture into his team, and the importance of doing this daily.
   3. People Skills (Sam Walton, FDR)
      1. Gary Vaynerchuk's Crush It has a chapter that is entirely one word: Care
   4. Character
      1. Jamy Bechler's The Leadership Playbook: story about Bobby Jones taking a penalty stroke when he could have gotten away with not. "They might as well praise me for not robbing a bank."
      2. David Chadwick's Dean Smith book
         1. Honor God before all else
         2. Not afraid to fail
         3. Extreme humility
   5. Competence (Bill Gates, Dwight Eisenhower)
      1. Back to the West Wing clip. Ainslee displayed competence
   6. Boldness (Rosa Parks, Harry Truman)
   7. Serving Heart (Mother Theresa, Ghandi)
      1. Sports agent Kelli Masters on taking her players on mission trips
      2. Luke 22:24-27 - 24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

Jon packs a lot into a short episode, from optimism and vision to grit and a growth mindset.  

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we welcome to the show leadership expert Jon Gordon.

Jon is a speaker, trainer, and best-selling author who has worked with professional sports coaches and teams all over the country. His latest book is titled The Power of Positive Leadership: How and why positive leaders transform teams and Organizations around the world. This is Jon Gordon. Jon thanks so much for being with us!

Interview Questions:

1. First off tell us a bit about your background and how you became the leadership expert you are today.
   1. Wrote a book called The Energy Bus 10 years ago; about using positivity and removing negativity
   2. Led to speaking engagements and opportunities to hear from teams and organizations what they were going through
   3. This led to other books and a focus on leadership
   4. Considers himself a teacher second and a student first
2. Define positive leadership for us, and maybe distinguish from other types of leadership.
   1. Shouldn’t have to use a qualifier
   2. You need to be positive and optimistic to effectively lead; need to have a vision for the road ahead
   3. This is not Pollyanna leadership; this type of leadership builds great teams; bring out the best in people encouraging and challenging them
   4. This is the best way to lead and the way to get results. You’re demanding but not demeaning; provide love and accountability
   5. You don’t have to choose positive without caring for results; positivity will drive results
3. I'm sure some of us listening might be thinking, “sure it's easy to be positive when things are going well, but what about when times are hard? Isn't direct/honest criticism or tough love sometimes warranted?”
   1. Like the lawn company which charged him for a bunch of trees that they never installed; Jon challenged them and they tried to settle for half the amount instead of the full refund, and then accused Jon of not being positive when he wouldn’t settle
   2. When you challenge someone they might not think you’re being positive, but that’s not the standard
   3. Love others first; once they feel that love, people will follow
   4. Dabo Swinney is a great example of this; he challenges his players but his players believe he loves them; they have a relationship; this allows him to push them and have hard conversations with them
   5. Allen Mulally said same thing: love them up, but hold them accountable to the culture and principles
4. In chapter five of your book you talk about the importance of optimism. Can you share a bit about that, and how, if at all, we balance that with a realistic picture of our circumstances?
   1. Confront the challenges knowing the adversity you’re facing
   2. Loss – learning opportunity stay strong
   3. See events in your live as learning opportunities
   4. Pessimists do not change the world; naysayers talk about problems but don’t solve them; critics write words but don’t write the future. It’s the optimists/dreamers/doers that create the future
5. And later in the same chapter you make what I think is a very key observation: when there is a lack of communication, negativity fills the void. Expand on that for us.
   1. When not communicating with your team, negativity fills the he void with gossip, complaining
   2. Instead fill the void with positive communication (honest, transparent)
   3. Uncertainty and fear is what really impacts people
   4. As a leader, you need to drive faith, certainty, comfort, love
   5. Example – superintendent talked budget cuts at a meeting that was going to involve staff reductions, and the crowd of people who could lose their jobs gave him a standing ovation. They trusted him and knew he was being transparent with them. Helped prevent negativity from seeping in.
6. Having a purpose is something that all leaders need in order to inspire others. You suggest a technique called One Word to assist with this. Tell us about that.
   1. One word will change your life. Pick a word for the year that drives you, gives you purpose, inspires you
   2. Amazing how the word shapes you and helps you live with more purpose
7. Studies are now saying that grit is the best predictor of success. How have you seen that play out work the teams you've worked with?
   1. Not talent, not title, not wealth, not looks. Grit is the number one factor. Angela Duckworth wrote a book and gave a Ted Talk about this.
   2. Positive leaders have grit; they will move forward through adversity and obstacles and will not let things stop them.
   3. Essential for leadership/success
   4. Dabo, Allen Mulally, Sara Blakely from Spanx…all display grit
   5. Can’t allow nos to hold you back; you have to move forward
   6. The Energy Bus (Jon’s first book) was rejected over 30 times; finally the book got made/carried; five years’ later it was a best seller
8. How, if at all, can we increase our grittiness? You've talked about embracing failure and I would love to hear how we do that and what its impact can be.
   1. We all have grit
   2. It’s about recognizing it in yourself
   3. It’s like growth mindset – we’re all born with it. Our circumstances change these for the negative if we let them.
   4. When Superman took off his outfit, he’s not Clark Kent, he’s always Superman because it is inside him
   5. Loving what you’re doing is a big help in bringing out our grit
9. Could you share a word with those in our audience who might just feel stuck. If they wanted to start becoming that positive leader today, what are one or two practical steps you would encourage them to take?
   1. Pull out your telescope and your microscope
   2. Telescope – big picture of what you want to do and where you want to go; vision; what’s your why?
   3. Microscope – Something tangible/practical that you can do to bring the telescope image into focus. What moves you along the journey. Without this you’re dreaming without creating.
   4. The two together are key.
   5. Gary Vaynerchuck’s Clouds and Dirt
10. Jon thank you so much for joining us today. Where can people go to connect with you and learn more about what you have going on?
    1. www.jongordon.com
    2. @jongordon11 on Twitter
    3. Book: The Power of Positive Leadership

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

 

Chris shares the keys to winning a football national championship, why it's so important as a leader to have your financial house in order, and how to buy your houses and cars.   

Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and I am more than excited to bring you today’s guest. Chris Hogan is a financial coach, best-selling author, motivational speaker, a leader within Dave Ramsey’s organization Ramsey Solutions, and a former college football national champion. He released his first book in January of 2016 titled Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age It’s a Financial Number. I looked just before this conversation and 19 months after the release the book it continues to rank #6 in its category on Amazon. This is Chris Hogan. Chris thanks so much for being with us!

Interview Questions:

1. First of all, Chris tell us a bit of your story. What was growing up like for you, and how did you find your way to playing football at Georgetown College?
   1. Grew up in big family; close-knit; competitive; lots of love/care/concern
   2. Pastor helped him find his college, which was close to home
   3. Loved the coaches and campus, and appreciated the smaller school
2. You all won a national title during your time there, which is a remarkable accomplishment. What are two or three keys that made that team special and propelled you to that level of success?
   1. Starts with the leaders; phenomenal coaches (head coach to grad assistants)
   2. Everyone was on the same page
   3. Incredible culture of winning; looked for certain individuals with certain skills/mindsets/coachability
   4. Talent! Players who could have played at larger schools
   5. Appreciation from seniors to freshman of what they were trying to accomplish; everyone knew their value and role
3. And now you’re writing bestsellers, headlining events alongside Dave Ramsey and others, and coaching everyone from young/struggling families to celebrities in their financial journeys…share with us how you got where you are today.
   1. Worked in banking and wealth management and became connected to a number of influential individuals
   2. Got to know Dave, which then led to the opportunity to join the team
   3. Trying to empower people that better is available, and give them a plan to achieve it
4. Before we go any deeper into your financial teachings, I don’t want to lose my leadership purists. Can you speak to why it is so important for leaders to get their financial house in order? Also how the principles you teach apply to other areas of a leader’s life?
   1. Money permeates all areas; impacts your business, relationship with team members and how you do business
   2. You don’t want to be needy in business, where you begin to look at customers as transactions instead of relationships
   3. If you’re focused on relationships, you’re looking to serve customers. But if purely transactional, you’re just trying to push products.
   4. So if you’re healthy financially, you can stay focused on building people
   5. You’re not just running an organization or team, your job is to help build people and help them perform better in what they do.
5. How would you describe your philosophy on money and finances? What are the key principles?
   1. Live on less than you make
   2. Have a plan for every dollar that comes in
   3. Your confidence will grow and you understand the path you’re on
   4. Be intentional; boss your money around and don’t let it control you
   5. Many people say they will wait until they make more money before they get serious; but they won’t. Your lifestyle will grow along with your income, and you’ll continue to spend more than you make.
6. What does it mean when you say retirement is not an age but rather a financial number?
   1. As he was working as a financial coach with Dave, he kept hearing people talk about an age for retirement (65, 60, etc.)
   2. But he had met a 41-year-old who had worked and saved for 24 years and was set to retire; this was an epiphany that no, retirement isn’t an age, but instead the financial number needed to allow you to do exactly what you want to do.
7. As Dave Ramsey outlines in his foreword to your book, the foundation for building toward retirement are the Baby Steps he has taught for years (disclaimer: going through Financial Peace University was required by my wife and I’s pre-marriage counselors!). Let’s highlight those real quick for those who aren’t familiar, and along the way please share why these steps are so important.
   1. Money fights are the number one cause of divorce; so we need this
   2. The baby steps are a clear road map for you to gain control of your money
      1. $1,000 emergency fund
      2. Pay off all debt with the debt snowball
      3. Save 3-6 months of expenses
      4. 10%-15% into retirement
      5. Save/pay for kids’ college
      6. Attack house
      7. Build wealth/give
   3. (Daniel – cannot out-Give God, and encourage others to give)
      1. As a Christian, resources aren’t mine and we’re just managing it
      2. Many things that you can give: talent, time
8. Another key foundation for your book are the statistics on how unprepared people are for retirement and how dependent they are upon others (whether that means family, the government, charities, etc.). Can you talk more about that and why it’s important we take control of our retirement destiny?
   1. 52% of American workers have less than $10k saved for retirement
   2. Social Security is barely enough to make a house payment
   3. We have an epidemic: people are working longer/harder than ever, and don’t have much to show for it. Debt is stealing from people’s financial future.
   4. We have to take steps to help ourselves and not hope the government will save us.
9. You refer to a Herm Edwards quote where he says that a dream without a plan isn’t a plan at all, but rather a wish. I think this is so helpful not only in finances but in any goal we’re trying to accomplish. Can you elaborate on the difference between a dream and a wish.
   1. Wishing is the sitting back/non-proactive way
   2. Dreaming is based on action, but we need a plan
   3. What am I willing to give up, in exchange for what I want to gain
10. Something your coaches used to tell you, and probably some who listen to this show use with their teams today, is “it’s not about the last play; it’s about the next play.” People will sometimes beat themselves up for past mistakes or even what they see as unbreakable flaws or bad habits, but you have something else to say to them don’t you?!
    1. It’s never too late
    2. We’ve all made mistakes; we’re all human; but don’t stare back at those mistakes
    3. Windshield is bigger than rearview mirror
    4. More opportunities ahead than what are behind
    5. Be proactive and use the time ahead of us
    6. Never too late to make a decision for your future
11. Talk to us about the importance of budgeting, and a tip or two that could help us put that piece of the puzzle into place.
    1. The budget is the roadmap to you making progress
    2. He was able to give himself a raise just by putting a budget into place and taking control of the money
    3. What do we need to live on month in/month out; what are our spending habits? Set limits on groceries/gift buying/etc.
       1. Story – took cash to the grocery store and knew exactly had much he had to spend ($150). Had a calculator with him to add up his costs through the aisles. Gets halfway through the store and accidentally clears the calculator. GROW UP MOMENT! Put everything back on the shelves and started over!
       2. Checked out at $136
    4. (Daniel talking about buying online and picking up curbside to avoid picking up unnecessary items)
       1. Chris agrees, but warns that in-home shopping generally can cause us to overspend
12. You describe five fundamentals for retiring inspired: dreaming, planning, execution, commitment and vigilance. Can you talk about the importance of dreaming about our retirement, and how to then translate that dream into a plan we can execute on?
    1. Dreaming is important because it helps us set our sights on what it is we’re working toward
    2. Is it hang out on the lake? Start a dream business? Spend more time with family? Do mission work?
    3. Getting people to tap into that and understand what they want to do and who they want to do it for; dreams motivate us more than fear prevents us
13. I love the story about your grandmother’s chili: can you relay that story and how it applies to our lives both in finances and becoming successful leaders as well?
    1. Grandmother made incredible chili
    2. One day Chris decided he was going to make it, but didn’t have the recipe and wasn’t sure of the ingredients
    3. Went and got what he thought went in it and basically made chili-colored glue; it was terrible
    4. He called her and she laughed; she gave him the recipe and also coached him as to the timing – helped him vastly improve his chili
    5. We have to follow a plan in order to succeed; if I don’t control my finances, I could end up anywhere
14. I want our audience to walk away from this show with specific/practical advice they can apply to major expenditures most of us have. The first is housing and the second is cars
    1. Housing – What should we be thinking when it comes to renting versus buying our homes, and if buying, how to finance it.
       1. Renting is not a bad thing; allows you to save up to buy a home the right way
       2. When you buy, and something breaks, you get to fix it
       3. If buying, only do 15 year fixed rate mortgage; don’t just do what the mortgage company says; do your research
    2. Regarding cars, can you talk about leasing versus buying, buying new versus buying used, and the impact these decisions can have on our long-term retirement situation?
       1. Cars are a depreciating asset; with each year, they drop in value
       2. Average new car payment is over $500
       3. Pay cash for a used car
       4. Leasing is very expensive and you are limited on the amount of mileage you can use
       5. Pay yourself each month to save up for the used car repairs and to replace it; this helps you upgrade over time as well
15. There is so much more we could go into, and I would encourage anyone interested in learning more to commit to studying and utilizing the tools you provide in your book and various other platforms. Where can people go to connect with you and take any next steps regarding their own finances?
    1. chrishogan360.com
    2. Smart money events in Indy, St. Louis, Kansas City, others
    3. Retire Inspired book (Affiliate Link)

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

      

Business and life coach Aaron Walker returns to the show to talk about living a life of significance, and his new book View From Top. 

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we are once again joined by a returning guest who has recently authored a book!

You’ll remember Aaron Walker from episode 11 of the podcast, and I encourage if you didn’t catch that episode to pause this one, go back and listen to episode 11, and then come back to this conversation.

We’re going to skip through much of the typical intro/bio since we all know Aaron and get right into his new book, View From The Top: Living a life of significance. This is Aaron Walker. Aaron welcome back to the show!

Interview Questions:

1. Tell us how you’ve been what’s new in your world.
   1. Grueling exercise and a lot of time; 38 years of entrepreneurship to build the stories that are in the book
   2. 10% writing and 90% marketing is a truism!
   3. Lots of interviews and marketing/promotions; purpose is to help people learn how to live a life of significance.
2. Let’s get right into this. On page 10 you say something I think is critical: “I knew that in order to be good at any one thing, it takes total commitment and a sense of devotion, and I was willing to do that.” Can you speak to the importance of that statement in relation to how some of us might get distracted by different/new things, or just try to do too many different things at one time?
   1. Important (Greg McKowen “Essentialism” – inch deep/mile wide…should be an inch wide and mile deep) not to have so many things going on that we can’t be good at any one thing. “The One Thing” another great book on this.
3. Following up on that, you recently ended one of your coaching programs, The Community, much for the reasons we’re discussing here. Could you take our audience into how focusing on certain things necessarily means excluding (perhaps even profitable/good) others?
   1. Two years ago began “The Community” as a lower price point for people to interact with him and his coaching programs
   2. But realized he was devoting a huge amount of time in the community, while figuring out his strength was in facilitating mastermind groups
   3. After months of prayer and evaluation, he decided to stop the community and devote entirely to the masterminds. Though it was profitable and enjoyable, the Community had to go.
   4. (Daniel – encouragement for people to taking that hard step of eliminating things): money won’t keep you in the game; passion might get you started but won’t last either; you need purpose. Two buildings side by side with a board across; for $10 you wouldn’t do it; to save your child, you would. That’s the purpose we need. So evaluate where you’re spending your time and determine if it’s your purpose. If you’re not doing anything that fulfills your purpose, try something else!
4. You talk in chapter two of the book about delayed gratification; can you share some thoughts on that subject?
   1. Aaron and his wife Robin both came from poor/humble beginnings
   2. As he got started, he gave up 2/3rds of the business in order to get it going since they didn’t have any money – was willing to give up that much to get it started
   3. They committed to live on a very modest salary while building the company up, and putting all the profits back into the business.
   4. That resulted in him paying off a ten year loan in 36 months, and buying out his financial partners, leaving him with a paid-for business.
   5. Did the same thing again with another store…kept adding stores and doing the same things.
   6. This led to a Fortune 500 company wanting to buy his company
   7. The problem today is we want it now and aren’t willing to be patient. We shouldn’t compare our beginning to our parents’ middle, or our middle to our parents’ end.
   8. Live like no one else today, so tomorrow you can live like no one else – Dave Ramsey
5. You retired from your first business at the age of 27. For the leaders in our audience, who are scattered among a number of industries from business to education, the ministry and more, what are one or two keys you can share about how you created that type of success in such a relatively short amount of time.
   1. Started business at 18 (no college)
   2. But even graduated high school early by going to summer school and night school
   3. You’ve got to have the grit, the perseverance and the determination to get whatever it is you wanted
   4. Delayed gratification in other areas (e.g. sports) – wanted to work more than he wanted to be an athlete.
   5. What is it for you that you want bad enough to give up other things?
   6. Got rid of all naysayers from his circle
   7. Recent study that the most common trait of multi-millionaires is grit
   8. You have to develop a mindset of I can do this – “can’t couldn’t do it and can did it all.”
   9. Failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding
   10. Growth mindset as Carol Dweck talks about in “Mindset.”
   11. (Daniel – how do you pass on this mindset to others?) – you can’t impose something on someone that doesn’t want it. You can’t force it. You can lead by example and show people the way, but ultimately they have to want it. Model it and look for the people taking it, and then pour your energy into those people.
6. In chapter four (Breaking Free), you talk about seeking balance in your life, which is certainly a popular topic right now. Specifically, you say “Embrace the tension; it’s never going away completely.” What do you mean by embracing the tension?
   1. There’s no such thing as work/life balance
   2. We have to prioritize our priorities
   3. For Aaron: 1) believer/Christ follower; 2) Robin; 3) daughters; 4) grandchildren; 5) business
   4. Don’t come home with a pocket full of money and a house full of strangers
   5. Regardless of how much money you have, there will always be tension.
7. In the same chapter you tell the story about first meeting Dave Ramsey, how you came to be in a mastermind group with him, and the impact that group has had on you over the years. There is so much there and I encourage people to get the book and read all of it, but share with us what you consider to be the critical point about surrounding yourself with the right people.
   1. Met Dave in 1995 at a Nashville Chamber of Commerce Luncheon with 25 people in attendance.
   2. Dave had yet to launch his first show, but talked Aaron into advertising on it
   3. After three days of a trial period, it was clear the investment would pay off
   4. 21 straight years as a sponsor of the show
   5. Dave then invited him to be in a mastermind group, which Aaron had never heard of
   6. It was uncomfortable at first, but he fell in love with it; having his own board of directors.
   7. This group went on for 12 years until Aaron retired.
   8. Now Aaron facilitates a number of mastermind groups.
   9. The enemy to excellence is isolation; if you want your life to go to the next level, you need to surround yourself with the right people.
8. At the beginning of Chapter Eight you tell the story of one of your mastermind members James Ryle calling you out on something. Share anything about that you want, but I’d like for you to challenge our audience to have someone in their life who could do what James did for you.
   1. Aaron was in a dark spot at this point in his life; each week he would share in the mastermind how he couldn’t get out of the rut
   2. Weekends were generally off limits, but one Saturday his phone rang and it was James.
   3. James said God gave him a word for Aaron, and it was that he was worrying the hell out of everyone in the group.
   4. He said the group is getting sick and tired of you coming into
   5. He then quoted Isaiah 52:2 – Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. Then he hung up.
   6. Aaron was mad at first; but then realized James loved him enough to tell him the truth.
   7. That moment changed his life; it was time to move on.
   8. If you don’t have people in your life willing to do that, how are you going to face the troubles of this world?
9. We already said you retired once at 27. Then you built another successful business before retiring a second time. And what I found fascinating was reading your thought process behind jumping into your third business, construction, which you had zero experience in. Walk us through that decision, and why you believe you were able to succeed in a brand new business, and what you learned about yourself that ultimately led to you retiring for a third time (from Chapter Ten – Choose Wisely)?
   1. After a major car accident that sidelined him for about five years, Aaron befriended the guy building their house.
   2. The builder was a master craftsman, but didn’t have any business experience.
   3. So Aaron proposed that they partner up and take advantage of both their strengths.
   4. Took the company to #1 for six consecutive years
   5. But it was all a mistake; there was no purpose in mind and no passion. It became a drudgery toward the end. And it was things that were just part of the industry that you couldn’t change.
   6. Robin knew he had quit when he came home at 3pm one day.
   7. Don’t let your life get to that point where you’re not excited/happy to get up and go to work.
   8. He loves how now he impacts others through his business.
   9. (Daniel – for more about the car accident check out Episode 11)
10. You say that we should “always be in a state of personal assessment.” What does that look like for you and how can we implement that in our own lives?
    1. After retiring from the construction business he was planning to stop working.
    2. Dan Miller told him he needed to coach, and it made him rethink his plan.
    3. He went to Entreleadership Master Series (gift from Dave) and wound up with a couple of entrepreneurs to coach.
    4. The rest is history.
    5. He got the boat out of the harbor, where it’s much easier to move it.
    6. If you’re stuck or not clear about the path forward, get moving! Much easier to adapt once moving.
11. You are a man of faith, and the book is filled with scriptures which speak to the lessons and topics you write about. Can you talk about how your relationship with Jesus has impacted your life and business over the years?
    1. Accepted Christ at 9 years old after growing up in Christian home
    2. Got a little off track early in business and caring only about himself and stuff
    3. But after going through struggles and then ultimately the car accident, radically transformed his mindset from taker to giver, humbling himself and trying to life not a successful life but a life of significance.
    4. Faith is priority: number one. Can’t separate business and faith.
    5. Don’t force anything on people, but be genuine to who you are and what you stand for.
12. Where can people go to connect with you and find out more about the book?
    1. All major bookstores and viewfromthetop.com/book; Email [email protected]
    2. @vftcoach on Twitter
    3. viewfromthetop.com for all contact/resources and mastermind groups

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

 

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and I am excited to say that we are back! I hope you had a great summer and are as fired up as I am to hear more insightful leadership lessons through the prism of sports.

Today we are fortunate to visit with Jamy Bechler. You might remember Jamy was a guest on episode 31 of the podcast, and I encourage if you didn’t catch that episode to pause this one, go back and listen to episode 31, and then come back to this conversation. We’re going to skip through much of the typical intro/bio since we all know Jamy and get right into his new book, The Leadership Playbook: Become Your Team’s Most Valuable Leader. The book shot up to #1 New Release on Amazon’s list of basketball coaching books, and #2 in the category overall. This is Jamy Bechler. Jamy welcome back to the show!

Interview Questions:

1. How have you been and what have you been up to over the summer?
   1. 7/25 – book came out
   2. Family moved from Atlanta to Akron, OH
   3. Conferences
2. Tell us about how the book came to be. Where did the idea come from? How long did you work on it?, etc.
   1. Last year was his first as a leadership trainer/speaker and figuring out how to be an entrepreneur/self-employed
   2. Figured out how to create a work environment that worked for him
   3. Put together an editing/advising team to help re-write and edit the book
   4. Had been writing the book over two years by way of giving speeches to student-athletes
3. Who is the book for, and what are you hoping the reader will take away from the book?
   1. For the benefit of student-athletes and would love them to read it
   2. But recognizes that young people don’t read as much, so the book is designed in a way to appeal to them (each chapter has a specific story tied to it)
   3. Wants to impact them in a way a coach/parent would want them to
   4. These student-athletes are our future leaders, and what are we doing to help them
   5. Ronald Reagan – “you can’t do everything but you can do something.”
4. How did you decide to publish the book?
   1. Self-publishing because you have more control and it is less expensive
   2. Traditional doesn’t really make sense unless you are a big-time author
   3. Spent time figuring out what the actual product would look like (study book v. actual book etc.)
   4. Added handouts and materials to an online resource for practical application
   5. There is a paperback and kindle version
   6. The cover is a photo of Indiana Wesleyan basketball
5. Right out of the gate in chapter one you talk about positional leadership, and how successful teams can’t/don’t rely on just that type of leadership. Can you explain what positional leadership is, relative to other types of leadership, and why it’s important to have the other?
   1. Positional leadership – upper classmen, captains, star players, coaches – if your organization is set up to rely on those people for leadership, it can be used as a crutch by the other people who aren’t expected to lead
   2. All players should think/believe they are a leader
   3. Telling the positional people you have to be THE leader
   4. But also telling everyone else you have to be A leader
   5. The numbers dictate that the non-positional leaders can have a significant impact on their teams
   6. Kevin Durant speech showed how it is important to recognize your platform and take advantage of the opportunity to lead in a positive manner
6. You said something in chapter two about integrity that caught my eye. You said, “integrity is the sum total of all our everyday choices.” What did you mean by that?
   1. When looking at building blocks to be a leader, integrity has to be there before anything else
   2. We make choices every day that impact our integrity
   3. Sports not only builds character; it also reveals character
   4. Legendary golfer Bobby Jones story about taking a penalty when nobody but him had seen it; as he was later praised, he said you might as well praise me for not robbing a bank today. – that’s integrity.
   5. As a leader, people will follow you if they see you have integrity and you are who you say you are
7. Building on that idea, you have an encouragement in the book for those who don’t feel their position or status provides people for them to influence. What would/do you say to that person?
   1. You won’t always be able to person to influence the star, especially if you are the last person on the bench; but you can be a friend.
   2. And though you may not be able to influence the star, you can influence those right next to you (i.e. your friends on the team); they can influence others and eventually you can influence the positional leaders
   3. Harriet Tubman example – not a positional leader at all, but able to influence the people around her to the point she had a tremendous impact on people’s lives.
8. Later in the book you give an example talking about former Arizona walk-on basketball player and current Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner. Can you tell that story for us?
   1. Came to Arizona as a walk on, but was friends with Bibby, Simon, Dickerson and Terry – all NBA guys.
   2. He had a key to the gym, and late at night he would get them in and rebound for them; he built them up by saying they were going to win a championship and be talked about.
   3. They won the national title in 1997
   4. His secret was adding value and helping the starters get better
   5. (Daniel) we may experience seasons of leading from different places – now Josh does have positional leadership
   6. Jason Terry went from a sixth-man on the Arizona team to a star, to a solid NBA player to a star player and is now more of a role player. But very respected by the NBA community.
9. Can you speak to the power of patience? Chapter Four on Leading Yourself is full of great examples of patience paying off; would you share one or two?
   1. Not sure if any of us are good at patience
   2. Leading yourself has to come before leading others, and patience is a key
   3. Luck = opportunity + preparation
   4. Bill Walsh with the 49ers had a player who would get frustrated because they weren’t making progress – won very few games. But they went from being the worst 2-14 team ever to the best 2-14 team ever. The rest is history.
10. You talk about the impact Larry Fitzgerald’s work ethic had on others in the Arizona Cardinal’s lockerroom in Chapter Five: Leading Others. Tell us more about that, and in particular, encourage the quite/introverted types in the audience who might be feeling like they can’t lead because they aren’t the dynamic, loud, public speaking type.
    1. Great example of someone who provides a great example
    2. Goes about his business
    3. First one there/last to leave/dives for balls/ plays the way you want stars to
    4. Doesn’t do a lot of the talking, but lets his actions speak
    5. But don’t let your introversion be a crutch to give you permission not to talk; be a verbal leader with those close to you who you talk most with
11. Where can people go to connect with you and find out more about the book?
    1. theleadershipplaybook.com – bulk orders; additional resources
    2. amazon.com as well

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over

 

Pat shares his wisdom on the topics of leadership, parenting and how to accomplish your goals by prioritizing them!

Introduction:

Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we have with us a giant in the sports and leadership space. I could probably fill an entire episode with just his introduction, but instead I’ll be brief now and let you hear more of his bio throughout the interview.

Pat Williams is the co-founder and senior vice president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, author of more than 100 books, a former GM for several NBA franchises, the father of 19 children (14 adopted), a U.S. Army veteran and former professional baseball player, and much more if you can believe it! In 2015 he authored 21 Great Leaders: Learn Their Lessons, Improve Your Influence, and we’re going to dive into that one today.

His most recent work was released in January titled The Success Intersection: What Happens When Your Talent Meets Your Passion. This is Pat Williams; hey Pat thanks so much for coming on the show!

Interview Questions:

1. Before we get too deep into the substance of your incredible contributions to the topic of leadership, after briefly letting our audience know who you are and what you’ve done, I have to ask whether you’ve found an extra 12 hours in the day the rest of us weren’t aware of, and if not, how do you manage to successfully take on all that you do both in your work and personal life?
   1. Prioritizing and self-discipline
   2. Sleep 8 hours; 16 hours left and you can get a lot done if you don’t watch TV, play golf or fish
   3. Stay closely focused on those things of vital importance: (for him) reading, writing and speaking, family
   4. Many distractions, so self-discipline is the key; saying no to things that are good but not great; learn to say no
2. I want to spend much of our time on your book 21 Great Leaders (Affiliate Link).
   1. First, this book is framed around what you call the seven sides of leadership, which are Vision, Communication, People Skills, Character, Competence, Boldness, and A Serving Heart. We’ll get into each specifically in a moment, but how did you come to identify those seven, and what would have been the eighth (i.e. who missed the cut?!)?
      1. As he began to read and study great leaders, it was amazing how there were seven ingredients/qualities that the great leaders possessed (Lincoln, Washington, MLK…)
      2. This is the centerpiece of his writing and speaking
      3. Underneath those seven, there are sub-points, but he addresses them as part of the seven
   2. Let’s talk about Vision. Here you profile Walt Disney, Nelson Mandela and Steve Jobs. I was struck by how you described Nelson Mandela’s unwavering commitment to his vision of a unified South Africa, and yet at the same time his flexibility and even willingness to change his mind on (my words) “the how.” The example you gave was his views on economic policy. Could you talk about vision and what it means to hold true to it while maintaining flexibility on how we get there?
      1. Every great leader is driven and moved and held firm by a vision
      2. The vision keeps them going
      3. During the eight years of the revolutionary war, George Washington had a vision of a new nation independent of Great Britain
      4. Lincoln’s vision: one nation
      5. Churchill's vision: a world free of Nazi tyranny
      6. MLK: world where we are judged by the character in our heart and not the color of our skin
      7. This drives them and doesn’t let them quit
      8. Walt Disney another great example; he had a vision of another theme park in the eastern U.S.; didn’t live to see it but his vision made it happen
      9. “He saw it; that’s why it’s here.”
      10. Encourages leaders to think hard about the vision
   3. Sticking with Vision, you talk about the vision of Steve Jobs which vaulted him to the all-time leader he was, but at the same time how he was hampered by his lack of the other sides of leadership in the way he treated people. What should we learn from someone like a Steve Jobs?
      1. No question he was a visionary
      2. Also no question he could be rough on people
      3. All in all he could imagine things that were not there; he had flaws/faults, but our world has been changed by his vision
      4. He had weak areas in other leadership sides, but his vision was so big that he belonged in the group.
   4. Moving on to People Skills, I thought the peak into how Sam Walton led his company was inspiring. Can you share about his management by walking around style and the importance of how he interacted with his employees?
      1. He was just a regular guy with a store
      2. But he had big goals and dreams
      3. He would go out and visit competing stores and bring back the good ideas and implement them
      4. “Communicate as much as you can with your associates; the more you communicate, the more they understand; the more they understand the more they care; once they care there is no stopping them.” – Sam Walton
      5. “Amazing what people can accomplish when they feel good about themselves.” – Sam Walton
      6. They still try to emulate what Sam wanted done in the early days; it’s harder now with how large the company is.
   5. When discussing the fourth side of leadership, Character, you featured George Washington. In today’s political climate, I find it refreshing and hopeful to consider his rise to the presidency and how he comported himself while in office. What should we take away from Washington when evaluating and working on our own character?
      1. When looking at the two most important periods in the country’s history (Revolutionary War and Civil War), it’s a gift from God that we had Washington and Lincoln – men of great character. They weren’t flawless, but they were of humble spirit, honest, had integrity.
      2. Washington was a farmer at heart; but his nation needed him
      3. He was always out among the troops
      4. He would have been content to go back to the farm after the war, but the nation called again
      5. He could have continued another eighth years, but he was done.
      6. He set the precedent for what an American president should be
      7. Incredible how books keep coming out about Washington; just study him for a year and go visit Mount Vernon and you’ll be inspired. Listeners you were challenged
   6. Sticking with military leaders, Dwight Eisenhower was an example of the fifth side of leadership, Competence. Encouraging was the story of how he was essentially undervalued/used while working under General Douglas MacAurther, but worked hard to learn his craft before then rapidly moving up the ranks under Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. Speak if you could to those of us who might be feeling like Eisenhower must have during those years?
      1. Eisenhower knew he had skill/talent and that he should be moving at a faster clip
      2. He respected MacAurther, but was frustrated as well
      3. Promoted and moved into key role of overseeing the war in Europe (though Marshall should have had that role, but FDR couldn’t let Marshall leave his side during that time).
      4. George Marshall was a humble giant to allow Eisenhower to flourish
   7. The final side of leadership you discuss is A Serving Heart. What I was reminded of in this section was how serving others is not weak nor is it for the faint of heart. Mother Teresa displayed boldness, shrewdness and tenacity that we might not immediately think of when we hear her name. Can you talk about why adopting a serving mindset is so important, and how Mother Teresa paired it with such strength?
      1. The mindset of a serving hearted leader: it’s not about me, it’s about you; it’s not about building my resume, it’s about building yours; it’s not about my success, it’s about the success of the company/organization; that’s how a serving hearted leader thinks.
      2. Jesus, Ghandi, Wilberforce, MLK, Billy Graham, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Wooden all led with this mindset
      3. This is a leadership quality we all can practice
      4. All seven sides need to be there:
         1. “Seven things one must do to be a leader right and true: have vision that is strong and clear, communicate so they can here, have people skills based in love, and character that’s far in love, the competence to solve and teach, and boldness that has fearless reach, a serving heart that stands close by, to help, assist and edify.”
      5. Something that struck me from the book was how many of these great leaders had experiences or people in their lives as very young children, which made an impression on them that led to their eventual greatness. Bill Gates’ opportunity to learn computing through the foresight and donations of the Lakeside Mothers Club is just one example. How should we as parents and citizens think about our responsibility to inspire and empower our children?
         1. We do have an enormous impact on our children
         2. Must constantly invest in them and get them ready
         3. Book: Coaching Your Kids To Be Leaders (Affiliate Link) – adults are investing in the lives of youngsters getting them ready for a life to leadership. This will change the way you parent, coach and teach.
         4. Every leader we write about had a key person at some step along the way that was a big influence on them.
         5. Is it true there is a poem that ties the seven sides of leadership together? Would you mind sharing it with us?
3. In response to the question what is the secret of success, you said “When your greatest talent intersects with your strongest passion, you’ve discovered your sweet spot in life.” That really is the jumping off point for your latest book The Success Intersection: What Happens When Your Talent Meets Your Passion (Affiliate Link). Tell us what we can expect to learn about our talents and passions in this book.
   1. We’re all asked, what’s your secret of success? Pat says when your greatest talent intersects with your greatest passion, you have found your sweet spot in life. That’s where you want to stay; that’s where you want to get your education.
   2. The younger in life you can figure this out the better.
4. My final question before we end our time with rapid fire: I am a husband and father of three kids 5, 3 and 2. Your best advice for success at home?
   1. Your kids need your time; need you to be involved in their life
   2. Must find the right balance between love and discipline: too much discipline you’ll crush them; all love/no discipline and the kids will run wild
   3. Very early you have to break their will without breaking their spirit. They have to know they are not running the show and are not in charge.
   4. A child running around without an unbroken will is an absolute nightmare; but not their spirit. A kid’s spirit is what makes them unique special and creative.
   5. They must also follow teaches, coaches, authority and not think they are running the place
   6. At 18 they leave: we’re preparing them for an independent life. They are going to college, the military or working. They are not going to stay at home, play video games and live off mom/dad. He stressed this to his kids early on. (Don’t spring this on them during their senior year; start at age five with what happens out of school).
   7. One of his boys came to him at 25 and said he wanted to live at home and save money; Pat said it’s a great idea and he wants to find someone to pick up his rent as well; so it was a no. That was the last kid to ask that.
5. Rapid Fire Questions (one word/phrase answers)
   1. Name one trait or characteristic you want to see in a colleague.
      1. Honesty
   2. What habit has been key to your success?
      1. Self-discipline
   3. Most important app or productivity tool?
      1. (Real) books
   4. Resource recommendation (book, podcast, etc.)
      1. Lincoln’s Lieutenants; Revolution of Robert Kennedy; Coach Bruce Aryan’s The Quarterback Whisperer; The Streak
      2. He tries to finish one book a day
      3. Thanks Jeff Brown from the Read to Lead Podcast for connecting Pat and me!
   5. One bit of parting advice for our audience?
      1. Read an hour a day from a book your interested in
      2. Do this for a year and that’s 52 books you’ll read
      3. After 10 years, that’s 520 books. If you read the right five books in any one subject, you’ll be considered a world leading authority in that subject. So you can be an authority in over 100 subjects if you do this.
6. Where can people go to access your books, and where can they connect with you (social media, etc.)?
   1. PatWilliams.com
   2. @orlandomagicpat
   3. [email protected]
   4. 21 Great Leaders: Learn Their Lessons, Improve Your Influence (Affiliate Link)
   5. The Success Intersection: What Happens When Your Talent Meets Your Passion (Affiliate Link)
   6. Pat’s Amazon Author Page

Thank Yous/Acknowledgements:

1. Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music
   1. More here.
2. Jonathan Davis – production
3. Clint Musslewhite – voice over