The Growth Project

Strengthening accountability is crucial in accomplishing desired goals. As part of a special, shortened episode of the Growth Project, Dr. Cory Shaffer unpacks four practical tips to become more accountable and really take control of your personal progress and growth.

Why do you do what you do? Dr. Katie Nichols and William Qualkinbush (Qualk), on-air radio host of "Out of Bounds" on Clemson's flagship radio station WCCP 105.5 FM The Roar, tackle this question and the importance of finding a deeper sense of purpose in work and life. In addition to discussing how to manage external feedback and exploring what success looks like, Qualk also answers questions at the end of the episode from his long-time radio cohost and previous podcast guest, Kelly Gramlich.

What is burnout and why is it often misunderstood? Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Bob Eklund, Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Advancement at Florida State University, explore burnout, including case studies in professional sports and some simple suggestions on how to prevent it from occurring in your life.

Dr. Katie Nichols chats with Dorian Scott, a two-time Olympian and recently appointed Track & Field Head Coach for UNLV, about his experience at the Olympic games, what it takes to perform on the "big stage," and how to bounce back from setbacks.

Being in a leadership role has many benefits, but there are some difficult realities linked to leadership that often go undiscussed. Dr. Drew Brannon and the Director of Athletics for the University of Georgia, Josh Brooks, explore some of the common challenges leaders encounter, including having to make unpopular decisions, being disliked despite best efforts, and having mistakes blown out of proportion.

How do you navigate disappointment and leverage adversity to propel you toward your goals? Using the Olympics as a framework for this topic, Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Cory Shaffer provide suggestions to help improve your ability to manage disappointment and life's inevitable setbacks.

In this episode, Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Katie Nichols consider the similarities between the concepts of "belonging" and "psychological safety," both of which are crucial in creating authentic connection and trust on a team. They conclude with tips for action on how to bring more belonging into your team.

Dr. Milt Lowder and Dave Ridley, who served in a variety of senior executive roles during his 27-year career at Southwest Airlines, discuss Dave's eclectic career, the positive impact of putting people first, and the crucial role of humility, honesty, and hard work in persevering through setbacks to find fulfillment and success - both professionally and personally.

Dr. Cory Shaffer and University of Tennessee Assistant Track & Field Coach and former Olympic athlete, Ken Harnden, discuss the evolution of Ken's coaching philosophy. Ken's coaching approach has been a lifetime in the making, which has been shaped from growing up and attending boarding school in Zimbabwe, walking on and ultimately becoming a National Champion in college, participating in the Olympics, and coaching elite athletes from all over the world. His perspective is one that all coaches and leaders can appreciate and apply to their own teams.

How do you build "buy-in" from new hires and position them to succeed in their roles? Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Katie Nichols discuss how to cultivate a strategic organizational "on-ramp" that increases the likelihood that newly hired team members will be more satisfied, stay longer with an organization, and ultimately be more fulfilled in their roles.