The Growth Project

MLB kicked off last week, so we thought it was an ideal time to revisit and compile conversations from 2020 with Dr. Cory Shaffer and inspiring individuals from the baseball world, including Colorado Rockies Pitcher, Daniel Bard, New York Yankees Hitting Coach, Rachel Balkovec, and Cincinnati Reds Utility Infielder, Mike Freeman. Each conversation highlights the unique challenges they faced and the power of perspective in overcoming obstacles to reach their goals and perform their best.

We're in the midst of March Madness, which means unpredictable upsets and busted brackets. This episode features Drs. Cory Shaffer and Katie Nichols exploring the ingredients of a tournament upset. They discuss how expectations, the willingness to compete, and maturation and development combine to help lower-ranked teams defy the odds and defeat more talented opponents.

What does it mean to be an effective follower? This episode features a conversation with Dr. Janna Magette, a leadership instructor for the Clemson Athletic Leadership Graduate Program and founder of GoFollowLead. Dr. Magette and Dr. Katie Nichols discuss the positive impact of followership, the balance between leading and following, and how to create more impactful followers on your team.

The past year has transformed nearly every aspect of our world. We're taking a moment to pause and reflect on the affects of COVID-19 a year after its widespread impact. Looking at both the positive and negative impacts, Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon take inventory of what has transpired in the hope that we can leverage these lessons for our collective benefit moving forward.

The millennial generation is quickly becoming the largest segment of the workforce and yet there remains much confusion around how to connect with them and lead them effectively. In this episode, Dr. Drew Brannon leans on the expertise of Clay Kirkland to unpack a series of best practices focused on leading the millennial generation. Kirkland boasts over 20 years of experience in leadership development with millennials.

What is 'rest'? This episode features a conversation with Dr. David Eccles, Professor of Sport Psychology at Florida State University, who has dedicated his research to understanding that question. Dr. Eccles and Dr. Cory Shaffer explore the psychology of rest, including practical suggestions that our listeners can apply in their own lives.

For many organizations, it's review season with many leaders in the midst of preparing for and conducting performance reviews for 2020. In today's episode, we look back on a conversation from late 2019 where Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Milt Lowder discuss 3 steps that will help us approach reviews with vulnerability, authenticity, and strength - not only with others but also with ourselves.

Building a great team takes time and effort. Maintaining a great team takes consistency. Once you have the right team members in place how do you keep them bought in? In today's episode, Drs. Katie Nichols and Cory Shaffer break down the concept of consistency - what it is and why it matters for effective leadership and high-performance teams. We discuss three key areas where consistency is needed most.

The military special operations community is regarded as one of the highest performing environments in the world, and for good reason - the selection, training, and preparation to become a special operator demand unmatched physical and mental toughness. This episode of The Growth Project features a conversation between Dr. Cory Shaffer and two members of the special operations community. They discuss high-performance environments and the qualities and characteristics that set their community and teams apart from other groups and organizations.

In response to an article that leadership retreats are a waste of time and resources, Drs. Drew Brannon and Milt Lowder dig into this topic to offer a counter-opinion. In this discussion, they look at the value add of leadership retreats, how to structure your time to drive the greatest impact, and creative ways to hold a leadership "off-site" during the pandemic.