Former MLB All-Star Chris Archer spent 17 years in professional baseball, including 10 seasons in the major leagues. Today, as a Special Assistant with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he's using those experiences to help develop the next generation of players.

In this episode of Uncommon Impact, Chris talks with Nathan Whitaker about the people who invested in him, the mentor who changed the trajectory of his life, and why player development has to be about more than baseball.

Chris shares what leading the league in walks—and later losses—taught him about trusting the process, how identifying and naming our fears can loosen their hold on us, and why young athletes need interests and purpose outside their sport.

He also explains the Dodgers' philosophy of hiring good people and trusting them to do their jobs, what he's learned from Dave Roberts' consistency, and why having an uncommon impact starts with the standards we set for ourselves.

In this episode:

• Why Chris sees player development as personal development
• The power of unconditional investment in others
• Process over results
• Learning to identify and confront fear
• The mentor who saw something in Chris before he saw it himself
• Giving young people agency while still holding them accountable
• Why interests outside your work can actually improve performance
• What Chris has learned about leadership from the Dodgers and Dave Roberts

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

More episodes of Uncommon Impact:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/

What does it really mean to make an uncommon impact?

Years ago, Tony Dungy’s college football coach Cal Stoll told him, “Success is uncommon.” That idea eventually helped inspire our book Uncommon—and, years later, the name of this podcast.

But being uncommon isn’t simply about achieving uncommon success.

In this solo episode, I share a lesson I had to learn myself after Quiet Strength became a #1 New York Times bestseller. A friend congratulated me on a talk I’d given about success and significance—and then told me I had gotten my own premise wrong.

He was right.

Awards, sales, championships and professional accomplishments can all be worth pursuing. But they’re not the same thing as significance.

Ultimately, uncommon impact isn’t about the size of what we accomplish. It’s about the people we build into and whether something—or someone—is better because we were there.

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com 

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

More episodes of Uncommon Impact:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/

What makes a great follower? And why might developing great followers matter just as much as developing great leaders?

Larry Shyatt has spent more than four decades in basketball as a head coach, assistant coach and mentor. Along the way, he served as an assistant to three Hall of Fame-caliber coaches—Rick Barnes, Billy Donovan and Rick Carlisle—even though Larry was older than all three.

In this episode of Uncommon Impact, Larry shares why he never thought of himself as working for those coaches, but instead as serving the organization and the people around him.

We talk about the courage required to challenge a leader when necessary, the curiosity shared by great coaches, and why Larry once told Billy Donovan he would join his Florida staff only if he made one dollar less than the assistants already there.

Larry also tells the story behind the coaches clinic he has helped build for nearly four decades—an event centered on freely sharing ideas with people who may soon compete against one another. His philosophy is simple: sharing can help preparing.

We also explore giving players ownership, why the people who care about us sometimes tell us what we don't want to hear, and Larry's reflections on the family time he sacrificed during a long coaching career.

Now retired from full-time coaching, Larry continues to invest in coaches, friends and family—and to live out a simple philosophy: give more and take a little less.

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com 

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

More episodes of Uncommon Impact:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/

Tansley Stearns, president and CEO of orsa credit union, joins Nathan Whitaker for a conversation about purpose, courage, financial agency, and the responsibility of leaders to expand what their organizations believe is possible.

Tansley shares how orsa’s work with survivors of domestic and economic abuse grew from charitable support into a broader commitment to help women make choices on their own behalf. She explains the thinking behind the Choose the Bear movement, the importance of listening to survivors, and why financial services can become tools for safety, independence, and hope.

Nathan and Tansley also discuss the shame often associated with money, the power of optimism, the value of authentic leadership, and how a compelling purpose can change the way employees understand their work.

For Tansley, uncommon impact means more than giving back. It means building impact directly into the organization’s strategy, products, culture, and future. 

Learn more about Tansley and orsa’s work:

Choose the Bear:
https://orsacu.org/community-impact/choose-the-bear

Grow and Give:
https://orsacu.org/savings/grow-and-give

Tansley’s podcasts, newsletter, and other work:
https://tansleystearns.com/storytelling

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

More episodes of Uncommon Impact:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/

What does culture actually look like in the everyday life of an organization?

In this solo episode of Uncommon Impact, Nathan Whitaker reflects on lessons from the podcast’s first four guests and explores two themes that surfaced repeatedly: culture and connection.

Drawing from experiences in coaching, university leadership, the NFL, and international schools, Nathan looks at how culture is shaped not only by formal leaders, but also by assumptions, habits, communication, and the small choices people make every day.

He also considers why communication alone is not enough, how healthy disagreement differs from disrespect, why questions can create ownership, and why we should tell people about the impact they have had while we still have the chance.

The episode closes with a practical challenge: identify the gap between the culture you say you want and what people are actually experiencing—then take one step to close it.

Also featuring a brief appearance from Fezzik, one of Nathan’s most dependable three-legged team members.

Learn more about Uncommon Impact and find additional episodes at:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/ 

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

What does strong leadership look like when the pressure is high, the personalities are difficult, and every decision affects the entire organization?

Samir Suleiman spent more than two decades in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Carolina Panthers. Along the way, he negotiated contracts, managed competing priorities, worked alongside future Hall of Fame coaches, and learned firsthand what separates lasting leadership from leadership built only on authority.

In this conversation, Samir shares the philosophy that guided his career: be tough, but be fair. He and Nathan discuss handling difficult personalities, maintaining trust during negotiations, standing up to workplace bullies, recovering after professional setbacks, and managing teams filled with both stars and role players.

Samir also explains why disagreement can strengthen an organization—but disrespect eventually destroys one—and why the best leaders hire capable people, help them grow, and then get out of their way.

This episode offers candid lessons about accountability, resilience, trust, mentoring, and building organizations that can succeed without sacrificing the people inside them.

Samir also shares how he is now helping young professionals and college students pursue careers in professional sports through one-on-one mentoring.

Connect with Samir through Intro:
https://intro.co/samirsuleiman 

Learn more about Uncommon Impact and find additional episodes at:
https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/ 

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://www.nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

What does it mean to build something that lasts beyond your career?

In this episode of Uncommon Impact, University of Oklahoma Associate Vice President Matt Rom shares lessons on authentic leadership, creating meaningful workplace cultures, navigating change, and investing in people. Although he leads facilities management at one of the nation's largest universities, Matt's insights apply to leaders in every profession.

Our conversation explores:

•  Why authenticity is the foundation of trust 
•  Finding your "North Star" as a leader 
•  Leading people—not just managing work 
•  Creating environments where others can thrive 
•  Why you should tell people how much they've impacted your life 
•  Building a legacy that lasts beyond your position

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

What is the real purpose of sports? 

In this episode of Uncommon Impact, Nathan Whitaker sits down with Kent Maxson, Athletics Coordinator at the American School Foundation in Mexico City, to discuss leadership, culture, and why athletics should develop people—not just produce victories. 

Drawing from more than two decades of being involved in athletic programs in Qatar, Kenya, Vietnam, and Mexico, Kent shares how moving between cultures has shaped his philosophy of leadership. He explains why trust, active listening, and meaningful relationships create stronger teams than rules alone, and why great coaches measure success by who students become long after the final whistle. 

Whether you lead a business, a school, a team, or a family, this conversation offers practical insights into creating environments where people thrive. 

In this episode:

• Why education-based athletics matters

• Building trust before creating change

• Leading across different cultures

• Why listening is one of a leader's greatest strengths

• Helping people discover answers instead of giving instructions

• Why leadership is bigger than winning

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://nathanwhitaker.com

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

What makes a leader worth following?

In this episode of Uncommon Impact, Nathan Whitaker sits down with longtime friend Donnie Jones, head basketball coach at Stetson University and former University of Florida assistant coach during the Gators' back-to-back national championship seasons.

Donnie shares lessons from nearly four decades in coaching about leadership, culture, relationships, and why true success is measured by the lives we influence—not just the games we win.

Whether you lead a business, a team, a classroom, or a family, this conversation offers practical wisdom on earning trust, developing people, and building something that lasts.

In this conversation:

• Why connection matters more than communication

• The difference between success and significance

• Building trust in today's fast-moving world

• Coaching star players and role players without compromising culture

• Creating transformational leadership instead of transactional leadership

• Why the best leaders "lead, love, and share"

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach.

Learn more:

https://nathanwhitaker.com 

Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday.

Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

Why Uncommon Impact?

Why do some people leave those around them better than they found them?

Welcome to Uncommon Impact. In this introductory episode, Nathan Whitaker shares the vision behind the podcast and why he believes the most meaningful conversations aren't just about success—they're about significance, character, and the lasting impact we have on others.

Drawing on more than three decades in professional sports, leadership, and publishing, Nathan explains why he created Uncommon Impact: to explore the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams.

Future episodes feature leaders from sports, business, education, and beyond discussing the mentors who shaped them, the lessons they've learned, and the habits that have helped them make a difference in the lives of others.

Whether you lead an organization, coach a team, or simply want to live a life of greater purpose and influence, these conversations are designed to encourage, challenge, and equip you on your own leadership journey.

In this episode:

•  Why Nathan started Uncommon Impact
•  The difference between success and significance 
•  Why character matters more than accomplishment 
•  Learning from conversations with remarkable leaders 
•  Building a life of influence and lasting impact 

About Nathan Whitaker

Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach. He has co-authored books with Tony Dungy, Tim Tebow, James Brown, and Dave Roberts, and speaks around the world on leadership, team culture, and building organizations that thrive.

Learn more at https://nathanwhitaker.com New episodes are released every Thursday.

If you enjoyed this introduction, please follow Uncommon Impact and consider leaving a rating or review. It helps others discover the show and join the conversation.