The Art Of Coaching

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to remind ourselves of the past. Why? Because adaptation is a purposeful process. It requires reflection, inspection, and progression. Today’s episode is all about answering the question “What advice would I give my younger self?”  Some points are obvious, but there's also some questions that will challenge your assumptions, and give you the kick in the pa...

“How do I deal with a difficult colleague or co-worker, get on the same page as my spouse or partner, or confront someone who’s trying to undermine me at work?” “How do I deal with CONFLICT?!” If you find yourself seeking answers to these questions, this episode is for you. Today’s podcast walks you through several real life examples of conflict using our L.I.S.T.E.N. framework, a tool we created...

Today’s guest, Annie Duke, is an author, speaker, and decision-strategist.  As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012....

S.Y.S.T.E.M Save YourSelf Time, Energy, & Money. I think it’s fair to say that this is something we all want. In the words of Karl Goodman, great systems “proceed redundancies.”  They get the processes or ideas out of your head and make them something that can be replicated by others.   They allow you to delegate. This is just one of the handful of “how-to’s” we hit on in today’s episode with Lach...

“How do I navigate this conversation?” Have you ever found yourself asking this question? When you consider everything that goes into hard conversations - the people involved, the message to be delivered, the timing, the power dynamics at hand, etc., communication can seem complex. But it doesn’t have to be so confusing. Today’s episode will give you tools and strategies to identify, organize, and...

No one hopes for massive turmoil or an upheaval of life as we know it.  But through chaos comes clarity and changes like these offer us an opportunity to reevaluate who we really are and want to be.  Last year, Dave Hollis's life was turned upside down and in today's episode he welcomes us into the messy realities of his new one - everything from career transitions, protecting his sanity when his...

“I just felt like I had more to offer” If you’ve ever had that thought about yourself as a professional, you’re not alone.  We’ve all been in that situation - we create something that we care deeply about and we know it would add value to people’s lives - but we aren’t in an environment where it’s supported, we hit some roadblocks that prevent us from following through, and we end up feeling ineff...

Video games - Good? Bad? It Depends? No matter your current opinion of video games, I’m going to ask you to open your mind and consider that there is something of value to be learned from the research-backed way they are created.  In the same way that coaches creatively craft an experience to build buy-in with their athletes, UX (user experience) is an art and a mindset.  It is a mindset that requ...

At 14 years old, Kat Salazar walked into her very first classroom at a local community college. She was about to start college when most her age were just beginning high school.  For some this might have been an awkward or overwhelming experience, but having been homeschooled for her entire life, Kat was completely UNDER-WHELMED instead. She thought, “How is this learning? You haven’t asked me to...

"I'd love to, but I just can't swing it financially."  If you've ever wanted to take a vacation, fix something in your house, take a certain course or certification, get a virtual assistant, or even start a side business but couldn't because you didn't have the extra time or money... you're not alone.  Today's episode is all about how to leverage what you already know and do well to help you earn...

Less than 31.5% of the US working population report being “engaged” in their work. 51% report being “not engaged”. And 17.5% report being “actively disengaged”. (Gallup, 2014) With numbers like that, it should come as no surprise that many of us feel like we’re dealing with lazy or unmotivated staff members.  But why? Is it a lack of ambition? Of skills and abilities? Of work ethic? Of character?...

In many circles, the National Football League (NFL) has become (just as) well known for its alternate meaning, "Not For Long".  But every once in a while, a player comes along who's able to defy those odds.  In today's episode, Richie Incognito, taken by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2005 draft, four time pro-bowler, and 15 year veteran, reveals in his VERY FIRST post-retirement pod...

It’s time to flip the script. If you’re like me, you’ve fallen victim to procrastination guilt - the feeling that something’s wrong with you, you’re broken, or you haven’t found your true “why” because you’re waiting until the last minute to get a certain task done.  The truth is, our perception of procrastination has been tremendously influenced by the unrealistic expectations of nonsense leaders...

“I’m sorry.” Depending on the context, these can be some of the hardest words to say.   Whether it’s because emotions are running high, you aren’t sure what you’re sorry for (but you feel it’s what the other party wants to hear), or any number of other conflict resolution scenarios, these words often get used and abused, making their impact dull or unintentional. In today’s episode, we define and...

Are you in a job or situation where you’re feeling stuck, unfulfilled, under-appreciated or just ready for something new?   We hear you! You're not alone. If you're considering leaving and/or going out on your own, there are some essential questions to ask yourself before taking the leap. On today's episode, I'll give you not only a comprehensive guide to some of the factors you need to consider, ...

What is your brand?   What do you want to be known for? If you don’t have a solid handle on the answers to these questions, you'll have a hard time communicating with others what you bring to the table. In today’s episode, our guest Greg Hoffman, former Nike Chief Marketing Officer, teaches us how to apply principles of branding and design from top companies to our own personal brand. Specifically...

What is your first thought or reaction when you get this text message? “That’s fine.” The sender could have meant “I agree with everything you just said/ suggested,” or “I have no opinion and will have no problem with the option you’ve chosen,” or “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard but I’m going with it because I don’t care to contribute to the decision.”  The issue with text messaging as t...

With more than 70 Olympians and 30 medals to his name, there aren’t many coaches as prolific as Stu McMillan.  But did you know he’d had 38 jobs by the time he was 37 (including one as a “baked potato boy”)?  How about that he didn’t start working in elite track & field until his 40’s? This week, we had the chance to sit down (in person!) with Stu and discuss topics and questions he seldom address...

“Unless you live in North Korea, everything you do as a coach is persuasion.” Did that grab your attention?!  In today’s episode, Keir Wenham-Flatt explains his use of humor and overall philosophy when it comes to making his message stand out in a sea of information.  He says, “you must grab attention first to earn the right to convey your message to people.”  Keir is a strength coach with over a...

Picture this: you’re talking to someone you just met at a social gathering, negotiating with a potential client or presenting to a group of skeptical attendees. Try as you might to connect with or get them to share or interact, they give you absolutely nothing in return...  It’s the equivalent of talking to a brick wall.   While frustrating, getting someone who is shy, quiet or less social to open...

The word “toughness” might be one of the most overused and misdefined in coaching and leadership; something we routinely seek and preach, but rarely understand.  Toughness isn’t about grinding through pain and it isn’t built doing “hard” things we routinely encounter; True toughness is better described as making smart decisions in challenging situations and problem solving through obstacles not re...

We’re living in a society more polarized and intolerant than ever before; A society in which it’s hard to tell a joke, let alone disagree with someone. But to evolve and for this to change, we need principled insubordination, systematic rule-breaking, and people not afraid to engage with those who share different views.  On today’s episode we have the pleasure of talking to Dr. Todd Kashdan, (Ph....

When it comes to personal and professional development we all know books, podcasts and seminars won’t cut it. Simply put- greater input doesn’t equal better output.   At a certain point, we need community, accountability and exposure to a diversity of thoughts and perspectives; We need help tackling our unique obstacles and highlighting our blindspots.     On today’s episode we discuss the single...

Jack Crawford isn’t your ordinary 10 year NFL vet… and this just might be one of the most interesting episodes to date.  On today’s show, Jack takes us on a journey from his childhood playing cricket and the *real* football in the streets of London to gorilla trekking in Uganda (with a few stops in professional football along the way).  We discuss everything from his unconventional views on good c...

What would we be able to accomplish if our teams, cultures and companies encouraged people to give each other feedback with radical candor, speak up when wronged and challenge colleagues and supervisors to think differently? What would happen if we were able to recognize, attack and eliminate workplace injustice and “just work”?    On today’s episode we talk to Kim Scott, author of Just Work: Get...