The Growth Project

Dr. Katie Nichols chats with Cindy Miller, who was recently included in Forbes' first-ever 50 Over 50 list and leads Stericycle, 2020 Enterprise Company of the Year, as CEO & President. Cindy shares powerful lessons from her unique career where she worked her way up the UPS chain of command - starting as a driver and moving all the way up to the first female president of global freight forwarding....

Leaders engineer the team environment through what they say, what they do, and who they are. If they lead well, they have the opportunity to have a tremendous impact on the outcome the team achieves. In this episode, Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Cory Shaffer talk through a list of questions all leaders should ask themselves about the environments they are creating.

In this episode, Dr. Drew Brannon, sport psychologist for Georgia football, and Dr. Milt Lowder, sport psychologist for Clemson football, reflect on their unique connection with the top 5 matchup between the Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs on September 4, 2021, and use this game as a launching point to discuss how to respond to success and setbacks. They also discuss the importance of how you...

With fall sports underway, we wanted to revisit a great conversation between Dr. Milt Lowder and Clemson University Men's Head Soccer Coach, Mike Noonan, one of the most respected individuals in the world of collegiate soccer. Dr. Lowder and Coach Noonan discuss the importance of being a lifelong learner, clarifying your vision, identifying core values, and having the courage to live and coach acc...

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 t...

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 pro...

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 Olym...

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.

Fathers unquestionably play a pivotal role in our collective growth and development. Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Milt Lowder reflect on the responsibility and privilege of being a father and share three central roles of a dad: the encourager, the believer, and the teacher.

How do you stack the odds in your favor to perform at your best? Dr. Cory Shaffer and high performance strategist, Dr. Brandon Marcello, discuss the essential elements needed to optimize performance and maximize your potential. They examine how the interwoven components that make up the fabric of human performance - the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional pieces - impact one another and are...

Although it can be elusive to measure, you can undoubtedly feel team chemistry. Dr. Drew Brannon and University of Georgia Volleyball Head Coach, Tom Black, discuss how team chemistry elevates performance, increases enjoyment, and creates a feeling of being part of something greater than yourself.

How do you persevere through pain, disappointment, and discomfort? Dr. Drew Brannon and Furman University's Cross Country / Track and Field's Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Logan Roberts, explore persisting through challenges and managing emotions during difficult moments. Logan shares how running has helped him find purpose and created opportunities to produce positive ripple effects...

What does it mean to co-create greatness with your team? Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon explore this topic with Todd Billingsley, Director of Leadership and Business Development at Boehringer Ingelheim. They also dive into the meaning of success, how emotional intelligence is actually a "power skill," and the importance of adopting a growth mindset for continued, lifelong learning.

This episode features a conversation between Dr. Milt Lowder and football legend and Clemson's Associate AD of Football Administration, Woody McCorvey. Woody highlights the importance of preparing for opportunities and shares the inspiring story of his life and career, including growing up in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement, becoming the first African American to serve as a coordinator fo...

Regardless of industry, the most successful and effective teams throughout the world share key characteristics. Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Katie Nichols review a study by Harvard Business Review called "How Winning Organizations Last 100 Years" and break down the shared principles of Centennials, or groups and businesses with over 100 years of sustained success. Dr. Shaffer and Dr. Nichols examine t...

Chasing perfection is a lose-lose scenario. True professional success comes from a long-term commitment to growth. ACC Network analyst and radio co-host, Kelly Gramlich, joins Dr. Katie Nichols on this episode to discuss how growth has been an active process in Kelly's career, how to let go of mistakes, and the importance of seeking feedback.

How do you create a winning mentality and a successful team culture? This episode features a conversation with Dr. Aimee Kimball, the New Jersey Devils Director of Player and Team Development, and Dr. Cory Shaffer. They discuss what goes into a draft and player selection process and how to build a championship culture.

This episode features a conversation between Dr. Cory Shaffer and Joseph L. Badaracco - the John Shad Professor of Business Ethics at Harvard Business School and the author of Step Back: How to Bring the Art of Reflection into Your Busy Life . Professor Badaracco describes the concept of 'mosaic reflection' and four helpful, guiding principles of how busy men and women can incorporate more reflect...

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 th...