The Wholistic Productivity Podcast #42 Making the Call: Leadership Lessons from the Stripes with guest Jimmy Arnett
In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun sits down with Jimmy Arnett, a seasoned sales leader and longtime high school sports official, to talk about what sustained performance really looks like—when the pressure is real and the spotlight is on.
Jimmy offers a unique dual lens. In his professional life, he manages $150M in annual revenue as a National Account Sales Manager. Outside of work, he’s spent over three decades officiating high school basketball, volleyball, and softball, including state championship games—where decisions must be made instantly and confidently.
Chris and Jimmy explore the shared skills that connect officiating, leadership, sales, and productivity, including preparation, resilience, handling criticism, learning from mistakes, and staying patient when emotions run high.
This conversation reframes productivity as something deeper than efficiency—highlighting confidence, perspective, and sustainable excellence over the long haul.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why preparation builds confidence in high-pressure moments
- How to handle criticism without letting it derail your focus
- The leadership lessons that translate across careers and callings
- Why patience and perspective improve decision-making
- How to recover from mistakes and keep moving forward
- What sustainable excellence really looks like over the long haul
Show Links
Connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-arnett-ab37aa/
Connect with Jimmy on Twitter - https://x.com/jarnett34
Connect with Jimmy on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jimmy.arnett.16
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
06:01 Exploring the Uniform Industry
11:05 The Art of Sales and Relationship Building
13:48 Getting Started With Officiating
16:03 Lessons from Officiating and Sports
24:14 The Impact of Preparation in Sports and Sales
27:57 Navigating High-Stakes Moments in Officiating
29:07 Connecting Sales and Officiating Experiences
33:33 Navigating Criticism and Heckling
36:59 The Impact of Social Media on Officiating
39:54 Learning from Mistakes and Moving Forward
43:29 Instant Feedback: A Double-Edged Sword
48:34 Common Mistakes of New Officials
49:37 Building Relationships Through Officiating
51:01 Personal Reflections and Motivations
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