Intentional Performers

Morag Barrett is a sought-out executive coach and leadership expert who helps leaders achieve outstanding results through the power of their professional relationships. At last count Morag and her company SkyeTeam have supported the development of more than 10,000 leaders from 20 countries and on 6 continents. She’s the award-winning author of three books: Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships; The Future-Proof Workplace; and her latest book You, Me, We: Why we all need a friend at work (and how to show up as one!) which has received NINE book awards! She’s recognized by Thinkers360 and PeopleHum as an HR Thought Leader to Watch and a member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches organization.   Morag had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “When it comes to SkyeTeam, our values and why we do it is to have fun, to do great work, to have fun, to work with great clients, and to have fun” (8:00). “The game of work is a team sport” (9:15). “Our ability to be better together, that’s our mantra at SkyeTeam, comes through the courage and vulnerability to do this with others” (9:40). “It’s all about the relationships that we have at work and in life that determine our health, happiness, and success” (10:25). “The world of work is the biggest team sport you can participate in” (13:10). “Nobody gets to the pinnacle of fame and success on their own” (15:05). “The work we do is all about how do we help others make their life and work lighter and easier” (17:15). “Life is short, and if it’s like a millstone we’re doing it wrong” (19:20). “Everything that people remember is heart-led, the way they made me feel” (29:55). “I am a master at asking questions and turning the focus from me to you” (36:40). “What did I learn from that moment of burnout? That I can only run so fast for so long and I need to be prioritizing myself and self-care so that I can be stronger and better positioned to help others” (39:40). “Can I be a friend and ally for you even if I don’t like you?” (57:00). “How do we work respectfully together in spite of our differences to enable us to be better together because of our differences?” (57:15). “What I am learning at the moment is how to better articulate my boundaries” (1:00:35). “10 years from now I want to be inspiring others… firing up the individual and collective mindset in a way that just leaves a legacy and ripple effects across the world” (1:03:15).   Additionally, you can find the SkyeTeam website here and connect with Morag on LinkedIn. You can all purchase all of Morag’s books wherever books are sold. Thank you so much to Morag for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Jack Green is a Double Olympian, a formal global wellbeing lead, and a performance coach. He has this unique perspective on what it takes to achieve high performance, and he also knows about the dark side of sport, elite sport, and high performance. He knows how some of the mindsets that he cultivated for himself professionally to get to some of the highest levels in his sport were also some of the mindsets that really led to him living an unhealthy life and getting into some mental health challenges that really did derail not only his career, but his life in general. His philosophy has become simple: if you are thriving personally, you will no doubt thrive professionally. He’s on a mission to help as many people as possible to be the best version of themselves. He retired from elite sport at the age of 28 after winning World and European medals. We talk about medals in today’s conversation, and also why finishing 4th were some of the proudest races and competitions that Jack had. He has a passion for high performance and he has continued to step into that world as a coach, as a speaker, as a mentor, and he really does believe in the power of the mind to drive performance and to drive wellness. You’re going to love my conversation with Jack; he’s thoughtful with his words, he’s wise beyond his years, and it’s a conversation that we all need to hear. Jack had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “Luck doesn’t have any ownership over it, and so I don’t think it’s repeatable” (6:35). “I’m very big on let’s get repeatable success” (6:40). “I could outwork anyone” (8:05). “Athletics became my kind of escape and the thing that was going to give me opportunities in life” (8:20). “I was fueled by insecurity. I was fueled by a fear of failure” (9:10). “No one ever took the time to find out who I was” (10:45). “Let me learn about you as a human being” (11:25). “I believe I’m a very good coach” (17:30). “I really enjoy doing it. It doesn’t feel like a chore coaching. Sometimes running did” (17:40). “I like seeing people develop and grow” (18:10). “I’m really passionate about trying to win the right way” (19:10). “Sport is not healthy. Let’s stop trying to make it healthy; let’s try to make it healthier” (24:00). “Anyone can get to high performance, but elite performance is different” (24:30). “Be aware, don’t compare” (27:00). “When I retired, the only thing I dropped was running” (33:00). “I’m going to expect that bad things might happen, but I’m going to help you in getting through that” (40:35). “If an athlete leaves me and isn’t a better person, what am I doing with my time?” (41:20). “To understand what it takes to keep winning is absolutely incredible” (42:40). “I retired at 28 because I wasn’t willing to pay what was required” (46:20). “We like shiny, we like new, we like easier” (55:35). “Be efficient” (56:05). “Wellbeing is very basic and not very exciting” (59:15). “I’m trying to give something practical, I’m trying to help people” (1:02:40). “I think people should share because they want to help other people” (1:02:50). Additionally, you can connect with Jack on LinkedIn. Thank you so much to Jack for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Pablo Torre, a thoughtful, smart, intelligent, and funny guest, discusses his approach to media and storytelling. He talks about the diverse range of guests on his podcast and the blend of humor, wisdom, and thoughtfulness they strive for. He shares his experiences working in sports media and the impact of changing media landscapes. They also explore the power of polarity and complexity, the challenges of engaging with differing opinions, and the importance of collaboration and building connections.

Steve Shenbaum is the Founder and President of Game On Nation. For over 27 years, we’ve been helping sports teams, high performance organizations, government, and military personnel improve overall communication and relationship building by combining game-based exercises with practical techniques. Our end goal is to simplify the process and put words into action - moving from good to know to good to do - to enhance workplace behaviors, develop authentic connection, and improve overall team success. Steve had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “Are we practicing what we’re sharing out into the world?” (9:25). “We always say know your audience, but we rarely put our most important audience first: [our family]” (14:20). “Tone is key” (16:50). “Laugh with, not at” (17:10). “Tone is the most important thing that I’m aware of when I’m talking with my children” (17:55). “I know my children’s learning styles” (19:30). “Everyone is a presenter” (23:40). “All speeds are very valuable, it’s just a matter of knowing and having discernment as to which speed you want to bring into the situation” (25:30). “Change speeds” (26:40). “We have to make sure we don’t go to extremes” (28:00). “Every interaction we have is an opportunity to naturally develop these muscles” (28:30). “We try our best to always have a sense of common sense, critical thinking, and emotional control… when you’re teaching improv” (33:00). “No one in their right mind is like ‘I cannot wait to get negative feedback.” We’re not wired that way” (40:10). “You cannot take someone’s feedback as a personal attack” (40:25). “Say what you saw and say it with grace” (42:25). “We have to make sure we don’t chase what I call the statistical anomaly” (44:25). “We always go to the negative” (45:00). “Surround yourself with a good advisory team” (48:40). “The most important feedback is from the people that have earned the right, that know you well, that actually speak true life into you” (49:15). “We have to be aware that when you’re on stage there is that high, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but we have to protect ourselves and make sure there’s a nice combination of empathy and authority on stage” (54:05). “You’re presenting with the audience” (56:35). “We need to humble ourselves as presenters and make sure we’re not just going in and high-kicking” (58:45). “When we present, what’s one positive word that we’re trying to make the audience feel?” (1:02:55). “If we only stay in the feelings, we’re going to be in a really difficult place” (1:11:35). “We very rarely argue good behaviors” (1:14:05). “Relationships are key. You have to build that trust. And there’s no quick fix” (1:16:50). “Do not rush relationships” (1:17:15). Additionally, you can find the Game On Nation website here, as well as their program guide here. You can also follow Game On Nation on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook @gameonnation, and you can follow Steve directly on those same platforms (plus Twitter) @steveshenbaum. Thank you so much to Steve for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Founder & CEO of Triple P Consulting LLC also a member of the Strong Skills team! Jon Tuteur is an Executive Coach, Facilitator, Speaker, Author, and Management Consultant with over 20 years of experience working across numerous industries including the U.S. Federal Government, State & Local Government, Nonprofit, Higher Education, Financial Services, Hospitality, Retail, Healthcare, Real Estate, High Tech, and Consulting. Jon had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “We’re not connecting in the ways that we used to” (9:40). “It’s so important for me in the work that I do to create that safe space for people to open up about whatever it is that’s going on” (11:55). “A lot of what drives disconnection is assumptions” (12:55). “When we’re just judging people based on behavior, there’s a lot of assumptions that go along with that” (13:20). “There’s a way to go deep and be vulnerable at work that isn’t inappropriate” (16:50). “Vulnerability is power. There is strength in vulnerability. It is not a weakness at all” (21:00). “It’s been an incredible journey, but writing a book is not for the faint of heart” (26:00). “For me, so much of [decision making] centers around emotion” (31:30). “What is my heart saying? What is my head saying? What is my gut saying?” (32:00). “Our body tells us so much that we aren’t even aware of” (32:20). “Having gone through this has given me a new sense of being able to put myself in other people’s shoes that are struggling” (39:20). “Having 3 brain surgeries was the hard option, it was the hard road, and it was starting over” (44:20). “My focus this year is leaning into the spotlight because I’ve spent so much of my life shying away from it, trying to let other people take that spotlight. But no one wins who’s afraid of losing” (45:20). “I don’t allow myself to go down rabbit holes very often” (50:15). “One of the reasons I’m drawn to emotional intelligence is it comes naturally to me” (50:25). “Adversity is much more comfortable than it was when I was 29” (52:35). “[My book, Starting Over: From Seizures to Seizing Life] is a firsthand vulnerable account of how a completely unexpected life change impacts someone” (1:00:25) Additionally, I’d encourage you to check out the website for Triple P Consulting here, a replay of Jon’s ABC 7 Good Morning Washington interview here, and to pre-order Jon’s upcoming book, Starting Over: From Seizures to Seizing Life, here. You can also follow Jon on Facebook and LinkedIn. Lastly, you can find the website for the Federal Executive Institute here, where Jon teaches a class about EQ. Thank you so much to Jon for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, which is a Chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. And in today’s conversation we certainly talk about Harvard, what it’s like to work on a college campus, and what it’s like to be specifically at that college campus during this time in 2023 as we record today’s conversation. Amy has been recognized by the Biannual Thinkers50 Global Ranking of Management Thinkers since 2011, and recently was ranked #1 in 2021. She’s received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019 and Talent Award in 2017. She studies teaming, psychological safety (which is going to be a core concept and competency that you’ve probably heard about at some point if you study environments and teams and groups), and we’re going to talk about the famous Aristotle study that Google did that found that psychological safety was the #1 factor in determining team success, so this is definitely a deep dive into that concept and something that hopefully you can take with your teams and organizations. She also studies organizational learning and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, and California Management Review. She’s written many books, so we’re going to talk about The Fearless Organization, which she wrote in 2019, we’re going to talk about her latest book, The Right Kind of Wrong, so a lot of this conversation is about mistakes and failures, and I highly recommend you check out that book. She’s also written books around this concept of teaming, including Teaming to Innovate and Extreme Teaming. At her core, you’re going to find Amy to be humble but brilliant, you’re going to find her to be nuanced and thoughtful when it comes to psychology and the science of humans, and she is someone that I feel as though, even though she’s got all these accolades, I feel like I could’ve talked to forever.  Amy had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “A mindset is something that happens inside your head. It’s an approach. It’s an orientation” (6:35). “A psychologically safe environment in the classroom is mission-critical for learning and learners” (9:30). “Safe spaces and psychological safety are almost at odds, almost two opposing ideas rather than compatible ideas [in an educational space]” (12:20). “Classrooms can be environments where people can take risks and occasionally failures will happen… and through those we will learn and grow and get to be better versions of ourselves” (14:40). “Psychological safety for me has always been about helping people take their foot off the brakes” (15:05). “The day you decide you don’t need to learn anymore, and your mind is made up and your opinions about various people and groups is made up, is the day you cease to grow (16:35). “It starts with a recognition that other human beings are just as important as you are” (21:10). “We all want to feel that we matter” (23:15). “The meaningful memories [on our death beds] have to do with other humans” (29:10). “There’s an asymmetry [to psychological safety]” (30:35). “Vulnerability is a fact” (33:00). “If I’m unwilling to confront my vulnerability, then I’m at risk for unhappy surprises” (33:30). “Neuroscience research suggests that some of the same neurons are firing when we get a psychological assault or harm, like being rejected by a group of friends…, as for a physical harm” (36:20). “Emotions are incredibly important, incredibly powerful in shaping our human experiences (45:20). “Probably the most important capacity people can learn, in sports and in life, is how to tame their emotions” (45:55). “Your emotions can simply be data” (46:40). “The more expert we get in any given field or domain, the more we can effortlessly process context and take it into consideration” (56:25). “The best students, the unusually good students, are curious” (59:40). “To cultivate curiosity and collaboration, you have to truly believe that it’s in your interest to do so” (1:00:35). “A mistake is an unintended deviation from a known process… A failure is an undesired outcome” (1:03:15). “There’s no such thing as a mistake in new territory” (1:03:55). “It’s about creating the safe conditions in which [your kids] can fail” (1:14:30). Additionally, you can find all of Amy’s information on her website, and also follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.  Thank you so much to Amy for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.  

Today’s episode is going to be a little bit different than our past episodes: I’m actually going to interview two friends of mine, two colleagues, that are going to share their perspective on collaboration. Miranda Holder is an Executive Coach (and my own personal coach) that has a background in sport. She was a three-sport athlete in High School and then she found Rowing in College where she competed at an elite, high level. She then became a Rowing Coach and ended up becoming the Head Rowing Coach at Georgetown University. That journey of becoming a Rowing Coach ended up leading her to become an Executive Coach. Today, she spends a lot of time working with people in all walks of life in the corporate space, and she considers herself to be an insight wizard. She helps people see themselves in their situation more clearly, and for the people brave enough to do the work, there’s an incredible leader, person, and idea ready to surface. She loves to work with people on being the best leader or CEO that they can be while also taking risk to start a company or refusing to settle into a career path that doesn’t elicit joy and excitement. She loves helping people unlock their potential and at her core, she loves coaching. Grace Aduroja Kolker is a friend of mine, someone I look up to, and someone who I consider to be a mentor. Grace is a coach and someone who is extremely wise when it comes to things like communication, emotional intelligence, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and decision making. She is someone who I personally have sent many friends to to get coached. She is someone who facilitates dialogue with me on a regular basis and helps me be the best version of myself. Grace is a lawyer by trade, but she also has a journalism background. She is somebody who has had to ask questions for legal purposes, had to ask questions as a journalist, and as somebody who is just ridiculously curious. Grace is amazingly inquisitive and is a leadership coach. She is someone who holds space for people, develops people, and also facilitates conversations in group experiences. Grace is someone who I look up to, someone who makes me wiser and better at my job, and we often co-facilitate together. Additionally, she has a high-potential accelerator where she will work with individuals one-on-one.   Here's a quick summary and some key takeaways from this conversation: In today’s episode, Brian, Grace, and Miranda discussed the paradox of autonomy and collaboration, the importance of collaboration, and its challenges and benefits. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of vulnerability, fulfillment, and clear communication in collaboration. Brian acknowledged his struggle with receiving help and understanding others' strengths. The group also discussed the need to work on aspects of collaboration to enhance teamwork and productivity. More specifically, Grace and Miranda had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” (12:00) – Grace “The question of ‘Why?’ is less important to me than ‘Where do we go from here?’” (17:20) – Miranda “I work on my own because I don’t like working for other people” (18:10) – Miranda “Being in that energy of receiving can be really difficult” (22:45) – Miranda “One of my weaknesses is I don’t allow people to contribute to me” (25:15) – Grace “There is a vulnerability [to collaboration]” (26:40) – Grace “I love being accountable and there’s a lot I’m accountable for. But I don’t want to be responsible for it all” (29:10) – Grace “People who deliver excellence deliver excellence across the board” (32:50) – Grace “The body [has] the ability to sense and be with the complexity of multiple experiences and multiple feelings and sensations” (48:215) – Miranda “I want to be tested and see if I’m good enough more than I want to avoid the discomfort of the challenge” (49:40) – Miranda “As you mature, you start from a place of dependence” (1:02:55) – Grace “That ability to sink into interdependence is so powerful” (1:05:35) – Miranda “The relationship matters to me more than anything else” (1:17:40) – Grace “You’ve got to do you own work first” (1:18:10) – Grace Thank you so much to Grace and Miranda for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Coach Anson Dorrance is the Head Coach of the University of North Carolina’s Women’s Soccer Team. He’s the only Head Coach in program history, having coached 45 seasons as the Women’s Head Coach. He graduated from North Carolina, he spent his time there, he actually coached the Men’s team and the Women’s team when he first got there. He’s won over 1000 games and he’s won 22 National Championships. He has coached some of the best soccer players of all time and won a World Cup with the Women’s Soccer Team. So, in women’s soccer coaching history from a legacy standpoint, Coach Dorrance is the cream of the crop. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of coaching in general, but especially in women’s soccer. He’s in the Soccer Hall of Fame, he’s been named Coach of the Year seven times, the resume just goes on and on and on. He is someone who obviously knows a lot about what it takes to build a team, to build a roster, to develop character, and to develop a competitive spirit. We’re going to talk a lot about collaboration and competitive spirit in this conversation, we’re going to discuss leadership ad nauseam and at length, and you’re going to find really quickly that Coach Dorrance has intentional values that he uses and leverages with his team that are constantly evolving. So, this is someone who has built a program and he will continue to lead that program for the next 5 years, as we get into in today’s conversation. At the end of the day, this is someone who loves to develop humans and he cares deeply about developing humans and he thinks about developing humans all the time. He is truly a lifelong learner. It was a pleasure, it was an honor to learn from him; I hope you pull out a pad of paper and a pen and start taking notes because there are just a ton of gems throughout today’s conversation.   Coach Dorrance had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “It’s not really a sports season unless there’s some sort of crisis you’re dealing with” (7:20). “I just like to play sports and read books” (16:50). “The truly extraordinary business leaders construct a business that can basically last forever” (18:40). “My main job is human development” (23:10). “The key is to be falling forward” (34:40). “What’s critical is the way you construct your own narrative” (35:25). “We still want to be responsible for our failures” (35:50). “There’s nothing wrong with failing” (36:25). “What’s critical for the leaders is to embrace their role” (37:10). “The ideal form of leadership is someone who will lead verbally” (39:25). “[The most critical element for success in all of the team’s I’ve had] is good leadership” (40:15). “If you don’t have the capacity to lead yourself, you’re not going to be in position to lead anyone else” (40:40). “I treasure the leaders I’m given, but I don’t take any credit for them” (46:15). “We all live on a leadership continuum” (50:15). “The kids I’m recruiting know where they’re coming” (57:20). “The truly elite players want to know where they stand” (57:45). “I love the accountability of data for your performance” (1:05:05). “The truly great competitors have to understand that if you truly want to win it’s not about you winning in a team sport, it’s about the team winning” (1:06:25). “Self-belief is something I’m not going to touch” (1:20:50). “Energizing is a form of collaboration” (1:21:20). “I believe in leading a principle-centered life” (1:25:05). “I believe in governing without rules” (1:27:25). “I believe in trying to get everyone’s personal narrative to the truth as fast as possible. And how do we do that? With data” (1:27:30).   Additionally, you can purchase Coach Dorrance’s books, Training Soccer Champions and The Vision of a Champion, anywhere books are sold. You can also find Coach Dorrance’s website here. Thank you so much to Coach Dorrance for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Jack Easterby is a respected figure in sports management and leadership. Currently, he is a consultant based out of Charlotte, NC.  Throughout his career, Easterby has contributed to various organizations, including the National Football League, the Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots, the Houston Texans, the Southeastern Conference, the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, and the United States Olympic Teams. He has also been involved in head coaching searches for different sports at universities. Most recently he held the title of Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Texans.  Easterby is known as a trusted advisor to players and coaches and has experience as a speaker at universities, graduations, and charity events. Apart from his professional life, Jack Easterby is a family man, married to Holly, and has two daughters, Houston and Harriet. He is also passionate about his community and has established The Greatest Champion Foundation, focusing on curriculums, team-building strategies, and sports ministries nationwide. His approach to leadership emphasizes "Kingdom Ethics," incorporating faith into different aspects of life, leaving an impact on sports and leadership ethics.   Jack had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “Sports franchises have evolutions” (8:10). “Every franchise is not going to evolve at the same rate” (8:35). “No organization is one thing away” (9:10). “We’ve got to be able to create a culture where everything is examined; everything matters” (9:30). “Any good system, any good program, has evaluated all of the downsides. Evaluate the risk” (12:45). “There’s a lot of fake deadlines out there now where people feel the need to answer things or do things in an expedient fashion where maybe they could delay a little bit and make time for themselves to get all of the facts on the table” (15:40). “People feel a need for speed, and that’s not always a good thing” (16:50). “If you want the empathy of those around you, if you want the empathy to be pervading emotion if you will, I think you need to be able to admit you mess up” (19:45). “Sometimes a leader has to fall on a sword even though it may not be directly their fault” (21:50). “One of the things that is absolutely cornerstone to good leadership is creating emotional stability in your group” (24:55). “I have always looked at organizations as a team of teams” (31:45). “It all matters” (32:50). “Anyone in leadership can fall prey to mantras and phrases that have emptiness in them” (36:35). “When I’ve looked back on the really good decisions I’ve made, they’ve been the ones I’ve vetted on every level” (39:10). “The best decisions are made with multi-factorial inputs” (44:55). “Sometimes a step forward is a step back” (49:00). “Most organizations right now are realizing the need for a comprehensive database” (57:15). “There is no greater action in the current climate, with sports or with business, than creating a unified database” (58:05). “Our country in general is in the greatest need in the history of our country of high character people to be in leadership” (1:02:55). “The most sustainable, long-term attribute of great leaders is they have consistent character” (1:04:05). “We have to think about what we think about” (1:15:30).   Additionally, you can follow Jack on Twitter and find The Greatest Champion Website here. Thank you so much to Jack for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Dusty May is the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Florida Atlantic University. You may have heard of Dusty and his program based on last season’s success in college basketball. They won 35 games and they became a darling during the NCAA tournament when they made it to the Final Four in an incredible run. What’s interesting about that run is Dusty took over the program 5 years ago, and since taking over they have not had a losing season. But Florida Atlantic has had plenty of losing in their past; they actually have only been around since the 90’s as a program. So, Dusty is really in the process of building something and there are high expectations for this upcoming season as well. So, we’ll talk about expectations in this conversation. We’ll also talk about why he decided to stay at Florida Atlantic. He obviously had other opportunities to go elsewhere, to go to bigger programs with bigger budgets and more opportunities to recruit, and Dusty decided to stay at Florida Atlantic, he loves it there and he really is in the process of trying to build something special at that campus, and I wouldn’t put it past him to be able to do so. In this conversation, we talk about the culture that he builds, the staff that he wants to surround his players with, we talk about things like loyalty and teamwork, and what it takes to build a consistent winner. Dusty is an enthusiastic guy. He’s going to talk about likability in this conversation, and he’s one of the most likable people I’ve had the good fortune of having on this podcast.    Dusty had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “At different times of our life and stages of our career, we all want something different” (7:50). “Growing up in this business, loyalty becomes something that’s almost ingrained in you” (10:50). “We didn’t expect our guys to come back out of loyalty, we expected them to make the best decisions for them, their families, and their futures” (11:10). “Imposter syndrome is much more common than people realize” (13:25). “I’m very comfortable in my own skin” (15:30). “Sometimes doing too much can actually backfire and take you in reverse” (17:40). “I love being a coach, it’s a big part of my identity because I have so much respect not only for the profession, but for the impact my coaches had on me” (18:50). “Any time you see your parents do something that they absolutely love to do, you’re probably inclined to at least give it a shot” (22:45). “As long as we’re surrounded with a great staff who’s committed to helping our players, and as long as our players are committed to being the best they can be… then it’d be very difficult for me to be unhappy” (25:45). “We spend a lot of time trying to read the room and tailoring our messaging to what the team needs” (34:45). “I got most of my satisfaction, personally, during the [Final Four] run from seeing our players and their families and the joy it brought so many people together” (36:10). “I’m process-oriented; the outcome is not what drives me” (36:15). “I would be very disappointed if our players didn’t think practice was enjoyable most of the time” (41:30). “There is joy in the work” (41:50). “I know how difficult it is to be the coach’s son” (48:50). “What I love to do doesn’t have to be what [my kids] love to do” (50:20). “It’s not basketball. You’re coaching life; you’re coaching people” (52:20). “A big part of my job is teaching” (59:50). “It’s the joy of competing, it’s the joy of the work, it’s the joy of doing it together; those are the things I love much more than being the only one standing at the end of the season” (1:02:55).   Additionally, you can follow Dusty on Twitter. Thank you so much to Dusty for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.