The Growth Project

What does effective leadership look like over many decades? Dr. Katie Nichols and Sarah Reesman, current Director of Public Interest and JD Advantage Careers at the University of Missouri Law School and previous senior executive staff member with Mizzou Athletics for over 28 years, discuss effective leadership strategies to build and manage a successful organization. Additionally, they discuss the evolution and expansion of college athletics and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

Typically people seek out change and pursue growth when facing a challenge, but you don't have to be sick or facing hardship to get better. Drs Cory Shaffer and Drew Brannon make the case for change and share actionable steps to establish and sustain a mindset that pursues growth independent of external triggers.

The Law of Value, a concept coined in The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John D. Mann, states that your true value is determined by how much you give back to others and it has been a guiding force for Carl Sobocinski, visionary founder of Table 301 Restauarant Group in Greenville, SC. Dr. Milt Lowder and Carl talk about his path to becoming a successful entrepreneur and discuss putting the Law of Value into practice by paying it forward and giving back to the community.

Dropping off your children for their first year of college often fills parents with a bittersweet combination of pride, excitement, and sadness. This week, Dr. Milt Lowder will experience this rite of passage as his son, Jay Lowder, leaves the nest to start his freshman year at Clemson University. As part of a tradition Milt has done for each of his children, Milt picked "Something to Be Proud Of" by Montgomery Gentry as Jay's song when he was a toddler - one that captures the powerful connection between a father and son. So it's no surprise that the message of this song perfectly captures the theme of this conversation as Milt and Jay look back over the last eighteen years and look forward to the future.

Culture is the life force of an organization, so clearly defining, communicating, and cultivating a strong culture is critical in developing a successful company and team. Dr. Cory Shaffer talks with Brett Putter, Founder of CultureGene and CEO of Hybryd, about the lightbulb moment when Putter fully realized the importance of culture, how leaders can embed cultures within their teams, and the importance of establishing a culture in the world of hybrid work.

Regardless of whether or not you run your own business, adapting an entrepreneurial mindset is advantageous for your professional and personal growth; among its many benefits, thinking like an entrepreneur opens up opportunities by strengthening your ability to overcome obstacles and enhancing your capacity to grow from failure. Dr. Drew Brannon talks with Ryan Johnston and Ryan Heafy, entrepreneurs and founders of 6AM City, a rapidly growing media company focused on activating communities through daily email newsletters in 25 cities across the United States, about their leadership philosophies, entrepreneurial experiences, and key lessons learned along the way.

Annual goals are typically set with gusto and good intentions at the beginning of the year, but they are often forgotten or pushed to the side as life's inevitable curveballs pop up. It's easy to get off course, so to help bring your goals back on track, it's useful to have regular checkpoints to take inventory of your progress. Drs Milt Lowder, Drew Brannon, Cory Shaffer, and Katie Nichols share their progress on personal annual goals and provide suggestions to help you reach yours.

When we experience difficult times in life, it's not always helpful to simply think positive thoughts and be blindly optimistic. Drs Milt Lowder and Katie Nichols acknowledge the power of positive thinking, but they also discuss why facing the brutal truth allows us to be realistically optimistic, which gives us the freedom to experience pain, find meaning during hardship, and, ultimately, experience positive growth.

Which four athletes would make up your Mount Rushmore? More importantly, why did they make the list? Following up on their Mount Rushmore: Coaches conversation, Drs Cory Shaffer and Katie Nichols share their all-time athlete lists and the criteria for how they made the cut. This is a great exercise that you can do with your group or team to learn more about each other and engage in some healthy debate over who is most deserving to be carved in stone.

When setting out to reach a new goal, the beginning is typically easier because results are more tangible and endurance has yet to be tested, but the journey often becomes more difficult as time goes on because sustaining growth challenges personal resolve and mental fortitude, particularly when diminishing returns are inevitable. Drs Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer discuss the three phases of the growth process and share tips on how to combat the hurdles you're sure to experience along the way.