The Growth Project

Life is like a poker game: it's less about the cards that you're dealt, and more about how you play them. Dr. Cory Shaffer chats with professional poker player and winner of four World Series of Poker bracelets, Brian Hastings. In the conversation, they explore Brian's approach to poker, including how he practices his craft, the mental game of poker, and how poker relates more broadly to life.

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. In the conversation, they discuss the do's and don'ts to effective leadership, the key differences between passion and purpose, and the role of the learner in leadership.

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. Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Cory Shaffer talk through a list of questions all leaders should ask themselves about the environments they are creating.

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 launch point to discuss how to respond to success and setbacks. Dr. Brannon and Dr. Lowder also discuss the importance of how you compete, not letting failure or success define you, and separating who you are from what you do.

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 according to what you believe.

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 the end of the episode from his long-time radio cohost and previous podcast guest, Kelly Gramlich.

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 proportion.