Episodes

  • Good Sports CEO Melissa Harper asks: Can you reduce your mission to a bumper sticker?
    May 8 2024

    Ep. 179: Field Hockey at the University of Pennsylvania shaped this non-profit leader. Good Sports – “a food bank for sporting goods” – just hit their $100 million donation milestone.

    If you are a leader who wants to learn how to make a larger impact through your clearly defined mission, you have much to learn from Melissa’s experience building Good Sports!

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don’s favorite quotes from today’s episode and a reflection question so you can apply Melissa’s insights.

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time, Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team toward personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Libby Klemeyer and Francisco Nunez for making this episode possible.

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    32 mins
  • H&R Block CEO Jeff Jones Reveals the Best Way to Begin Team Meetings
    May 1 2024

    Ep. 178: Baseball and basketball shaped Jeff who leads 60,000 global tax professionals. While he doesn’t do his own taxes, Jeff does “file” several practical tips in this episode including:

    • The best way to begin team meetings by “checking in” and “checking out”
    • How to frame questions that are “provocative” but also productive rather than aggressive or alienating.
    • How to rescue an unproductive meeting by figuratively getting everyone on your leadership “out on the balcony” to get some distance on what’s going sideways.
    • The important difference between the “failing fast” and “learning more” mindsets.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions.

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time, Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to T.J. Percell and Nicklas Urban for making this episode possible.

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    37 mins
  • Aflac U.S. President Virgil Miller encourages you to walk your own process
    Apr 24 2024

    Ep. 177: Baseball, football, and fencing in college shaped this leader who has received 30 promotions during his decades-long career—showcasing his determination to equip those around him with a team-first mindset that produced an impact across the company. You will learn:

    • The critical business lesson he learned from taking a called third strike during a Little League All-Star.
    • The difference between leading a team and transforming a team.
    • Why risk-taking is essential to swing momentum in your favor.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions.

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    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Francisco Nunez and Samantha Clark for making this episode possible.

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    46 mins
  • AOL Founder Steve Case asks: Imaginer or Manager? The one thing entrepreneurs must consider
    Apr 17 2024

    Ep. 176: Steve found himself on the basketball court with Barack Obama growing up in Hawaii! His competitive spirit was on display when he co-founded AOL and lead the second largest merger of all time with the blending of new media AOL and old media Time Warner.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions. Click here to download the bonus resource.

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Ethan Salzberg and Francisco Nunez for making this episode possible.

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    25 mins
  • StretchLab President Verdine Baker gives you 5 ways to foster meaningful relationships at work
    Apr 10 2024

    Ep. 175: Soccer shaped this leader who joined StretchLab when there were three franchise locations. Today, there are more than 400 studios across North America and 900 licensed locations globally, making them the global leader in assisted stretching. He offers numerous tips including:

    • How to use the first minute of every meeting to “humanize” the context and put everyone in a more open and collaborative mindset.
    • Creating daily, weekly, and monthly meeting rhythms that provide timely and relevant contexts for decision-making.
    • Why your organization’s vision, purpose, and values need to come down off the wall and into your personal and team day-to-day conversations.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions. Click here to download the bonus resource.

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time, Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team toward personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Libby Klemeyer and Meredith Grimm for making this episode possible.

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    38 mins
  • Best-selling Author Jon Gordon shares “The One Truth”
    Apr 3 2024

    Ep. 174: Cornell Lacrosse shaped Jon Gordon who recently released The One Truth: Elevate Your Mind, Unlock Your Power, Heal Your Soul. We discuss ways to keep your team connected, including specific techniques. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and a leadership activity for your team to connect by sharing a hero, hardship, highlight, hope, and something hilarious. Click here to download the bonus resource.

    +Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    ++Special thanks to Samantha Clark and Vince Jones for making this episode possible

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    32 mins
  • Cisco Executive Rachel Barger says: Always keep an open door
    Mar 20 2024

    Ep. 173: Field hockey at the University of Delaware and Team USA shaped Rachel’s competitive spirit and teamwork skills that help her lead a dynamic team across 17 countries. You will learn:

    • Four questions she asks employees to foster positive learning conversations with her team.
    • The best way to identify a “diamond in the rough” who may be hiding in your business.
    • How to implement and maintain an open door policy in a hybrid work environment. “Make it super clear you want them to reach out to you … then actually get back to them,” said Barger.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions. Click here to download the bonus resource.

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    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Ethan Salzberg and Francisco Nunez for making this episode possible.

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    39 mins
  • Former P&G CEO Bob McDonald says: Leadership is the most valuable – and scarce – resource in the world.
    Mar 13 2024

    Ep. 172: Football and baseball shaped Bob whose 33 years working for P&G culminated in his role as Chairman, President, and CEO. Under his leadership, P&G added nearly one billion people to its global customer base, and its stock price increased by 60 percent in his four years as CEO.

    Following his career at P&G, Bob was selected by President Obama to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. While at the helm of the VA, Bob was able to help transform the agency into one that truly delivered better care for our Military veterans.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions. Lessons include:

    • The small but impactful ways to be intentional about setting high standards of behavior from the top of the organization.
    • How to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.
    • Deploying what McDonald calls ‘The 5 E’s” to optimize your organizational capability.

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Elizabeth Dole Foundation
    • Every Cure
    • West Point Association of Graduates

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team toward personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to T.J. Percell and Brian Schnorr for making this episode possible.

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    48 mins