This newsletter is being sent to 34 individuals this week!
Seems like once a week I’m having this discussion with a neighbor, friend or family member. Thinking back to the 90s when I grew up. How different it is raising a child in today’s climate. Access to everything at the push of a button.
Cell Phone. Tablet. Computer. etc. etc. etc.
Do you ever wish things were simple again?
I look back and wish I had the ability to coach college athletics prior to high-speed internet.
What was it like reaching out to high school coaches/prospects?
Going about your day-to-day as a coach?
How many calls did you have on your office phone?
What was the offseason like?
So many questions and maybe this needs to be answered on a future podcast by an older coach?
Our children know so much. My soon to be 1st grader is saying words that I didn’t dream of saying until middle school (I also wasn’t very smart). When I was her age my biggest worry was grass stains on my knees and being bored outside. Along with
Playing with Ninja Turtles
Wearing random sports team shirts (as shown below)
Playing Tecmo Super Bowl
Trying to win a free Mt. Dew or Pepsi
Final Four basketballs from Pizza Hut
Last time Cowboys were relevant…
Obviously, there’s no going back or slowing down at this point. Each week a new AI tool is released. Chat GPT, then Grok, now Claude, what’s next?
A reminder as summer is here, put the phone down, less time using technology and more time taking in experiences outside. The kids need it and we need it. It’s just that simple.
Episode #75 - Scott Wachenheim
In this episode, Coach Scott Wachenheim shares his remarkable journey through military service, college coaching, and leadership at VMI. Discover insights on building resilient programs, taking hard jobs, and lessons learned from decades of coaching at various levels. We talk about his stops at Air Force, Arkansas, Colorado, Utah State, Rice, Liberty, Washington Redskins, Virginia and as head coach at VMI.
Episode #76 - Tony Shiffman
In this episode, Coach Tony Shiffman shares his experience playing college football at Illinois College, managing injuries, passion for offensive line play, journey coaching high school in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Iowa, significance of organizing, coaching college at Lake Forest and Elmhurst, career setback, staying involved and networking.
Book Review
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker
“Continuous effort not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential.” - Winston Churchill
“Hire character. Train skill.” - Peter Schutz
CEO does three things:
Sets overall vision and strategy and communicates to stakeholders
Recruits, hires and retains best talent for company
Makes sure enough cash in bank
You cannot hope to understand and lead others until you’ve done the work of understanding yourself
Self-awareness is foundation (strongest predictor of a successful career)
Knowing how people tick, process information and what motivates them
The world hungers for authenticity
Typical American = reads three books a year; CEO = reads 12 books a year
Culture is unspoken, automatic and almost invisible
Culture is a plot of land
You can grow a lush garden or weeds will overrun the property
No matter what, something will grow
What are your rituals? Are birthdays, anniversaries, milestones celebrated?
Do workers socialize outside of work?
How do people describe the company?
Emotional intelligence guarantees success in life and business
When we ignore levels of work, we unknowingly leave an all-star on the bench
Nothing more important than hiring and developing people
Create transparency in your business
The Truth
If you hire based off of a political decision...it won't end the way you want.
At some point that person will need to be replaced due to poor performance or will leave for greener pastures.
When it's political, it's not about finding the right fit.
Worth Your Time
I grew up watching NASCAR. My neighbor was the biggest Dale Earnhardt, Sr. fan you could find. Every Sunday, our families would get together and watch the race.
I’ll never forget the day “The Intimidator” hit the wall.
The medical crews, the coverage on TV, something seemed off. To this day I can remember my neighbor saying, “I think he’s gone.”
With the sudden passing of Kyle Busch, there’s been a ton of media coverage on NASCAR. I’ve watched more races this year than I’ve ever watched since those Earnhardt days. The ceremony before the race was sad but also well done by NASCAR. The gesture by Kyle Larson’s son (Owen) to Kyle Busch’s son (Brexton) showed more empathy than that from most 40 year olds I’ve met in my life.
Fired Coaches Podcast started in May 2020. The podcast interviews coaches, scouts, media and others connected to the sports world that fell from the mountaintop. They were either fired, resigned or told that their contract would not be renewed. Level does not matter. The story does.