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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

David Novak hosts real leadership conversations with the best CEOs, Founders & Entrepreneurs in business, sports and entertainment to talk about how they get such incredibly good things done and how they are making a difference in their communities. David, a former co-founder and CEO himself, has been asking great questions and learning from top leaders his whole life. Now he breaks down the key learnings so that by the end of each episode, you?ll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader.

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Episodes

Guy Raz | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Welcome back to 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our featured guest. On this episode, we're talking about our interview with Guy Raz, the host and creator of two wildly popular podcasts "How I Built This" and "Wisdom from the Top." Listen in to hear even more about why it's important to act in the service of others. If you want a simple plan to improve as a leader, you can get one here for free ? https://howleaderslead.com/plan
2022-08-08
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Guy Raz, Creator and Host of NPR's How I Built This, on Acting in Service of Others

Guy is a remarkable leader who not only has the most soothing voice you?ll ever hear, but the motivation behind all that he does is something we can all learn from and be inspired by. And it?s this: he wants to serve his listeners and add value to their lives.  I?ll tell ya? ... I can?t think of a better quality of leadership than that?doing all that you do in service of others.
2022-08-03
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Bill Harrison | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Welcome back to 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our featured guest. On this episode, we're talking about our interview with Bill Harrison, the former Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Listen in to hear even more about why it's important to prepare the next leader. If you want a simple plan to improve as a leader, you can get one here for free ? https://howleaderslead.com/plan
2022-08-01
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Bill Harrison, JPMorgan Chase's Former Chairman and CEO, on preparing the next leader

Have you ever worked for somebody who?s taken you under their wing and believed in you enough to pave the way for you to take his or her job?  Let me tell you, throughout my career, I?ve had the great fortune of this happening to me multiple times.  But here?s the sad thing, I don?t think this is all too common of a story. Too many leaders have a ?you work for me? mentality and the last thing they want is for you to take their job. So they actually hold you back. So what do we do about this? Well, we can learn to be the kind of leader who can identify top talent and do whatever is required to help them succeed in their careers, so that they?re prepared to take your job or another another job like it. On this week?s episode, you?re going to learn how to do this from one of the all-time greats. Bill Harrison is an example to follow in how he prepared the next leader of JPMorganChase (Jamie Dimon).
2022-07-28
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Dawn Sweeney | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Welcome back to 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our featured guest. On this episode, we're talking about our interview with Dawn Sweeney, former President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association.  Listen in to hear even more about why speaking up when something can be better is a quality of great leaders. If you want a simple plan to improve as a leader, you can get one here for free ? https://howleaderslead.com/plan
2022-07-25
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Dawn Sweeney, Former National Restaurant Association President and CEO, on speaking up when something can be better

Today?s guest is Dawn Sweeney, the former President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association. Steve Jobs used to say of Apple: ?Excellence is the price of admission.? What he meant by that was that excellence was standard operating procedure. It?s what was expected. In an environment like this, colleagues push each other to make things better. They push the boundary of what?s possible, and if someone feels like a project or an idea can be better, they speak up! Dawn Sweeney, and the great leaders I know, do this very same thing. They speak up when something can be better. They don?t accept the status quo, but instead have the courage to push for making everything the best it can be. This, my friends, is what it looks like to strive for excellence. And doing things with excellence is the mark of a great company. If you haven't already, sign up for my weekly leadership development plan and get the tips you need to get prepare for a busy week straight in your inbox on Sunday evenings. Go to https://howleaderslead.com/plan and sign up today.
2022-07-21
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Rob Manfred | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Welcome back to 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our featured guest. On this episode, we're talking about our interview with Rob Manfred, Commissioner of MLB. Listen in to hear even more about how finding common ground is a quality of every great leader. If you want a simple plan to improve as a leader, you can get one here for free ? https://howleaderslead.com/plan
2022-07-18
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Rob Manfred, Commissioner of MLB, on finding common ground

Have you ever been in one of those situations where you have to make a tough call and you know that no matter what you choose, someone won?t be happy? What are you supposed to do in those moments? Well, Rob Manfred is no stranger to this dilemma. Each and every day, he has to manage relationships with the 30 team owners, the players, the fans, and the union. What you?ll hear in this conversion is how Rob finds common ground to keep moving forward. Finding common ground is not always easy, but it?s a skill that I?ve found in so many of the leaders I respect. Baseball fan or not, I know there?s a lot for you to learn about leadership from today?s conversation. If you haven't already, sign up for my weekly leadership development plan and get the tips you need to get prepare for a busy week straight in your inbox on Sunday evenings. Go to https://howleaderslead.com/plan and sign up today.
2022-07-14
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Jason Kelly | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Welcome back to 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our guests. This week, we're talking about Jason Kelly, Cofounder and CEO of Ginkgo BioWorks. Today my co-host Koula Callahan asks me about learning from companies in other industries, communicating vision to get employee buy-in, and explaining the complexities of Yum! Brands with clear and compelling stories. If you haven't already, sign up for my weekly leadership development plan and get the tips you need to get prepare for a busy week straight in your inbox on Sunday evenings. Go to https://howleaderslead.com/plan and sign up today.
2022-07-11
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Jason Kelly, Ginkgo Bioworks' Cofounder and CEO, on how to simplify the complex

Today?s guest is Jason Kelly, the cofounder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks, the largest designer of synthetic DNA in the world. Think back to the last time someone asked you what you did for a living. For as simple of a question this is, it can actually be really hard to answer. The reason is, in the back of your mind you might be thinking ?where do I even start?!?  Running a business is complex! But until you learn to simplify all of the complexity and learn to talk about what you do in a simple way, you?ll be limiting the kind of impact you could be making as a leader. And this is something that Jason Kelly has mastered. I mean, tell me a more complex business to have to explain than a synthetic biology platform company. And yet, Jason has learned to simplify the complex. I?m no bioengineering buff but when I hear Jason talk about Ginkgo and what?s possible with the technology they?re pioneering and scaling, he has me leaning in!  So whether you?re leading a billion-dollar brand or a small business, how you communicate as a leader matters. The great leaders I know have learned to simplify the complex.
2022-07-07
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Ken Langone | 3 More Questions with David Novak and Koula Callahan

Today is the first edition of 3 More Questions, an episode series where we continue the conversation that we started last week with our guests. This week, we're talking about Ken Langone, Cofounder of The Home Depot. To co-host the show, I?m bringing in someone from my team so we can dive deeper into my conversation with Ken and learn a little more about leadership. Koula Callahan leads our content and marketing, and today she gets to turn the tables and ask ME three questions based on last week's episode. Let's get started! If you haven't already, sign up for my weekly leadership development plan and get the tips you need to get prepare for a busy week straight in your inbox on Sunday evenings. Go to https://howleaderslead.com/plan/ and sign up today.
2022-07-04
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Ken Langone, The Home Depot cofounder, on being there for people

Today's guest is really special. He?s a person I love with all my heart and who's been a mentor of mine for several years. He's Ken Langone, the Cofounder of The Home Depot and Chairman of NYU Langone Health.  Now, here's a guy who's had more success than you could ever imagine in almost every way you could think about it. He's the most popular guest host of Squawk Box. He?s sought out on every major issue by the media. He's even been featured on 60 Minutes for his breakthrough thinking at NYU Langone Health. He's an incredible business leader and a renowned philanthropist.  And one thing will be absolutely clear when you listen to this conversation. The reason why he's had so much success is his deep down belief in the power of people. There's no doubt Ken believes that you have to recognize people, recognize talent, believe in them and show up for the people you have the privilege to lead.
2022-06-30
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Carol Loomis, Fortune Magazine's Former Senior Editor-at-large, on taking it one step at a time

Today?s guest is Carol Loomis, Former Senior Editor-at-large at Fortune magazine. There?s so much I admire about how Carol has navigated her career. She?s blazed her own trail and done things no women had ever done before in the journalism field, which has paved the way for women in other industries too. Not only did she create what is known today as the Fortune 500 list, she was an advisor, editor, and friend to Warren Buffet, who she?d talk to almost daily for decades. She even wrote a book about him called ?Tap Dancing to Work.? But what stands out to me about how Carol leads is that she?s taken one step at a time. She pushed through barriers and made a name for herself by doing excellent work until she retired from Fortune after working there for 60 years. There?s a lot to learn about her tenacity and drive, and her one step at a time approach.
2022-06-23
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Jon Rahm, Golf's Defending US Open Champion, on using history as your guide

There's so much to admire about Jon Rahm. He's obviously super talented, absolutely the real deal, and an extraordinary competitor. But I think you'll be surprised to learn that one of his most distinguishing characteristics is his love for the history of the game.   Not only does it help him to appreciate those who?ve come before him, but he uses what he?s learned to give him a competitive edge and help him in the heat of battle.  Knowing your history can be your advantage too. Because here's the thing: the best leaders I know use history to learn from and inspire them about what?s possible.
2022-06-16
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Bill Acquavella, Art Dealer and Head of Acquavella Galleries, on reputation being everything

Today?s guest is Bill Acquavella, one of the most renowned art dealers in the world and Head of Acquavella Galleries. In the art business, reputation is everything. Bill has sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and his customers, people like Mick Jagger and Steve Wynn and Henry Ford II, have absolute trust in what they?re buying from him. They?re confident spending money with Bill like they do because of the confidence they have in him. So the question for us is: how do we build up our reputations as leaders where people will trust us in the big moments?  Well, this is an episode chock full of stories from some of Bill?s biggest deals. We can learn to build up trust by hearing how he?s built up his. It?s true for Bill and it?s true for leaders ? reputation is everything.
2022-06-09
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Juliet Funt, Author and Consultant to Fortune 500 Executives, on Taking a Minute to Think

Today?s guest is Juliet Funt, the CEO of the Juliet Funt group where she?s a tough-love advisor to Fortune 500 companies like Google, Costco, Nike, and Spotify. She?s also an author and we?re going to be talking about her book A Minute to Think throughout the conversation.  Now when was the last time you had a minute to think? Because if you?re like a lot of leaders, your calendar is jam packed and when you?re not in meetings, you can hardly keep up with constant emails and a task list that seems to have no end.  So what are we supposed to do about the kind of work where we need to stop and think before we respond? Or when we need to strategize about a crisis that?s imminent?  There just doesn?t seem to be time! And it?s costing us in more ways than we even realize. Juliet is about to teach us how we can get rid of the busyness in our lives so that we can show up as better leaders. There are so many practical takeaways in this episode and I can?t wait for you to listen in.
2022-06-02
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Ryan Serhant, Real Estate Entrepreneur and TV Star, on Going All In

Today?s guest is Ryan Serhant, star of Bravo?s television series Million Dollar Listing: New York and Sell it Like Serhant. He also runs a wildly successful real estate firm. We all know that a leader casts a shadow in their organization, meaning the people in the company mirror what they see in their leader. The truth is, some leaders aren?t fully committed. While they may be clocking in everyday, their teams can see them going through the motions, and so what they get in return is a disengaged team that?s mirroring their lack of commitment. But then there are leaders like Ryan who go ALL IN! They are the leaders who are excited to go to work, and their excitement and energy spill over to their teams, and as a result, they have engaged teams who bring their best each and every day. My guess is that you probably want to be a leader?and have a team?more like Ryan. How can you make that happen?  Well, what you?re about to learn from Ryan Serhant is what it looks like to go all in and the impact that approach will have on the team you lead.  And boy, does Ryan have some crazy stories! I?ll let him tell the full version, but there was a time he flew to Europe in an attempt to close an $8 million deal for an apartment in New York. Talk about going all in!
2022-05-26
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Paul Varga, Brown-Forman's Former Chairman & CEO, on stewarding your brand and your people

Today?s guest is Paul Varga, the former Chairman and CEO of Brown-Forman, the largest distilling company in the world with brands like Jack Daniels and Woodford Reserve.  They have a saying at Brown-Forman, ?Build Forever.? The company started in 1890, and the way Paul sees it, it was his responsibility to steward two key parts of the business. He wanted to continue to build their iconic brands, but he also made it a top priority to build their people up as well. Because what a tragedy it would be if the brands grew and their people didn?t grow with it!  What you?re about to hear is why Paul cared so deeply about developing his people and ultimately, how that drove success in their business. The great leaders I know build forever, stewarding both their brands and their people. 
2022-05-19
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Molly Fletcher, Keynote Speaker and Former Sports Agent, on learning to be an effective negotiator

Today's guest is Molly Fletcher, who CNN hailed as the female Jerry Maguire, for her work negotiating over $500 million in contracts as a sports agent.  If I were to ask you what you do for a living, my guess is you likely wouldn't respond with ?I'm a negotiator.? But when you think about it, you're in negotiations multiple times a day: as you collaborate with your team about a project deadline, as your leadership team debates what the company should focus on, and even something as simple as which restaurant you should go to for a client meeting. You constantly have to work through a variety of priorities to settle on a satisfactory decision. The great leaders I know understand that they are constantly negotiating and have learned to navigate these situations extremely well. And you're about to learn negotiation from someone who has done a lot of it. 
2022-05-12
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Patrick Spence, Sonos' CEO, on Building to Last

Today's guest is Patrick Spence, the CEO of Sonos. So many tech companies that build consumer products are set up in a way where they make their products obsolete every time they launch a new product. The idea is that the minute the new device is available, their customers will abandon the old product and buy the newest model.  But what's interesting is that Sonos has a very different strategy. They set out to build their products to last. They want their customers to have their products for a long, long time. It's a unique approach in their industry. But there's something about it, that core principle that ties in well with the mark of a great leader.  You see, the great leaders, I know, they build the last, they make decisions to keep the brand strong beyond just the present moment. They develop leaders in their organization. So there's always a pipeline of strong talent when new opportunities arise. They treat their customers with dignity and respect, which breeds long term brand loyalty.  I could go on and on and what you're about to hear from Patrick Spence, and how he leads Sonos as their CEO, is that he's leading with this build the last approach in all aspects of the business. I can't wait for you to listen in.
2022-05-05
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Terry McGuirk, Atlanta Braves Chairman, on knowing where you need to go

Today's guest is Terry McGurk, the Chairman of the Atlanta Braves. In 2016, right after the Braves went 68-93 (a pretty rough season), Terry told me that it would take five years to turn the franchise around. Well guess what? He had a turnaround plan that worked. And in 2021, the Braves won the World Series, which is exactly what he predicted.  In this episode, you'll hear him talk about how they did this. But the lesson for us here as leaders is that Terry had extreme clarity about where he and the organization needed to go.  Many leaders don't have a clear vision for their teams. Instead, they get caught in a vicious cycle of responding to emails and attending meetings without doing the necessary work to pause and zoom out and get clear about where the company needs to go.  The goal of the leader is to take their team to victory. And we can't do that if we haven't first identified exactly where we need to go.  You're about to hear how a great leader like Terry McGuirk had a clear view of success and how he assembled a team around him to execute that vision.
2022-04-28
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Larry Bossidy, Honeywell's Former Chairman and CEO, on getting things done

Today?s guest is Larry Bossidy ? the former chairman and CEO of Honeywell International and author of the book Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Have you ever put together a business strategy that didn?t work? Or perhaps the plans to execute that strategy weren?t effective and ultimately, you failed? Building a strategy is one thing and executing it successfully is another.  But Larry knows what it takes to get things done and in this conversation, you?re going to hear how he leverages three things, just three things to make big things happen: people, strategy, and operations. It was the process and discipline he put around those parts of the business that made his teams successful and it?s what you can focus on as a leader if you too want to be successful.
2022-04-21
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Elane Stock, ServiceMaster Brands' CEO, on learning to give up control

Today?s guest is Elane Stock, the CEO of ServiceMaster Brands. There?s an adage I?m sure you?ve heard: the only way to gain control is to give up control. If you?ve ever run a business or led a team, you know how true this statement is. I?m sure you also know how hard it can be to give up control.    But if we want our companies to grow, we have to learn to trust our partners and team members and allow them to do their part to build the business. What you?re going to hear in this episode is how Elane has learned to give up control while running a franchise system where her company owns the brands and the franchisees own their independent businesses. Whether you?re struggling to give up control running a large business with franchisees or running a small business, there?s a lot here for you on today?s episode.  And here?s what I want you to learn today: the great leaders I know have learned to give up control. 
2022-04-14
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James Gorman, Morgan Stanley's Chairman and CEO, on knowing who keeps you grounded

Today?s guest is James Gorman, the Chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley. In Australia, there?s something known as the Tall Poppy Syndrome. In a field of poppies, there are always one or two that stand out from the rest and it disrupts the beauty of the field. And so for that reason, they?ll snip off those poppies ? they trim them down so they don?t stand out amongst the others. What?s interesting is that as a culture, Australians do this with one another. If someone starts to succeed and think too highly of themselves, they help to keep each other grounded. And it?s important for all of us, as leaders, to know who keeps us grounded. Humility is vital if we want our success to be sustainable.
2022-04-07
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Jim Nantz, Emmy Award-Winning Sports Broadcaster, on showing up prepared

Today?s guest is Jim Nantz, an Emmy Award winning sports commentator, and in my opinion, the top sports commentator in the world! He?s the voice of the NFL on CBS, the NCAA?s March Madness, and golf?in particular, the Masters. As you well know, Jim is an incredible storyteller and communicator. He is able to pull stories and statistics seemingly from nowhere that really capture the moment.  What you may not realize is just how much work he puts in to prepare for every broadcast. Regardless of how much time you spend in front of a camera, showing up prepared is a quality of great leaders. And I?ll tell you, Jim is an exceptional leader who?s at the top of his game. I think you?re going to learn a lot from Jim and be inspired by how he does his work.
2022-03-31
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David Novak and Jason Goldsmith discuss their new book "Take Charge of You" in an exclusive interview with Donna Barton Brothers

Today, we're going to talk about a book that I coauthored with my friend Jason Goldsmith, a sports performance coach for world class athletes. The book is available now wherever you buy books, and is titled Take Charge of You: How Self-Coaching Can Transform Your Life and Career. Now, what makes this book different is you can obviously read this book from front to back, and I know you'll enjoy the stories that Jason and I tell. But the big differentiator is that we have great exercises and tools that you can use in this book to help you coach yourself to reach your full potential in your life and career. This is a book you can not only read, it's a book you can use again and again to take yourself to new heights. Now, you know, I usually do these podcasts myself and ask all the questions, but I thought it'd be a lot of fun to let you hear from both Jason and I and have someone else interview us. So I asked my friend Donna Barton Brothers to sit in and guide our conversation. Donna is a former jockey and world renowned broadcaster for NBC. She's the one you see at the Kentucky Derby interviewing the winner on horseback (while riding backwards). So we're off to the races! Let's not wait any longer. Here's a very fun conversation with two of my good friends, Donna Barton Brothers and Jason Goldsmith.
2022-03-24
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Sneak peek of "Take Charge of You" read by David Novak

In this BONUS episode of How Leaders Lead, David shares the introduction to his new book, Take Charge of You: How Self-Coaching can Transform your Life and Career. Find out how to take the methods and metrics of coaching into your own hands and find the success you want in life.
2022-03-22
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Tom House, Coach to Elite Athletes and Cofounder of Mustard, on learning from the best

This week?s guest is Dr. Tom House, a world-renowned expert in the biomechanics of throwing who's coached elite athletes like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, and Greg Maddux. He's been called a quarterback whisperer and a pitching guru, but if you ask him, he prefers to simply be called ?coach.?  Tom is the preeminent pioneer who brought science into the coaching equation. For decades, Tom has used elite athletes to create models that others can replicate. For example, if you're a little league pitcher or high school quarterback, Tom has developed technology that will compare your mechanics and timing to Nolan Ryan or Tom Brady. Now just think about the coaching that provides young up-and-coming athletes! The leadership lesson for us here is that we should do the same in business. We should look to those who?ve come before us that have been wildly successful and mirror our approach to what they do to build healthy, high-performing businesses. The great leaders learn from the best and then apply those learnings to be even more successful themselves. You're going to learn: How to learn from the best and democratize that information How to make a habit of continuous improvement How to embrace failure as a more valuable learning experience than success What Tom learned when he slowed down Sandy Kofax?s pitch, and how that information transformed coaching How to turn broken players into top-performers Why preparation is more valuable than talent How Tom Brady became one of the fastest quarterbacks in NFL history How Drew Brees went from a busted, career-ending shoulder injury back to top-performance The story behind Disney?s movie Million Dollar Arm How to bring out the best in your team members PLUS, Tom?s advice the parents of student athlete (hint: the struggle is worth it).
2022-03-17
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Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey's Corporation, on how to reimagine your brand

Today's guest is Stephanie Stuckey, the CEO of Stuckey?s. This company started in 1937 by Stephanie's grandfather who opened a single store in eastern Georgia. It was one of the country's first roadside retail shops. At its peak in the 1970s, Stuckey?s had grown to 368 stores in 40 states, along pretty much every major interstate. From humble beginnings to a roadside empire. But then, things turned for the worst due to external threats and internal weaknesses. When Stephanie took over the business in 2019, she was faced with challenges in every aspect of the business.  How do you reimagine a brand and get the train back on the track? Well, you can't live in the past. You can't be thinking about how it used to be. You have to think about how it has to be TODAY. So she went to work thinking about new possibilities, new ways to make money, and new ways to satisfy customers. The result? A company that was losing money is now profitable again and the brand legacy has been restored.  So whether you're leading a turnaround like Stephanie is or simply need to reimagine the way you get things done in your company or with your team, there's a lot you can learn from this week?s episode, like: How to revive a brand How to generate new revenue streams The benefits of an entrepreneurial mindset  How to build rapport with customers and partners How to cultivate employee involvement  PLUS, how a has-been company is making a comeback in 21st century style.
2022-03-10
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Shantanu Narayen, Adobe's Chairman and CEO, on planting the vision

Today?s guest is Shantanu Narayen, the Chairman and CEO of Adobe. It?s the leader?s job to communicate the vision of the company in a way that ignites the hearts and minds of the people they lead and plant the flag of a big idea. Our teams don?t show up simply for the paycheck. They want something bigger to be a part of, a compelling vision to get behind that infuses all kinds of meaning and passion into their day to day. Since 2018, Adobe?s valuation has tripled and is now at 300 billion dollars. That type of growth is possible because of the work Shantanu has done to lead his team toward a compelling vision. Adobe is a team of innovators and they?re chasing a vision they believe in, one their team is pursuing together, and with passion. There?s a lot we can learn from Shantanu and how he?s igniting the hearts and minds of the people he leads. In this episode, you?ll learn: How a software engineer becomes a CEO, and what roads and flags have to do with it How to prioritize long-term innovation AND short-term execution How to disrupt your own company in order to stay ahead of competitors Why having data AND a narrative matters in an Adobe performance review Why this year?s stock price is not a good indicator of current performance PLUS, Why your vision may not yet be aspirational ENOUGH
2022-03-03
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Larry Senn, Senn Delaney's Founder and Chairman, on helping others be at their best

Today's guest is Larry Senn, who's actually the father of corporate culture, and the Chairman and Senn Delaney. Larry and his business partner were hired by Sam Walton in the early days of Walmart. And it was there that Larry began to understand the intangible part of an organization that really makes a difference. Today, we call this company culture, which is simply defined as the way people behave and the way they work together. Believe it or not, Larry published the world's first research on corporate culture, and has spent his entire career helping organizations be at their best, when you think about it, helping others be at their best. That is what being a great leader, and a great coach is all about. And I'll tell you, Larry has made quite an impact in my life as my coach over the years. In this episode, you?re going to learn: How Larry built a flower business and bought a Jaguar K 120 sports car at age 18 How Larry learned that he was in the wrong career after college, and what he did to make a change What Larry learned as a consultant for Sam Walton before Walmart went big How to build exercises that inspire employees to embrace change  What jigsaw puzzles reveal about teamwork How to build actionable work values and principles  Why it?s hard to get company cultures to change How to develop the mindset of a leader The best and worst things leaders can do for (and to) their companies PLUS How to thrive at work and home without making compromises
2022-02-24
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Brittany Fuisz, Malibu Mylk's Founder and CEO, on never losing the startup mindset

Today's guest is Brittany Fuisz, the Founder and CEO of Malibu Mylk. Building something from scratch is not easy. In fact, the majority of businesses that launched don't make it past five years. So what is it that allows some companies to thrive while others fail? Whoever leads the business in the mindset they approach their work with is a key ingredient in the success of a company. And in my conversation with Brittany, you're about to see a unique mindset on full display as she tells a story of launching Malibu Mylk. Brittany has what I call a startup mindset, and what I mean by that is incredible passion to make something big happen and truly change the world. They're not willing for someone to tell them what to do. They think outside the box, they give themselves the permission to charge forward and they attack every unknown and challenge with optimism. In this episode you?ll learn: What?s going on in the milk category How to build a brand from scratch as an outsider How a celebrity?s advice sent Brittany down an unexpected career path How Brittany scaled the success of her blender to something that could be mass-produced How to respond to setbacks in quality What it really takes to be ready for a meeting with Whole Foods How the Malibu Mylk subscription model works The formula for a great culture How to embrace pushback that improves the brand PLUS, Brittany shares a promo code for getting your own batch of Malibu Mylk! Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://howleaderslead.com. Get your first order of Malibu Mylk 20% off when you use the promo code LEAD20 at checkout.
2022-02-17
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Scott Hamilton, Olympic Gold Medalist, on how to get up after you fall down

Today's guest is Scott Hamilton, an Olympic gold medalist and founder of the Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation, an organization that is working to eliminate cancer. Now, Scott obviously doesn't need much of an introduction. You already know about his gold medal and figure skating. You probably have seen his incredible backflips on the ice. And you have likely watched him as a commentator on the Olympics over the years. And while you may know him for his successes, you may not know about the challenges that he's had to overcome to win. His childhood illness, cancer, multiple brain tumors, the times he's fallen on the ice in critical situations. Scott says any goal will always have obstacles, difficulties and setbacks. You will be defined not by those setbacks, but by how you respond to them. There's so much that we can learn from Scott about how to get up after we all fall and let me tell you something, we all do. I'm so excited to have you listen in. Here's my conversation with my new friend ? and soon to be yours ? Scott Hamilton.
2022-02-10
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Ken Chenault, AMEX's Former Chairman & CEO, on embracing constructive confrontation

Today's guest is Ken Chenault, the Former Chairman and CEO of American Express, and the current Chairman and Managing Partner of General Catalyst, a dynamic private equity firm. Now, if you run a business or lead a team, there are moments when you need to lean into confrontation. And I don't mean dance around the confrontation, I'm talking about facing it head on. For a lot of people, this can be really hard to do, really intimidating. But the great leaders I know, like Ken, have learned how to engage in constructive confrontation. In this episode, you'll also learn:
2022-02-03
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Aneel Bhusri, Workday's Cofounder, Co-CEO and Chairman, on walking the talk of your core values

Today's guest is Aneel Bhusri, the Co-Founder, Co-CEO and Chairman of Workday, an American on?demand financial management and human capital management software vendor. When Aneel started Workday with David Duffield, they defined a handful of core values for their company. Now this is pretty common practice for business leaders, but here's the problem. A lot of leaders write down the company values and never think about them again. They even laminate them, put them up on the wall, but I?ve got to tell you, all they do is collect dust. But that wasn't the case with Aneel and his Co-Founder Dave Duffield, they decided that investing in their people was going to be the number one value at their company. So how did they live out that value?  Well, believe it or not, they personally interviewed the first 500 team members they hired. Now that's something that says they value people over anything else. The key lesson here is that they aligned their schedules and their priorities with the company's number one value. You see, the great leaders I know walk the talk of their core values. They just don't write them down and forget them. They actually use their core values to dictate how they spend their time, and how they focus their energy. We have a lot to learn from today's conversation, including: Why Aneel shifted from applying for a job at Apple to join an HR software startup instead How a hostile takeover led to a new venture What value system Aneel and Dave built the company around Why the Co-Founders interviewed the first 500 employees together, regardless of other work and time priorities  Why Aneel looks for ?shiny new penny folks? when hiring talent Why the tech team goes off-site every few years to talk about the future How to get customers involved in innovation How to build partnerships between humans and machines that don?t compromise the work value of either Why Aneel prefers having a Co-CEO Why Phil Mickelson does Workday advertising PLUS Aneel?s advice for aspiring leaders Find the leadership tools and resources you need to up your game at https://howleaderslead.com
2022-01-27
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Ginni Rometty, IBM's Former Chairman and CEO, on embracing discomfort to grow

Today?s guest is Ginni Rometty, the Former Chairman, President and CEO of IBM and current Co-Chairman of the OneTen Initiative. Rising through the ranks from systems engineer to CEO, Ginni has learned to be comfortable with situations outside her comfort zone, because that?s where she grew the most in her journey as a leader. While leading IBM, Ginni learned what was essential about IBM that must endure before making changes that set the company up for future growth in new industries. And so what you're about to hear from Ginni, and what you'll learn from her journey to become CEO of IBM, is that great leaders are comfortable being uncomfortable.  In this episode, you?ll learn:  How to mentally process a promotion to the top job - especially as a woman How Ginni?s mother modelled the courage and leadership Ginni needed to succeed Why propensity to learn is more important than a college degree in a job candidate Why women don?t put themselves forward for new assignments and how to help them go the distance Why preparing for the next job might actually a bad idea How to make the leap from being an individual contributor to a leader who coordinates other people effectively How to focus on the long-term with conviction and a thick skin Why Ginni?s favorite IBM achievement is employee engagement How the hybrid cloud works and the future of artificial intelligence at IBM and around the world How the OneTen Initiative intends to tap hidden pools of talent by changing priorities in hiring PLUS, Ginni?s single biggest piece of advice for reinventing yourself and your company   Check out videos from this episode and other great interviews at https://howleaderslead.com
2022-01-20
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Dave Calhoun, Boeing's CEO & President, on restoring stability in a crisis

Today's guest is Dave Calhoun, the President and CEO of Boeing, the largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners Defense, Space and security systems. Dave joined Boeing as CEO in January of 2020, and little did he know the challenges that he?d be up against only a couple months later, when COVID hit. But what Dave has shown is the great leaders restore stability in the midst of a crisis. When we are thrown a right hook that we don't expect when things are a bit chaotic, we look to great leaders to show us how we should think and behave. Now what you're going to hear in this interview is how Dave helped Boeing navigate not only COVID and the massive impact that it had on the airline industry, but also how Boeing has handled the situation of their 737 Max, which was banned from flying passengers due to two plane crashes in 2018 and 19. Now it takes a strong leader to navigate those situations and restore stability on the other side.
2022-01-13
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Will Ahmed, WHOOP's Founder and CEO, on prioritizing the right data

Today's guest is Will Ahmed, the Founder and CEO of WHOOP, a wearable fitness tracker that measures a few key metrics to help top athletes and everyday consumers achieve peak performance. You're going to learn that Will is an incredibly sharp young leader. Believe it or not, he's in his early 30s, running a company that was recently valued at $3.6 billion. Running a company at that level requires a whole other level of discipline, when it comes to focusing in on what truly matters. If you want to keep your business healthy, no matter what size a company you lead, it's imperative that you measure and keep your eyes on a few vital metrics at all times. You're going to learn: How problems with athletic overtraining led to a company that helps monitor sleep The hidden side of sleep and the WHOOP tracker How WHOOP can compete with the Apple Watch How simple metrics lead to better decision-making How Will went from student athlete to company builder How Will maintains steady focus through delegation and meditation Why the WHOOP business model emulates Peloton instead of FitBit How to ?Growtain? your customers How to be excellent in multiple complication industries at once How WHOOP built promotion partnerships with top athletes and sports networks How to find and develop people who are high intensity AND high humility Why WHOOP pays its employees to sleep PLUS Will?s best advice for entrepreneurs
2022-01-06
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The Best of 2021

To round off 2021, today?s episode features six of David?s favorite insights from the year from leaders like Marvin Ellison, Indra Nooyi, and Tom Brady. You?re going to learn about how to react to overwhelming and scary situations with focus, confidence, planning, and communication. Plus, David will teach you his number one exercise for taking stock of where you are now in order to work towards where you want to go. In this episode, you?ll learn: David?s 3x5 exercise for self-evaluation going into a new year Tom Brady?s model for clear, current communication with teammates Niren Chaudhary?s process for bringing clarity and purpose to overwhelming situations Indra Nooyi?s advice for balancing work and home life Kara Goldin?s conviction about how to escape the bondage of fear in business Andy Roddick?s ritual for staying focused to play point after point in tennis without losing it Marvin Ellison?s story about learning to stand out as himself rather than blend in as someone else Check out https://howleaderslead.com/best-of-2021/ for more great leadership insights, and go to https://howleaderslead.com/survey to share your great insights about the podcast!
2021-12-30
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Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors Head Coach, on unlocking the power of the team

Today's guest is Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Earlier in his career as a player, Steve won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls alongside the one and only Michael Jordan. He then went on to win two more titles playing for the San Antonio Spurs, and then he became a coach and won three more titles for the Warriors. Needless to say, this guy knows how to win, and he knows how to build teams that win. What you may be surprised to learn, though, is how he does it. The way Steve leads is by understanding the power of the team, from superstars to bench and everything in between. You're going to hear all about this on today's episode, as well as how you too can apply Steve's insights to whatever team you happen to be leading. In this episode you'll learn: Who Steve Kerr learned from in order to coach Why joy matters in casting the vision for a team What a great team player looks like How to coach superstars and the bench What it takes to rack up 300 passes a game How to work past mental barriers to perform with excellence How to motivate the team How to delegate areas of weakness with strength What Steve learned from playing with Lute Olson, Phil Jackson, and Gregg Popovich Why Steve wanted to let the Warriors coach themselves one game Who Steve would pick if Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant all came out in the draft in the same year What Steve thinks about The Last Dance documentary How Steve balances priorities at home and on the court Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-12-23
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Eric Gleacher, Pioneer in the Mergers and Acquisitions Business, on taking the right risks

From the United States Marine Corps to Wall Street, Eric Gleacher believes the world belongs to the aggressive. After one round of golf with the right person, the trajectory of his career changed as he pursued his dream of working in finance. After only four years at Lehman Brothers, Eric became a partner and was a large part of establishing the merger and acquisition department. Against the advice of many around him, Gleacher left Lehman Brothers to start his own firm. These risks and experiences have culminated in Gleacher?s book, Risk, Reward, Repeat. Listen as David and Eric discuss the indelible impact of the Marines, working with flawless integrity, and how to take the right risks. in this conversation, you're going to learn: The story behind Eric?s new book, Risk. Reward. Repeat How golf helped Eric get to Wall Street Where mergers and acquisitions all started What the Marines taught Eric about confidence, integrity, and leadership How to take risks in your career How the My Nickel argument can transform your meetings with potential clients
2021-12-16
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Alexa von Tobel, Inspired Capital's Founder and Managing Partner, on leading through uncertainty

A force of positivity and pioneer of Financial Technology, Alexa von Tobel felt so strongly about democratizing financial advice for Americans that she dropped out of Harvard business school to build her first business, LearnVest, in 2008. After revolutionizing digital financial services, she sold LearnVest the very same week that she gave birth to her first child. Now, Alexa von Tobel is the Managing Partner of Inspired Capital, a venture capital firm which she founded in 2019.  You'll also learn: How growing up in a medical family and losing her Dad in high school prepared Alexa for life and leadership. How studying the psychology of happiness prepared Alexa to quit business school during a Recession and start a finance education company. What leaders can do to lead through uncertainty and stay sane, healthy, and fulfilled. Why Alexa sold LearnVest to Northwestern Mutual and started a venture capital firm in New York City. The fastest way to get ?no? and ?yes? when fundraising. The importance of having people around you who believe in you, encourage you, and keep you accountable. The one thing you need to do in order to succeed.
2021-12-09
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Scott Mahoney, Peter Millar's Chairman and CEO, on going the distance for quality

Scott Mahoney, the Chairman and CEO of Peter Millar, goes the distance to for quality in how he shapes the brand and develops his people. Coming up in business, it wasn?t until Scott worked at Polo that he found his love for golf and apparel sales married in an exciting career. He was inspired to buy Peter Millar during the long drive back from a USGA meeting, and moved quickly to scale the brand up. Scott leads with attention to getting things done more efficiently by getting people excited to do them. For example, knowing that Peter Millar product can only be sold once store associates put it on the floor, Scott and his team designed the shipping arrangements to be intuitive for stockroom employees to handle. He even threw a mint in the shipping box to sweeten the deal. Scott was quick to bring nearly everything in house to ensure the quality of product, marketing, promotion, finance, and production, and has taken the apparel world by storm as a result. SHOW NOTES Peter Millar then and now How Scott got into fashion and sales at Polo How the crazy idea to buy Peter Millar became reality  Turning a golf sweater company into a lifestyle brand Getting into Nordstrom and the trick to getting product from box to shelf Getting into brick and mortar Clothing the US President?s Cup golf team Building an e-commerce business with the same great quality Getting to the top and staying focused  Building a high-quality culture Lightning Round Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://davidnovakleadership.com and https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-12-02
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Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Orthopedic Surgeon, on why we shouldn't chase passion

Dr. Neal ElAttrache is a renowned American orthopedic surgeon best known as the Lead Physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rams ? as well as his patents and innovation in sports medicine. As a leader, Neal believes strongly in the three ?A?s? ? Affability, Availability, and Ability. Listen as David and Neal discuss why chasing passion is a sure way to set yourself up for failure and burnout, and that there?s something better to chase. Show Notes Intro Finding joy in performing Tommy Johns surgery Growing up to become a surgeon Pursuing purpose over passion in your career How to think critically and sensitively as a surgeon What it's like serving as team physician for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Dodgers Working with Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Torre, NFL coach Sean McVeigh, golfer Brooks Koepka, and the legendary Tom Brady How to be mentored and mentor others Lightning Round Advice for aspiring leaders Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://davidnovakleadership.com and https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-11-18
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Rob Light, CAA's Managing Partner, on learning to listen

The Creative Artists Agency, or CAA as it?s commonly referred to, is the world?s largest talent and sports agency. CAA represents the top artists in show business ? names like Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Ben Platt, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and more. At the helm of the music division is Rob Light, a managing partner and worldwide chief. The trajectory of Rob?s career changed in one night... the night he attended his first Bruce Springsteen concert. Listen as David and Rob discuss starting in the mailroom, revamping the Las Vegas concert scene, and why he turned down an opportunity to be the fourth hire at MTV. SHOW NOTES Intro The scope of Creative Artists Agency and how COVID-19 disrupted music How Bruce Springsteen jumpstarted Rob?s career in music How to recognize and develop young talent--including Dua Lipa How to be a valuable agent and leader How Rob Light created the music boom in Las Vegas What Rob learned from turning down the chance to help build MTV How to close deals decisively and get a win-win. How Rob coached a young associate to work for Beyoncé How Rob signed Sting in a single phone call What it was like working with Prince How to test for honesty with golf Lightning Round 3 Bits of Advice How to balance a fast-paced career with family How to live in the moment for others. Farewell
2021-11-04
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Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's Former Chairman and CEO, on the future of work, family, and life

How do leaders navigate conversations about the challenges parents, and especially women, face in the workplace? The first step is to simply have the conversation and get the shared perspectives of men and women. In this special episode from the How Leaders Lead Insight Series, Ashley Novak Butler, the Executive Director of the Lift-a-Life Foundation, interviews her dad, David, and Indra Nooyi about Indra?s new New York Times best-selling book, My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future. Indra shares her story about growing up in India and the support she had to pursue her career while being a devoted mom, and the challenges she faced that she wants to remove for women coming up behind her in business, including problems with HR, childcare, and even cobblestone paths. 0:00 | Show intro 2:16 | The story behind Indra Nooyi?s memoir, and why work-life balance is the wrong goal. 9:48 | Upbringing: What Indra and David learned from their families that equipped them for future success, and how to extend those benefits to others. 16:42 | Coming up next week? Rob Light, Managing Partner of Creative Artists Agency 24:39 | How to set expectations for juggling the priorities of work and family with your spouse in order to have a fulfilling marriage. 35:15 | The surprising link between Mom guilt and the perfection gene. 40:01 | Expanding the presence of women in leadership. 46:26 | Advice for dealing with condescending behavior towards women.  49:47 | How to protect your reputation and health in business. 55:10 | Insights on mentorship and advocating for talent in general and women in particular. 58:51 | How to improve human resources to better serve all talent, and the implications of how two different people viewed the same cobblestone pathway. 1:08:48 | How to help women re-enter the workforce. 1:11:07 | Family lightning round 1:13:01 | How to make work-family life work. 1:14:45 | Farewell Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://davidnovakleadership.com and https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-10-28
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Entrepreneurial Caregiving with Jessica Kim, Founder and CEO of ianacare | Leading with Lots of Love

Co-founder and CEO of ianacare, Jessica Kim was thrust into the role of caregiver when her mother fell ill. Both of her parents moved in with her, and through this challenging and isolating time, Kim discovered the need to connect and offer support to those in similar positions. Listen as Jessica and David discuss the realities of caregiving, the power of empathy and launching a new business during a pandemic. Show Notes 0:00 | Intro and welcome 2:07 | The ianacare origin story 10:06 | Pivoting the business to work through COVID-19 13:11 | Leading with passion and precision 21:05 | How work with co-founders and scale a startup the right way 24:09 | How to lead remote and hybrid teams 31:31 | Jessica?s upbringing and path to becoming an entrepreneur 37:15 | What starting a baked goods company taught Jessica about mentorship, branding, and career trajectory 44:07 | How to work with big companies as an entrepreneur 50:07 | Twitter Insights: What Jessica thinks about reverse pitches, startup hustle, and expanding conversations about diversity 54:41 | Lightning Round 57:41 | Farewell and David?s closing insights Find the tools you need to become a better leader at https://davidnovakleadership.com and https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-10-21
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Adventures from the Golf Course | How Leaders Lead Insight Series

Anyone listening this show knows that I am absolutely passionate about the game of golf, and how blessed I am to have been able to play with some of the top players in the game. So we thought we'd mix things up a little bit and create an episode featuring some of the best stories we've heard from around the golf course - some that I'm sure you've never heard before, and you definitely don't want to miss. Grow yourself as a leader with resources from https://davidnovakleadership.com and https://howleaderslead.com.
2021-10-12
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Chick-fil-A Chairman & CEO Dan Cathy | Leading with Faith

As Chairman and CEO of one of the largest family-owned businesses, Chick-Fil-A, Dan Cathy attaches an ?in-training? modifier to his name cards as a reminder to continue learning, growing and making mistakes. As a leader, Dan believes that internal service quality will be reflected externally, which informed the decision to remain closed on Sundays. Listen as David and Dan discuss humble beginnings, 75 years of sales increases, and why Chick-Fil-A remains privately owned.
2021-10-07
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Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback | Leading with Performance

Tom Brady, quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leads with Performance. Coming to Tampa Bay after winning his last Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2019, Tom was excited to learn how to play football with a new team. He learned that no one wanted to hear him say, ?here?s how the Patriots did this,? and so he focused on building trust with his teammates, working together to build a new playbook together. Clear, current communication, or CCC as Tom calls it, is essential to getting 11 players on the same page, and Tom had to do that in the context of COVID-19 distance and separation guidelines. After losing his first game with the Bucs to the New Orleans Saints, Tom realized just how much work lay ahead of him and the team he led on the field. Working hard was only part of the challenge, because activity is not the same as achievement. Performance is all about focusing on the goal and steps to get there.
2021-09-23
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