A Coach's Diary

Source: Impact Players: Dare to Lead Podcast The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the concept of Impact Players from leadership coach Liz Wiseman. In an interview with Brene Brown, Liz Wiseman says Impact Players aren’t just talented, individual contributors — they make the team and the people around them better. Impact Players are superstar performers who everyone wants on the team. They do great work, they do the hard stuff, and they do so with an energy that people want to be around. Here are 5 things you can do to be an Impact Player: 1 - Get Ready and Stay Ready Don’t wait for someone to tell you everything because that takes time. Make yourself useful and valuable by doing things without being asked, and anticipate problems and have plans. 2 - Be a Great Teammate Be easy to work with, low maintenance, no drama, while helping your teammates. Don’t make hard work harder. Look for ways to make work easier for everyone. Bring value and good energy. 3 - Do Extra — Go Ab...

“We can have different personalities, but we can’t have different mentalities.” - Mike Vrabel Does everyone on your team have to have the same personality? Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the New England Patriots who he now coaches. In an interview, he was asked what is one of the best pieces of advice he’s received about building culture. Vrabel said, “You can have different personalities, but you can’t have different mentalities.” Everyone is different. We all bring something different to the team. But the mindset and goals have to be similar. The values and principles have to be the same. The vision and direction has to be the same, but how we act, our personalities, and our general beliefs might differ. The key in leadership is making sure everyone knows where we are going, how, and the mindset and mentality needed to get there. Question of the Day: How can you bring your own personality to the team while fully committing to the shared mindset, standards, and...

“When people learn to evaluate and respond to their thoughts more realistically, they feel better and function more effectively.” - Judith S. Beck Do you have control over your thoughts, or do your thoughts control you? Judith S. Beck is a psychologist and leading expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a psychological approach that explains how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, and how changing unhelpful thinking patterns can lead to healthier emotions and more effective behavior. In her book, Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond , Beck wrote, “When people learn to evaluate and respond to their thoughts more realistically, they feel better and function more effectively.” What you think affects how you feel, and how you feel affects what you do. CBT teaches people to notice negative or inaccurate thoughts, evaluate them, and replace them with more realistic and productive ones — leading to better decisions, performance, and well-being. Learn how to ...

“Behavior is a function of expectancy and reinforcement value.” - Julian Rotter Do you work harder if you know you have a chance to win versus when you don’t think you have a chance? Julian Rotter was a psychologist best known for developing Locus of Control theory . Locus of control theory explains whether a person believes outcomes are mainly the result of their own actions ( internal locus of control ) or due to outside forces like luck, fate, or other people ( external locus of control ). Rotter once said, “Behavior is a function of expectancy and reinforcement value.” We are more likely to work harder when we think we can get better at something we care about. An athlete will work harder in practice if they believe (expectancy) that their effort will lead to improvement or playing time, and if they really care (reinforcement value) about getting better or helping the team win. So set meaningful, reachable goals for yourself and others.. Question of the Day: What is one goal you c...

“The brain has the ability to change itself in response to experience.” - Norman Doidge Did you know we aren’t stuck with the brains we are born with? Norman Doidge is a psychiatrist and researcher best known for popularizing the idea of neuroplasticity — that the brain can change, adapt, and rewire itself through experience, effort, and learning. His work shows that growth, recovery, and improvement are possible at any age, challenging the belief that ability is fixed. He once wrote, “The brain has the ability to change itself in response to experience.” Our brain is not fixed or hard-wired. Instead, it physically adapts based on what we repeatedly think, practice, and do . Experiences — like learning a new skill, practicing a sport, managing stress, or recovering from injury — strengthen certain neural pathways while others weaken. Repetition and attention signal the brain to rewire itself, making those skills, thoughts, or habits easier over time. This is why every rep matters — eve...

“Emotions are not reactions to the world; they are your constructions of the world.” - Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett Do you manage your emotions, or do they manage you? Dr. Barrett is a leading expert on how our brains construct emotions. She wrote, “Emotions are not reactions to the world; they are your constructions of the world,” and, “Human beings are not at the mercy of mythical emotion circuits … we are architects of our own experience.” Her theory is that emotions aren’t automatic reactions — they’re created by your brain based on how it interprets what’s happening around and inside you. Your brain doesn’t just feel happy, sad, or scared automatically. It looks at what’s happening, remembers similar situations, and decides how to feel. That means you can train your brain to have better emotional reactions by noticing your thoughts and choosing more helpful ways to think. Nervous about a test or game? Instead of thinking, “I’m going to fail,” think, “This is a chance to show what I’ve...

  “All of us are a little bit addicted to tomorrow. I'll quit smoking tomorrow, I'll go on a diet tomorrow, I'll lose weight tomorrow, I'll start studying tomorrow. But really, making it happen today is the way you improve.” - Nick Saban Are you waiting for tomorrow? National champion football coach Nick Saban once said, “All of us are a little bit addicted to tomorrow. I'll quit smoking tomorrow, I'll go on a diet tomorrow, I'll lose weight tomorrow, I'll start studying tomorrow. But really, making it happen today is the way you improve.” Many people habitually put things off, thinking change or effort can always happen “later” instead of now out of laziness, ignorance, or fear. But tomorrow will always be tomorrow — never today. Stop relying on “tomorrow” as a safety net. Small, consistent actions today lead to meaningful improvement and growth. Do something today that you’ve been putting off. Question of the Day: What is one thing you’re putting off ...

“Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.” - Dr. Caroline Leaf How would you measure the quality of your thoughts b Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on how your thoughts shape your brain structure. She once said, “Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.” Just like a garden, your mind is a space that needs to be cultivated and taken care of. It requires attention, care, and maintenance. Left unattended, it can become overrun with “weeds,” or negative patterns. She also said, “You can literally change the wiring of your brain by changing your thoughts.” Mental habits actively shape your brain. Through practices like reflection, mindfulness, journaling, or cognitive exercises, you can intentionally “weed out” harmful thoughts and “plant” helpful ones, literally changing how your brain responds to life. By paying attention to your thoughts an...

Source:  Well-Oiled Operations Podcast The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the concept of multipliers vs diminishers. Liz Wiseman is a leadership coach who says leaders fall into two broad categories: Multipliers grow, energize and get the best out of others. Diminishers shrink, drain, hold back, and don't get the most out of others (often unintentionally). She says, “The best leaders don’t know everything; they know how to bring out the best in others.” What is a Multiplier? A Multiplier is a leader who brings out the best in others. Instead of relying on their own intelligence or doing everything themselves, they create an environment where people feel engaged, capable, and motivated to contribute. Multipliers amplify the talent, energy, and thinking of the team. Three Things We Can Do to Be Multipliers Fully engage the team. Set clear expectations, show belief in people’s capabilities, and create an environment where individuals feel trusted and challenged to d...

“The best leaders don’t know everything; they know how to bring out the best in others.” - Liz Wiseman Would you rather be the one with all the answers, or the one who helps everyone else play their best? Liz Wiseman is a leadership researcher, executive advisor, and bestselling author who’  core idea is that leaders fall into two broad categories: Multipliers – leaders who make people better and bring out the most in them. Diminishers – leaders who (often unintentionally) drain capability by over-directing, rescuing, or needing to be the smartest person in the room. She once said, “The best leaders don’t know everything; they know how to bring out the best in others.” The best on the team isn’t always the most talented. You can be a great teammate without being the best player. Every team needs a great teammate who makes everyone better. Be that person, no matter where you are on the depth chart. Show up ready, bring great energy, do your job with integrity and excellence, and ...

“I care less about mistakes and I care more about responses. I don’t care about the mistake that got us there. I care about what we’re going to do next.” - Jamie Morrison How do you move on from mistakes? Jamie Morrison is a highly experienced volleyball coach whose international and collegiate coaching successes have elevated Texas A&M’s women’s volleyball program to national prominence, including leading them to their first ever final four. He once said, “I care less about mistakes and I care more about responses. I don’t care about the mistakes that got us there. I care about what we’re going to do next. We talk a lot about mental strength and mental fortitude and the skills that go into that. They're able to be themselves.” One of the hardest things to overcome is a loss of confidence after mistakes or a loss of momentum. He says just like he teaches his team how to pass and set correctly, he teaches his team how to overcome mistakes so they can be themselves in the biggest...

"Put fire into your workout and you burn off worry and frustration!” - Suzanne Yoculan How do you burn off worry and frustration? Suzanne Yoculan is a legendary collegiate gymnastics coach, best known for her extremely successful tenure as head coach of the University of Georgia women’s gymnastics program, where she led the Gym Dogs to 10 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships. Coach Yoculan once said, “Put fire into your workout and you burn off worry and frustration.” We all experience performance pressure, fear of mistakes, stress from expectations, and emotional buildup before big moments, but an intense, purposeful workout can be therapeutic. When we fully engage—mentally and physically—we stop carrying anxiety, self-doubt, and frustration, and effort becomes a release, not just preparation. Learn how to channel your feelings into controlled intensity, use your work ethic as a way to regain confidence, and let your preparation quiet your mind. Energy beats anxiety, preparation...