It's All About Perspective with Del Leonard Jones, Pulitzer Prize Nominated Author and Referee

In Episode 25, Del Leonard Jones, Referee/umpire in multiple sports, Author of three books, including At the Bat: The Strikeout That Shamed America and Advice from the Top, and former USA Today Business Journalist (nominated for Pulitzer Prize), talks with Phil about angle and perspective in refereeing and life, issues with VAR and instant replay, avoiding compounding mistakes, the law vs application of the law, respecting authority, and the #1 complaint referees get. Specifically, Del discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for sports, refereeing, writing, and leadership (2:26)
• The importance of knowing one's angle and perspective in refereeing, and what it has to do with life outside of sports (12:14)
• The pros and cons of instant replay and VAR, whether we should get rid of it, and what life lessons we are missing because of its implementation (16:34)
• Make-up calls and compounding mistakes, and what life lessons we can learn from them (20:44)
• Power trips and referees making it about them, and what that can teach us about leadership outside the pitch (24:27)
• The law vs. application of the law, subjectivity in refereeing, and how it plays out in our life and leadership outside the game (28:30)
• The #1 complaint referees get, and what it has to do with other areas of our lives (31:37)
• Why we ought to respect officials, how we can properly do so, and how it relates to our lives and leadership off the pitch (40:36)
• Some great quotes from CEOs and other leaders in his book, Advice from the Top, and how they can help us in our life and leadership (47:58) (Below are some quotes from the book)

• How Del has used the lessons learned through sports in his life and leadership off the pitch (55:39)

Selected Quotes from Advice from the Top

• Joe Moglia, Former TD Ameritrade CEO and Head Football Coach of Coastal Carolina University (from the Foreword
  • "Just before Super Bowl XXXIX, I gave an interview to Del about the football lessons that apply to business. Here are a few X's and O's from my interview with Del:
    • Be sure your people are playing in the right positions.
    • Know the odds of success and the consequence of failure when taking a risk.
    • Ingenious game plans fail if no one is blocking and tackling.
    • Success requires spiritual soundness, dedication, courage and love. Love is the willingness to sacrifice for the team. It doesn't matter how many points you score if the team loses.
  • "In football and business there are star performers. Convince the stars that the only way to succeed is to reach team goals."
  • "The star quarterback won't be effective if he's on the ground due to lousy protection. In business, if your star running back doesn't recognize the importance of his blockers, you need another back."
  • "You can have good athletes playing the wrong position. Move underperforming employees to where they can be successful."

• Larry Brown, NBA and Dream Team Coach
• • "If your best player has great character, the chances of succeeding are incredible. If your best player is not of good character, then you have a problem."

• Mike Eruzione, Captain of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team on beating impossible odds

• • "Game winners aren't luck. They're practice and preparation unless the shot bounces off somebody's head and goes in."
  • "Miracles are one part luck, nine parts hard work."
  • "If you believe you're going to lose, you probably will."
• Ronnie Lott, NFL Hall of Famer with the 49ers
• • "It's like players who invest time looking at film. Reflect on things you want to achieve each day."
• Dan Lyons, Olympic Rower
• • "The best team members feed off each other. They are a little quirky and odd. Bland groups, no matter how strong and powerful, underperform. That's the strength of diversity. It's not just racial or ethnic or gender diversity, it's diversity of spirit, of seeing life and the world."
• Wynton Marsalis, Trumpeter, composer, bandleader on the leadership lessons of jazz
• • "When people trust each other they work for the common good. They are in sync and prepared for anything."
• Steve Young, Former 49er QB
• • "Perfect information is never available. Gut instinct is crucial. Play a little blind, throw the ball trusting the receiver will be there. Take advantage of a glimpse, a piece of information."

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Del on LinkedIn
• At the Bat: The Strikeout That Shamed America, by Del Leonard Jones
• Advice from the Top: 1001 Bits of Business Wisdom from the Great Leaders of the Recent Past, by Del Leonard Jones
• The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Del Leonard Jones
• "Try Angles," Referee Magazine (September 27, 2018)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by Daniel James Brown
• "Five Lessons on Leadership: What One CEO Learned as a Referee," Referee Magazine
• Miracle (movie)
• Leadership Jazz: The Essential Elements of a Good Leader, by Max Dupree