How Soccer Explains Leadership Podcast

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

In Episode 24, Phil Brown, Experiential Education Trainer at High 5 Adventure Learning Center and Host of the Vertical Playpen Podcast, talks with Phil about the value of community, healthy and unhealthy forms of leadership, how leadership is like gardening, the concept of "Connect, Empower, Lead," the power of play, and how he has used lessons from soccer in his outdoor adventure leadership training. Specifically, Phil discusses: His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:42) How he uses the lessons he has learned from soccer in his leadership training work with High 5 (10:33) The value of community and homegrown talent (18:40) The contrasting styles of a "celebrity leader" and a servant leader, why the distinction is important, and how leadership is like gardening (23:27) Transactional vs. Relational Leadership (28:19) The philosophy of "Connect, Empower, Lead" (32:19) The power of play and the teamwork neurochemicals (37:00) Homefield disadvantage during COVID (39:32) Retention of talent (43:25) How he has used the lessons learned from soccer in his marriage, family, and other areas of life (47:17) Phil's recommendations (52:41) Resources and Links from this Episode High 5 Adventure Center's Website Vertical Playpen Podcast Vertical Playpen Podcast on Instagram - @verticalplaypen Uncut Video of the Episode HSEL Facebook Group Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke Inside Out Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives, by Joe Ehrmann Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime) Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, by James Kerr The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker The Social Dilemma (Netflix)

In Episode 23, Glenn Crooks, New York City FC Radio Commentator, Host of The Coaching Academy on SiriusXM FC, Writer/Host of Pro Soccer USA, Host of the On Frame and Soccer in the City Podcasts, Players Development Academy Head Coach, and Former Rutgers University Women's Soccer Coach, talks with Phil about the best leader he coached, other coaches he respects, leading from the middle, empowering your team members, and learning from people different from you. Specifically, Glenn discusses: His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:32) The best leader that Glenn has ever coached, and what made her great (6:30) Some of the life lessons that Glenn has learned from his decades of coaching and broadcasting, that is, the lessons he learned "after he knew everything" (12:02) Developing an internal language within your team (15:55) Empowering your team members (17:50) Learning from people from different backgrounds, professions, and walks of life (21:18) Finding the right person to send the right message at the right time (24:18) Leading from the middle (28:31) The coaches that Glenn respects the most and what sets them apart from the rest (37:12) One critical thing that he wanted to teach every one of his players (43:08) How he has used the lessons learned through the beautiful game in his life outside the game (47:55) Glenn's recommendations (53:19) Resources and Links from this Episode Glenn's website On Frame Podcast Soccer in the City Podcast Uncut Video of the Episode HSEL Facebook Group Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke A Coach's Guide to Teaching, by Doug Lemov "What is it like to play for Pep Guardiola?" – The Athletic This is Football, Episode 6: Wonder (Amazon Prime) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, by Patrick Lencioni

In Episode 22, Phil and Paul briefly talk about highlights from the second half of Season 2, and spend the rest of their time discussing the leadership genius of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, and Nate the Great. Specifically, our hosts discuss: Highlights from the second half of Season 2 (0:47) Overall thoughts on the value of Ted Lasso for coaches and other leaders (2:59) The value of a 30,000 foot view and outsider's perspective in leadership (7:14) How taking on challenges is like riding a horse and how good things often happen on just the other side of comfortable (14:50) How sometimes the little things, like asking for a name or "Biscuits with the Boss," make or break a leader (22:00) How organizations take on the personality of their leaders (27:28) The importance of posture of humility and learning when becoming a leader of an existing organization (31:04) How every decision should be made through the filter of your core values (33:10) Why Ted tells Sam, "Be a goldfish," and what it has to do with Brad Miller's discussion surrounding retraining our brains and Paul's coaching principle, "Flush it or Forget about it" (35:10) The power of a birthday party and the concept, "Do for one what you wish you could do for all" (38:56) The importance of the "long game" in coaching, leadership, and in our families (42:52) Having the right perspective as we lead our people (50:01) Resources and Links from this Episode Video of the Episode -- https://youtu.be/dBVJYVEZlLQ Ted Lasso (Apple TV) Phil (@phildarke) and Paul (@coachjobson) on Clubhouse How Ted Lasso Explains Leadership on Clubhouse – Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific How Soccer Explains Leadership on Clubhouse – Every Friday at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics, by Jonathan Wilson

In Episode 21, Clyde Best, MBE, former player with West Ham United, Feyenoord, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Portland Timbers, and Toronto Blizzard, former youth coach, former Manager of the Bermuda National Team, and member of the Bermuda Hall of Fame, talks with Phil about how he, as an 18-year-old from Bermuda, overcame racism he experienced as one of the first black players in the English First Division, and what we can learn from him as we address racism in our world today, the best leaders he played with (pretty amazing list), playing against and with Pele, and the importance of nurturing relationships with and gaining respect of your teammates and competitors. Specifically, Clyde discusses: His story, his incredible career as a footballer in the 1960s and 70s, and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:54) Clyde's favorite memories as a footballer (his response may surprise you) (12:51) Racism Clyde experienced as one of the first black players in England's First Division, how he handled the racism leveled against him, and what that teaches us about leading the charge against racism in our world today (15:16) The best leaders Clyde played with or against, and what made them such great leaders (31:06) What it was like to play against -and- with Pele, including a fun story about what Pele and Babe Ruth have in common (35:46) The importance of forming, building, and nurturing relationships in football and in life, and why we should never burn any bridges in our lives (40:25) The importance of gaining the respect of our competitors, and how Clyde did that over the course of his career (49:16) Resources and Links from this Episode Clyde Best Foundation Uncut Video of the Episode HSEL Facebook Group Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke The Acid Test: The Autobiography of Clyde Best, by Clyde Best

In Episode 20, Renee Lopez, former college coach (17 year veteran at all levels of college), former NCAA Compliance Director, leadership trainer, and author of Looking for a Full Ride: An Insider's Recruiting Guide, talks with Phil about synergy vs. energy vampires, her "no complaining" rule, the importance of CIA, effectively facing adversity, making the most out of brokenness, measuring success, mentorship, and how to develop a healthy team. Specifically, Renee discusses: Her story and how she developed her passion for soccer and leadership (2:10) How Renee believes we can help others flourish by examining life and leadership through soccer (6:17) The concept of Kaizen and the exponential effect and synergy when individuals on a team all work to improve themselves (9:05) The synergy of healthy teamwork vs. the effect of negativity and "energy vampires" Her "no complaining" rule and the concept of CIA, and what they have to do with leadership (14:12) What researching 65 college coaches and athletic directors taught her (18:04) Facing adversity effectively by changing our attitude and perspective, and how that can help us through difficult times (21:31) How we can make the best out of broken situations, and possibly create better things because of the brokenness (25:16) How she measures success as a soccer and/or organizational coach (30:55) Critical components of a healthy team and tools Renee uses to equip a team to be healthy (33:58) Why goal setting is critical to success and how can leaders increase their chances of reaching their goals when they are developing and setting their goals (39:11) The importance of mentorship and surrounding ourselves with people smarter than us (45:13) The why and what of Renee's book, Looking for a Full Ride (46:39) How she uses what she has learned through soccer in her family and other areas of life (52:23) Renee's book recommendations (54:53) Resources and Links from this Episode Renee's website – lookingforafullride.com Renee's email – info@lookingforafullride.com Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/X1IENduS_i4 HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke Looking for a Full Ride, by Renee Lopez The Power of Positive Leadership, by Jon Gordon The Power of a Positive Team, by Jon Gordon The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon Leading with a Limp, by Dan Allender The Holy Bible

In Episode 19, Brad Miller, Founder of Soccer Resilience, Clinical Psychologist, and former Wake Forest soccer player, talks with Phil about the four pillars of soccer resilience, how we can address anxiety and depression in sports, resetting and retraining our brains, fixed vs. growth mindsets, and whether we actually do play like we practice. Specifically, Brad discusses: His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, sports psychology, and leadership (2:11) The four pillars of soccer resilience (8:59) Anxiety and depression in sports and beyond (17:08) Why it's important to know that "it's not a you issue, it's a brain issue," and what that means (22:14) Resetting and retraining our brain, and what that looks like in practice (26:13) The concept of "what you celebrate, you practice," and how it relates to the mindfulness conversation (38:03) Fixed vs. Growth mindset and what it has to do with soccer (46:02) Is it really true that you play like you practice? (58:01) Can we recreate the stress and pressure of a penalty kick in training? (1:01:26) How Brad has used the principles from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:05:03) Brad's book recommendations (1:09:11) Resources and Links from this Episode Soccer Resilience website – soccerresilience.com Soccer Resilience YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQEXctanLbfHYfTNfSOUig Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/KYVQLmQCah4 HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke Mindset, by Carol Dweck Switch on Your Brain, by Caroline Leaf Start With Why, by Simon Sinek "Start with Why" TED Talk -- https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en Think Orphan Podcast episode with Caroline Leaf -- https://thinkorphan.com/2020/10/27/episode-156-recast-caroline-leaf-switch-on-your-brain/ The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg Atomic Habits, by James Clear Grit, by Angela Duckworth David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell

In Episode 18, Rob Burns, Founder/Int'l Director of Missional Links-Wales, former youth player at Wolves, and former youth coach, talks with Phil about the effect of a toxic coach on the team, his "head, heart, hands" philosophy, how he applies soccer in his marriage and parenting, the importance of supporters in your life, the importance of a learning posture, and living lives of integrity and humility. Specifically, Rob discusses: His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:51) How a toxic team environment caused by his coach led to him losing a love for the game, and how he got the love back (5:33) What we need to make sure we're doing as coaches to avoid toxic environments (7:28) The "Head, Heart, Hands" philosophy, and how it plays out in soccer and other areas of life (10:04) Principles from the beautiful game that he used in his parenting (18:20) The importance of supporters in our lives and the disappearance of home-field advantage during COVID (24:04) Raising young adults and adults to live lives of integrity, and how it differs from raising younger children (26:19) Creating an environment where there is a freedom to fail and, simultaneously, a culture of taking responsibility for your actions (35:26) The importance of teamwork (37:47) His love story with his bride and how he uses lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and other areas of life (39:23) Giving leaders time to develop and implement their culture (47:04) Rob's video and book recommendations (49:24) Resources and Links from this Episode Missional Links-Wales website -- https://www.missionallinkswales.org.uk Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/Lr3u4BKJ6Ks HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer A Matter of Life and Death: The History of Football in 100 Quotes, by Jim White Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success (Netflix) All or Nothing: Manchester City (Amazon Prime) All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (Amazon Prime) Sunderland 'Til I Die (Netflix) Leeds: Take Us Home (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 17, Phil and Paul talk about their favorite moments and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2, the power of mentorship, recruiting, setting clear expectations, problems with communicating via text, and living out our mission, vision, and values. More specifically, our hosts discuss: A rundown of the great interviews, themes, and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2 (2:14) The importance of letting our players and employees see leaders in their life outside the game (6:20) Living out your mission, vision, and values (8:39) Mentoring in our leadership and in our organizations (10:17) Paul's thoughts on recruiting, including the limitations of video and some not-so-obvious things he looks for (19:34) How the recruiting conversation applies to organizations outside of soccer (25:21) Their thoughts on the Michelle Lenard episode, particularly the "cutthroat" game and the need for communication of clear expectations (27:11) A great story showing the problems with communicating via text and other technology (33:27) The importance of humility and owning mistakes in leadership at all levels (35:54) Setting and adhering to appropriate boundaries in our leadership (37:04) Thoughts on the Toriono Davis episode, and the use of DISC in mentorship and the game of soccer (39:26) A couple recommendations from Paul and Phil (48:24) Resources and Links from this Episode Uncut video of the episode -- https://youtu.be/HmVfXZwIfD8 For more information on DISC and implementing it into your program, email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com "Ted Lasso" – Apple TV+ Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream, by David Platt Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, James Kerr "The Queen's Gambit" (Netflix) -- https://www.netflix.com/title/80234304

In Episode 16, Toriono Davis, Professional Scout in US and Europe, Connector, and Entrepreneur, talks with Phil about the ins and outs of the DISC Model of Human Behavior, how he uses it to connect deeply and quickly with his players and clubs, and help them reach their potential, the power and importance of mentorship, and why you might want to give your recruits a DISC assessment before signing or hiring them. Specifically, Toriono discusses: His story, how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how a guy who didn't even like soccer as a kid ended up working as a professional scout (3:05) What the DISC Model of Human Behavior is, why it is important to you and your teams, and how he uses it to help the clubs and players with whom he works to reach their potential (9:46) Why and how we need to tailor our approaches to our different team members based on their personalities (17:33) How leaders of soccer team/club and all other organizations can use the DISC to maximize their results more efficiently (25:53) How the DISC can help players and their parents understand each other better, help families, and help disenfranchised people as well (31:14) Whether certain personality types fit certain positions in soccer, other implications of personality assessments in the context of the game, and why coaches and employers may want to give their recruits personality assessments (37:58) The importance of understanding a player's/employee's motivation, hunger, and passion in your leadership of him or her (52:45) The importance of mentorship (which is throughout the interview) and Toriono's book recommendations (58:08) Resources and Links from this Episode Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/a5g9F3k7t5g HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership Toriono's LinkedIn Profile -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/fc-omega-disc/ Toriono's Website – FC-Omega.com Toriono's Phone Number – 866-234-9864 Questions about DISC and how you can learn more about it – email Phil at phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com "The Last Dance" documentary – ESPN+ Mastering a Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson "Ted Lasso" – TV show on AppleTV+