Author: Don Yaeger
Great Leaders Don’t Speak Ill Of Their Predecessors
Sunday night brought euphoria in Cleveland. The Cavaliers ended a 52-year major sport championship drought, winning the NBA title. On the flip side, the Warriors lost three games in a row to lose the championship. Despite the series outcome, most will agree the Warriors are a great team and Steve Kerr is one of the best coaches of the game.
But among the most impressive pieces of his leadership has been how Kerr has...
How Culture, Mentoring, And Trust Lead To Greatness
Even though he won three World Series with the Baltimore Orioles and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, some of the defining moments in Jim Palmer’s pursuit of greatness took place at the low levels of the minor leagues, learning from a great instructor in Cal Ripken, Sr.
In his new book “Nine Innings to Success: A Hall of Famer’s Approach to Achieving Excellence,” Palmer, a Hall of Fame pitcher who spent his entire...
The Secret Recipe to Starbucks’ Success
Longtime Starbucks International President Howard Behar is no longer with the company, but that doesn’t stop him from cleaning up the condiment stand when he drops in for his cup of coffee.
“I’m very proud,” Behar said of the company he helped build. “I’m just as protective as I’ve always been and I’m just as critical as I’ve always been. I still clean up when I go into stores and pick up papers. That’s never going...
One of America’s Leading Businesswomen Offers Tips on Success
Most of us know having a mentor will lead to more opportunities for success. But one of the most successful businesswomen in America says instead of looking for mentors, we need to embrace “mentoring moments,” everyday occurrences for teaching and learning.
Kat Cole, who rose from being a Hooters waitress to her current post as the group president of Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands, which operates more than 3,300 Auntie...
Overcoming Mistakes When Everyone Is Watching
The ball was traveling high and to left-field at more than 90 miles per hour. Waiting there was Detroit Tigers center fielder Tyler Collins, ready to make a routine catch, something he’d done for years in Texas for his high school and college teams before being drafted and quickly rising through the minor leagues to play in the Majors.
But then Collins lost sight of the ball in the bright lights of Comerica Park. As...
NFL Draft Lessons: Finding the Right Fit is Important
Football fans across the nation are getting ready for the NFL draft that starts tonight, waiting as their favorite teams bring in fresh talent.
While most of the attention will be on the teams and their new players, the NFL draft offers lessons for organizations of all stripes. Great teams in the NFL, like the Green Bay Packers, the New England Patriots, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, are in the playoff hunt almost every...
NCAA Championship Day: John Wooden’s Greatest Legacy Wasn’t On The Basketball Court
Basketball fans across the nation will watch the men’s NCAA championship game on Monday but, even while I take in the conclusion of “March Madness,” my mind will be on one of the greatest coaches ever and his many lessons on leadership and mentoring.
Coach John Wooden led the UCLA Bruins to 10 national titles during his celebrated career. But Coach Wooden’s greatest legacy went far beyond the basketball court as he...
The Great Ones Use Their Rolodex
What makes a great team?
Over the past few years, I’ve traveled the country in pursuit of the answers to this question. In that journey, I’ve asked the best sports coaches and some incredible corporate leaders for their input. Some of the greatest insight came from G.J. Hart, CEO of California Pizza Kitchens, as I asked why his dynamic organization continues to win in the marketplace—and in the hearts of its customers.
Among...