Tag: Chasing Greatness Blog

The Value of Someone Watching You

Written on April 30, 2014.

Right now if a future employer were watching you, what would they see? Okay, okay… I know they’d see you reading this blog! But really—what would they see in you? Passion, energy, excitement, or slouching, low energy, and complaining? Recently, I had the Great opportunity to speak with McGriff Tire Company, Inc., one of the most successful commercial tire companies in the southeast.

Great Leaders Can Tap Into Their Own Focus With Rituals

Written on April 16, 2014.

Great focus is imperative to success. As the NBA Playoffs begin this week, you’ll find many coaches and players already deep in concentration for the post season. Someone who understands that amount of focus is Jason Terry of the Sacramento Kings. Terry is one of the most accomplished bench scorers in the NBA, a former Sixth Man of the Year, and played an integral part in the 2010-11 Dallas Maverick’s incredible championship...

Overcoming Epic Wins and Losses

Written on March 26, 2014.

Ask anyone in the worlds of business or sports the most important qualities for success, and their list is likely to include “hard work” and “determination.” While no one can argue the importance of both of these traits, they often tower over a value that I’ve learned can play as pivotal a role in sustaining success as any: humility. Success can blind us temporarily and subject us to various pitfalls, perhaps the...

You Can’t Rush Greatness

Written on January 29, 2014.

Patience is a virtue, but for some of the best leaders, it can also be a victory. Winning consistently is one of the most difficult mountains to climb both in sports and the business world. Only a select few are able to find true stability in success, but even fewer find job security when they’re unsuccessful. NFL helmets will clash for the last time this season on Super Bowl Sunday, but many organizations have already...

Great Lie?

Written on January 22, 2014.

As I was thinking about last year and many of the sports headlines that riveted my attention, I couldn’t help but notice a pattern. 2013 could’ve been dubbed “The Year of the Lie”. It was a year that saw Lance Armstrong admit to lying about doping. We saw Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te’o admit that his cancer stricken online girlfriend was fabricated by a “confused” man who had fallen in love...

Simply Kaep-tivating

Written on December 16, 2013.

For the past 30 years–as a journalist and author, I’ve had the chance to cover some of the greatest athletes in the world. I’ve been fortunate enough to interview Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Lebron James on numerous occasions along with other legends like Walter Payton, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, and Bobby Bowden. It’s rare that I watch a game during an NFL Sunday and find a player that makes me say,...

Great Leaders Never Stop Coaching

Written on December 10, 2013.

Great leaders are magnets for praise, respect, and adoration. But the greatest leaders are those who give more praise than they get. Three examples witnessed recently: Just last month, Duke University’s head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski put his highly touted program on the court against a seemingly inferior and overmatched basketball program from the University of Vermont. While the national audience predicted...

Izzo Puts Great Focus on Family

Written on November 28, 2013.

The Thanksgiving holiday quickly pauses our daily workload and puts the focus on family and friends. Sentiments of love and Great memories away from the workplace are usually accompanied by an overindulgence of food, sporting events, and the inevitable afternoon nap. Somewhere in the midst of it all, there are acknowledgements of being thankful.

Post Game Greatness

Written on November 7, 2013.

I don’t believe anyone is a natural born leader; some people – because of the lessons they’ve learned and the people that have been there to teach them – just learn how to lead faster than others. The process of learning how to become a Great leader absolutely fascinates me. You can imagine my amazement when I watched a post-victory interview last weekend conducted by ESPN reporter Tom Rinaldi with 19-year-old Jameis...