This special edition of Game Changers with Molly Fletcher features clips and insights from some of our most downloaded episodes of 2018. Hear from guests like bestselling authors Patrick Lencioni, Seth Godin and Daniel Pink, athletes and coaches like NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson, Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, and Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney, and business leaders like Ginger Hardage (Southwest Airlines), Jenn Lim (Zappos), and Patty McCord (Netflix).
Greg McKeown is the author of the New York Times bestseller “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” Essentialism isn’t about getting more done in less time; it’s about getting the right things done so that you can make your highest possible contribution.On this episode, we talk about how to determine what is absolutely essential and eliminate what is non-essential, so that we can focus our time and energy on the things that matter most.
Leila Janah is the founder and CEO of Samasourceand LXMI, two companies that go beyond charity to give work to low-income people around the world to generate life-changing income. Leila is the author of the book Give Work. She was named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40list and honored as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Women in Tech. On this episode, we talk about what’s broken about the traditional charity model, the biggest challenges she’s faced as a young entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, and how to reverse poverty one job at a time.
Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, brilliant marketer and speaker who’s known for “making a ruckus.” He’s written 19 bestselling books including Permission Marketing, Tribes, and Purple Cow and has the most popular business blog in the world. Seth also runs the altMBA, a four-week online leadership and management workshop, and hosts the podcast akimbo. On this episode, we dig into Seth’s new book- This Is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See. We talk about building a tribe, how to earn trust, and the three questions every marketer should ask.
Shabnam Mogharabi is the CEO of SoulPancake, an award-winning entertainment company she co-founded with actor Rainn Wilson (better known as Dwight from The Office). SoulPancake spreads joy and celebrates the human experience by producing and curating thought-provoking, uplifting video content. Shabnam is also a New York Times bestselling author of SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions. On this episode, we talk about how to craft a great story, being intentional about tuning into joy in our daily lives, and the power of tackling tough conversations.
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz loved the big stage. The only Atlanta Braves player to be part of the franchise’s historic run of 14 consecutive division titles, Smoltz helped the Braves to five World Series appearances and the 1995 title. In his 21-year career, Smoltz shifted between starter and closer, making history as the only player in big league history with at least 200 career wins and at least 150 saves. On this episode, we talk about how he dealt with adversity throughout this career and the importance embracing discomfort as a pathway to growth.
The New York Times calls him “a sought-after guru to NFL coaches, Olympians, hip-hop stars and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.” Ryan Holiday is a marketing expert who made a name for himself as the director of marketing for American Apparel and has gone on to work with clients like Google, Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss. He’s the bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy, and his books have sold more than 1.3 million copies. On this episode, Ryan shows us how to turn even the most insurmountable obstacles into advantages. We talk about what we can learn from the ancient philosophy of stoicism, the power of staying present, and why most of our failures are self-inflicted.
Ron Clark is more than just an educator. He has been featured on Oprah and The Today Show, and his school, the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta, is known around the world for its innovative teaching methods. Nearly 50,000 educators, teachers and administrators have visited the Academy to learn the “out-of-the-box” methods for student success, and you’ve probably seen some of the viral videos of students singing, dancing and bringing joy to the classroom. Ron is the 2000 Disney American Teacher of the year, the subject of a TV movie, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Essential 55 and Move Your Bus. On this episode, we talk about how to really motivate your people to effect change, embracing a fearless mindset, and how to lead with love, passion, and high expectations.
Dubbed a “modern-day Jane Austen,” byVanity Fair, author Emily Giffin has touched the hearts of millions of readers with her bestselling novels. Her books have been translated into 31 languages and sold more than 11 million copies worldwide. Her latest book, All We Ever Wanted, is out now. On this episode, Emily talks about the creative process and finding the courage to pursue your dreams.
Under the leadership of head football coach Gus Malzahn, the Auburn Tigers are back in the national conversation. In five seasons as head coach, Gus has led the Tigers to a 45-22 record, a SEC Championship, and an appearance in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game. On this episode, we talk about how he was able to orchestrate one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history, what it takes to change a program’s culture, and the importance of setting big goals while embracing the little details.
An overflowing email inbox. Pointless meetings. An endless to-do list. Does this describe your life at work? It’s time to shift your mindset from busyness to thoughtfulness by embracing whitespace. Juliet Funt is the CEO of WhiteSpace at Work, a training and consulting firm that helps organizations, their leaders and employees reclaim their creativity, productivity and engagement. On this episode, she talks about the big difference between activity and productivity, the four thieves of productivity, and the huge cost of our culture of busyness at work.
The nature of work is shifting. More people do their job virtually or remotely than ever before, the gig economy is booming, and more companies are using freelance and contract workers. Shannon Miles is the co-founder of BELAY Solutions, a virtual staffing solutions company that is ranked #1 on Entrepreneur’s Top Company Culture list in the small company category. She’s also the author of The Third Option which explores how you can live and work on your own terms without sacrificing career or family. On this episode, we talk about the shift towards a virtual workplace, practical tools for teams working remotely, and advice for leaders who want to create a more flexible work environment for their employees.
If you enjoy this episode and are interested in experiencing Belay’s services yourself, you can get 50% by visiting belaysolutions.com/mollyfletcher.
Why do some groups add up to be greater than the sum of their parts while others end up to be less? In his new book, The Culture Code,New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world’s most successful organizations to examine how great cultures are built and sustained. On this episode, we talk about the three skills that generate collaborative cultures and learn how leaders can use these tools to build strong cultures inside their own organizations.
What can the game of football teach us about life and leadership? Everything. Arizona State University football coach Herm Edwards has experienced every facet of the game as a player, ESPN analyst, and coach. Herm has an incredible way of wrapping up decades of leadership lessons from the football world and applying them to our own lives. On this episode, we talk about the difference between people who are interested and those who are committed, what it means to lead with integrity, and why success is sometimes harder to handle than failure. This one is a playbook for leaders in any field.
Bob Goff is the New York Times best-selling author of Love Does. After practicing law for 25 years, Bob gave up his law firm to focus on writing, speaking, and his humanitarian work. He’s the Honorary Counsel to Uganda and the founder of Love Does, a nonprofit organization that works to provide educational opportunities in post conflict zones throughout the world. On this episode, we talk about his new book, Everybody, Always, and what it means to love without limits, live without fear, and dream big.
What if we could feel less busy while getting more done? In her new book, Off the Clock, time management expert Laura Vanderkam says: it’s possible! Her TED Talk, How to Gain Control of Your Free Time, has been viewed more than 5 million times and she’s been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, and Fortune. On this episode, Laura shares the seven principles that will help you get more done without feeling overwhelmed. Start your clocks, these next 30 minutes will have you re-thinking how you spend your time.
Moments have the power to awaken us, elevate us, and change us, yet many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck. In his new book, The Power of Moments, Dan Heath teaches us how we can create more magical moments in our lives. On this episode, we talk about how unlocking the power of moments can transform everything—from customer service to employee experience to our families. Moments matter, and we have the power to create them.
With his infectious energy and unbridled enthusiasm, Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney has everyone taking notice of the Tigers. Under his leadership, Clemson won the national championship in 2016 and has appeared in the College Football Playoffs three consecutive years. On this episode, Dabo shares his inside-out approach to leadership, the defining moments in his own journey, and how he’s built a team culture rooted in love, discipline and service.
As the chief talent officer of Netflix, Patty McCord helped create the company’s famous “culture deck”—a 124-page document that went viral and has been shared over 20 million times. Sheryl Sandberg called it “the most important document to ever come out of the Valley.” In her new book, Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility, Patty teaches how to build high-performance cultures. Great teams are not created with incentives, procedures, and perks, she says. The best thing leaders can do is get rid of the cumbersome systems for managing people. On this episode, we talk about the biggest mistakes HR leaders make, the truth about what motivates employees, and how to practice radical honesty in the workplace.
Passionate about creating great teams, Patrick Lencioni helps leaders and organizations improve teamwork, clarity and engagement. The founder and president of The Table Group, Patrick is the author of 11 books which have sold over 5 million copies. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fortune and Inc., and the Wall Street Journal called him “one of the most in demand speakers in America.” On this episode, Patrick talks about the five dysfunctions that inhibit teams from reaching their potential. Learn how to build trust, embrace healthy conflict, commit to a goal, hold each other accountable, and get results.
When you see No. 48 ripping around the track with Jimmie Johnson behind the wheel, chances are he’s headed for Victory Lane. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Jimmie shares the all-time record with racing legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt and is one of the most accomplished professional athletes in sports today. Forbes named him The Most Influential Athlete and ESPN Magazine recently named him No. 4 on their Dominant 20, highlighting the most dominant 20 athletes of the last two decades. On this episode, Jimmie takes us behind the wheel to tell the story of how a kid from California shook up the racing world. We talk about the keys to his sustained success, the team behind him, and what fuels him on his drive for a record-shattering 8th title.
After asking the question, “What would I do if money didn’t matter?,” Joshua Medcalf dropped out of his Masters program at Duke University, turned down scholarships to law school, and moved across the country to live and serve at a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles. From there, he went on to found Train to be CLUTCH, a consultancy whose mission is a heart-first approach to leadership, life skills and mental training. He’s the author of five books, including the bestseller Chop Wood Carry Water. On this episode, Joshua shares the difference between being goal-driven vs. mission driven, the true meaning of mental toughness, and what happens when we confuse what we do with who we are.
Jenn Lim is on a mission to change the way people think about work. She is the CEO and Chief Happiness Officer of Delivering Happiness, a company that she and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh co-created to inspire passion and purpose in workplaces for a happier world. On this episode, Jenn talks about the science behind happiness, the four components that drive happiness at work, and the reasons why happiness really is good for business.
Timing is everything. So why don’t we pay more attention to the “when” decisions in our lives? New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink shares the research and surprising takeaways from his new book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.
Dan answers all these questions and more, revealing how we can systematically make better, smarter decisions about our time.
Wake up! Did you know that more than 80% of our waking time is spent on autopilot? Creativity and innovation guru Chris Baréz-Brown is here to help you break free from this trap. He’s helped brands like Nike, Coca-Cola and Sony unleash their creative potential, and now he’s bringing his magic to us with his new book, WAKE UP! On this episode, Chris will inspire you to escape autopilot and embrace a more conscious, creative and joyful life.