Game Changers with Molly Fletcher is our podcast designed to help you maximize your influence and unleash your potential. Each episode, we take you behind the scenes with peak performers to learn what makes them tick and discover how you can apply their lessons to your life. Join Molly each week to hear from her special guests— top athletes and coaches, transformative CEOs, brilliant thought leaders, and entrepreneurs and trailblazers from around the world. Subscribe now on iTunes or Google Play.

Recent Episodes

Sam Walker, The Captain Class

Episode 26- Sam Walker on the 7 Characteristics of Great Leaders

What makes great teams great? That’s the question Wall Street Journal deputy editor Sam Walker answers in his new book, The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World’s Greatest Teams. His answer surprised everyone, including himself. The secret to winning isn’t talent, coaching, strategy, or money. It is the presence of a singular leader—those who make up Walker’s captain class. But these leaders aren’t the charismatic superstars you might expect. So who are they? On this episode, Sam breaks down the seven characteristics of great leaders and challenges our assumptions of what real leadership looks like.

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“We’ve forgotten what great leaders really do and what they are really like.”

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Show Notes

  • The question that inspired Sam’s book, The Captain Class (1:49)
  • The methodology he used to determine the world’s greatest teams (3:58)
  • The one thing that elite teams have in common (7:30)
  • The seven characteristics of great leaders (9:35)
  • Reevaluating how we select leaders in the business world (13:15)
  • The importance of emotional dexterity (18:05)
  • How to show appreciation (20:28)
  • The Steve Jobs management style example (22:55)
  • The key to enduring success (25:14)
  • Tim Duncan’s leadership style and the idea of “carrying water” (27:51)
  • The glue guy who holds the Golden State Warriors together (29:33)
  • The relationship between Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan (30:26)
  • How coaches and leaders can identify the right captain (33:01)
  • How task conflict can be healthy inside of a team environment (41:29)
  • The biggest misperception people have about leadership (46:14)

 

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Dawn Staley

Episode 25- Dawn Staley on Building A Championship Culture

Named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune, Dawn Staley is writing the playbook for success… in basketball and beyond. A self-proclaimed “odds beater,” she discovered her love of the game as a kid growing up in the projects of North Philadelphia. From there, the Hall of Famer has found success at every level as a player and coach. As the women’s basketball coach at the University of South Carolina, Dawn led the program to its first national championship in 2017 and was recently named the coach of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team. On this episode, Dawn shares what it took to build a winning culture at South Carolina, the key ingredients of championship teams, and how to develop young leaders.

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“It’s incredible to wake up and know you’re going to make an impact in someone’s life.”

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Show Notes

  • How she discovered her purpose in coaching (2:45)
  • Embracing the challenge of building the South Carolina basketball program (6:19)
  • Her approach to recruiting talent (10:10)
  • The grassroots approach to building a fan base (13:37)
  • The ingredients of a championship team (15:59)
  • Developing young leaders to leave a legacy of leadership (18:24)
  • Tips for maintaining confidence during slumps (20:37)
  • The importance of transparent communication and honest feedback (22:20)
  • The best advice she has received (24:27)
  • Her advice to parents involved with youth sports (26:45)
  • What the sport of basketball means to her (31:28)
  • Inspiring others by sharing her story (33:30)
  • Making community involvement part of the program (37:00)

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Jan Smith

Episode 24- “Mama Jan” Smith on Helping Others Find Their Voice

Where do music’s biggest stars turn when they need a vocal tune up? Mama Jan. Jan Smith is a Grammy-nominated producer and vocal coach to the stars—working with chart-topping artists like Usher, Justin Beiber, The Band Perry, Rob Thomas, Drake, Sugarland, Ciara, and Collective Soul. In all, over 4,000 vocalists, musicians and producers have turned to Mama Jan and Jan Smith Studios for her tough love training and musical expertise. On this episode, Mama Jan shares her insight on talent development, the value of coaching, and how to deliver tough feedback.

Follow Mama Jan: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

“I don’t believe in accidents; I think God just had different designs on my life.”

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Show Notes

  • How she became a vocal coach to the stars (2:16)
  • How her background in psychology helps her in her career (5:43)
  • The best way to deliver tough feedback (7:17)
  • How to establish trust with an artist (8:53)
  • Working with Justin Bieber as he embarked on his first tour (10:20)
  • The value of coaching (14:26)
  • Helping Usher navigate his career (16:38)
  • How she decides who to work with (18:57)
  • The credibility factor (19:53)
  • The work she is most proud of (21:14)
  • The biggest challenge in the industry right now (28:30)
  • Learning from her own mistakes to use as a teaching tool (30:31)

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Donald Miller, StoryBrand

Episode 23- Donald Miller on How to Use Story to Clarify Your Brand’s Message

Did you know that the average consumer has to hear something 8 times before actually processing the information? StoryBrand CEO Donald Miller helps companies clarify their message and cut through the sea of noise through his proven formula. His simple framework will transform the way you talk about who you are, what you do, and what you offer your customers. On this episode, Don shares insights from his new book Building A StoryBrand, breaking down the 7 elements of storytelling and explaining how you can use each one to effectively communicate your message.

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“Clarity is the new creativity.”

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Show Notes

  • What is StoryBrand? (2:12)
  • How to cut through the clutter (3:58)
  • Clarity is the new creativity (4:37)
  • Why your brand needs to “own a problem.” (4:58)
  • Breaking down 7 elements of the Storybrand framework (9:04)
  • Define what your customer wants and spell it out (12:09)
  • Define your customer’s problem in simple language (14:03)
  • Position yourself as the guide. Never play the hero. (14:38)
  • Create a plan for your customer. (17:27)
  • Clearly call your customer to action. (18:38)
  • Spell out the negative consequences of not doing business with you (19:30)
  • Give people a vision for what their life can look like if they do business with you. (20:37)
  • How do you know you have the right message? (22:17)
  • Examples of brands that use the story framework effectively (26:15)
  • Does your brand pass the “grunt” test for websites? (29:13)

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Suzy Welch

Episode 22- Suzy Welch on the 10-10-10 Rule for Making Tough Decisions

What if there was an easy, fast way make tough decisions? Navigating the daily dilemmas of work and life, business journalist and best-selling author Suzy Welch developed the 10-10-10 rule, a life-changing strategy for making tough decisions. The former Editor-in-Chief at the Harvard Business Review, Suzy is a frequent contributor on The Today Show and hosts her own digital show on CNBC.com. On this episode, Suzy shares how to filter your decisions through the 10-10-10 rule, explains how to align your decision-making with your values, and discusses how Millennials’ ideas about career management are changing the workplace.

Follow Suzy: Twitter | Instagram

“Stop just reacting. Look at life as a series of decisions, and slow down.”

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Show Notes

  • The breakthrough moment that led to the 10-10-10 rule (1:39)
  • What is the 10-10-10 rule? (3:28)
  • Do the hard work of determining your values (4:45)
  • The 3 reasons why our lives gets out of control (5:25)
  • The powerful advice she received from a friend (9:37)
  • Leadership wisdom from Bill Belichick (10:25)
  • What she admires most about her husband, Jack Welch (13:40)
  • Workplace trends embraced by Millennials (15:38)
  • The importance of knowing the “why” behind your work (17:05)
  • Where she finds her energy (20:21)
  • Her favorite podcasts and show (22:47)

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Andy Stanley

Episode 21- Andy Stanley on 5 Characteristics of Leaders Worth Following

What are the essential leadership traits of leaders worth following? Communicator, author and pastor Andy Stanley breaks down the 5 characteristics of next generation leaders. The founder of North Point Ministries, Andy has written more than 20 books and reaches millions of people each month through his sermons, live events, podcast and TV show. On this episode, Andy discusses the three biggest mistakes leaders make, the myth of the well-rounded leader, and his own personal leadership philosophy.

Follow Andy: Twitter | Instagram | Website

As leaders we can be uncertain, but we cannot be unclear.

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Show Notes

  • Andy describes his leadership philosophy (40:00)
  • The 5 characteristics of leaders worth following (5:27)
  • The three biggest mistakes leaders make (9:48)
  • The myth of the well-rounded leader (15:09)
  • How leaders can get clear on their unique gifts (17:28)
  • How to create a culture of feedback (20:20)
  • If there is no uncertainty, there is no need for leadership (22:38)
  • Leading through change (24:11)
  • How to lead when you are not in charge (26:04)
  • Mission statements vs. goal setting (32:52)
  • Why we need to establish guardrails (34:27)
  • How do I find someone to mentor me? (36:09)
  • The best advice he’s ever received (39:07)

 

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Jen Welter NFL

Episode 20- Dr. Jen Welter on Breaking Glass Ceilings in the NFL

The first female coach in NFL history, Dr. Jen Welter reminds us all that barriers are meant to be broken. Welter coached the Arizona Cardinals’ linebackers during 2015 training camp under head coach Bruce Arians and was the first female to play running back for a men’s professional football team as a player for the Texas Revolution. Named one of the 25 most influential women in sport by espnW, Welter’s inspiring story has been shared in the New York Times, Vogue, The Huffington Post and Fortune. On today’s episode, Welter talks about the importance of authentic leadership, the value of diverse teams, and how she got comfortable taking career risks. Her new book, Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL, is available for pre-order now.

Follow Jen: Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Your failure is already guaranteed if you don’t go for it.

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Show Notes

  • Why breaking barriers matters (5:00)
  • “No risk it, no biscuit.” What Jen learned from Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians (7:14)
  • Overcoming the fear of rejection (9:10)
  • Own your strengths and your weaknesses (11:18)
  • Getting “punted” into coaching (14:55)
  • How she built connection and trust with pro players (18:10)
  • The value of diverse leadership teams (22:00)
  • What it takes to compete at the highest level (28:32)
  • Her new book Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL (32:27)
  • Defining authentic leadership (34:40)

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Geno Auriemma

Episode 19- Geno Auriemma on Winning (And Winning Some More)

All he does is win. In his 32 seasons at the University of Connecticut, head women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has led the Huskies to 11 national titles, 18 Final Fours, 6 perfect seasons and 45 conference titles. Under Geno’s leadership, the Huskies have recorded winning streaks of 90 games and 111 games straight. So what drives one of the greatest coaches of all-time? How does he motivate his teams to achieve record-breaking success year after year? And does he ever get tired of winning? On this episode, Geno takes us inside the locker room to share how he built a championship culture at UConn, the three things he looks for when evaluating talent, and how he gets superstar talent to put team first.

Can you function in a winning team, where other people are as good as you? Not everyone can.

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Show Notes

  • How Geno defines success (1:53)
  • Here’s how to build trust quickly (4:21)
  • Inside Geno’s recruiting pitch (10:34)
  • If you’re not a little bit selfish, you’ll never be great (13:26)
  • Maximizing superstar talent without sacrificing team culture (16:36)
  • The three things Geno looks for when evaluating talent (23:30)
  • These are the recruits Geno won’t go after (26:20)
  • When things are going great, it’s time to change (31:17)
  • The role parents should play in youth sports (37:36)

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Dr. Henry Cloud

Episode 18- Dr. Henry Cloud on The 4 Corners of Connection

An acclaimed leadership expert, psychologist, and New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Henry Cloud is one of the most influential leaders in personal growth and development. His books have sold more than 10 million copies and he’s helped countless people improve their relationships, leadership skills and workplace performance. On this episode, Dr. Cloud talks about the four corners of connection, why it’s important to set boundaries, and how to recognize toxic relationships. If you want more, head over to his website for a great collection of resources on leadership, relationships, productivity, and happiness.

Follow Dr. Cloud: Twitter  |  Facebook  | Instagram

Wherever it’s not working, we need to add more structure.

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Show Notes

  • Cloud breaks down the four corners of connection (8:30)
  • Do this exercise to determine if your energy and priorities are aligned (18:15)
  • Stop being afraid of fear (20:55)
  • The importance of setting boundaries (32:05) 

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Tiffany Dufu

Episode 17- Tiffany Dufu on The Myth of Doing It All

Once the poster girl for doing it all, today’s guest Tiffany Dufu is now sharing a powerful message to women: Drop The Ball. As Chief Leadership Officer of Levo and part of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In launch team, Tiffany’s life work is to advance women and girls. If we can learn to let go of perfectionism, she says, we can achieve more by doing less and achieve better work-life integration. On this episode, Tiffany shares the power in shrinking your to-do list, how to delegate with joy, and what happens when we focus on our most meaningful work. Her new book, Drop The Ball, is out now.

Follow Tiffany: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

I don’t want my tombstone to say: ‘She got a lot of stuff done.’

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Show Notes

  • What “drop the ball” means and how to let go of unrealistic expectations (1:56)
  • Gender roles and how Tiffany’s drive for achievement turned into perfectionism (3:06)
  • Do these two exercises to achieve clarity on what matters most (13:00)
  • Do this eye-opening time management exercise (17:05)
  • Learning how to “delegate with joy” (19:27)
  • Burnout is a feeling that happens when the things you are doing aren’t meaningful (28:20)
  • What she learned from Sheryl Sandberg (31:08)
  • Tiffany’s favorite apps, books and podcasts (32:43)

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