#762: Coach George Raveling and Claire Hughes Johnson
Digest
This podcast episode features two insightful interviews, exploring various aspects of personal and professional development. The first interview is with Coach George Ravelling, a renowned basketball coach, who emphasizes the power of positive self-talk, the importance of building authentic relationships, and his passion for reading and learning. He shares his personal experiences, including coaching the US Olympic basketball team in 1984 and his collection of black memorabilia. The second interview is with Claire Hughes-Johnson, a corporate officer and advisor for Stripe, who discusses her leadership principles, including "Say the thing you think you cannot say" and Fred Kaufman's "victim vs. player" framework. She highlights the importance of open communication, giving feedback, and fostering a growth mindset. She also shares her love for literature, particularly Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse," and the benefits of reading fiction for building empathy and emotional intelligence. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of self-awareness, managing high performers, and the benefits of AG1, a daily nutritional supplement.
Outlines
AG1, Shopify, and Super Combo Episodes
This chapter introduces the podcast and its sponsors, AG1 and Shopify, highlighting their benefits and features. It also introduces the concept of "Super Combo Episodes," celebrating the podcast's 10th anniversary and over one billion downloads.
The Importance of Self-Talk with Coach George Ravelling
This chapter features an interview with Coach George Ravelling, a renowned basketball coach and advocate for positive self-talk. He emphasizes the significance of internal dialogue, advocating for a predominantly positive self-talk approach to manage negativity and cultivate a growth mindset.
Coach Ravelling's Collection and Building Authentic Relationships
This chapter delves into Coach Ravelling's personal collection of black memorabilia and his philosophy on building relationships. He shares his motivations for collecting these items and the historical significance of the postcards he possesses. He also emphasizes the importance of trust, respect, and mutual benefit in relationships.
Coach Ravelling's Passion for Reading and the 1984 Olympics
This chapter explores Coach Ravelling's love for reading and his unique approach to consuming books. He shares his personal history with reading, his motivations for seeking knowledge, and his methods for identifying and extracting valuable insights from books. He also reflects on his experience coaching the US Olympic basketball team in 1984, emphasizing the motivational quote he created at the time: "Each one of us has a relative who gave his life for this country, the least we can do is give 40 minutes of ourselves."
Say the Thing You Think You Cannot Say with Claire Hughes-Johnson
This chapter features an interview with Claire Hughes-Johnson, a corporate officer and advisor for Stripe. She discusses her second favorite operating principle, "Say the thing you think you cannot say," emphasizing its importance for giving feedback, fostering open communication, and promoting a culture of honesty and accountability.
Victim vs. Player: A Framework for Leadership and Coaching
Claire Hughes-Johnson explains Fred Kaufman's framework of "victim vs. player," which distinguishes between individuals who take responsibility for their actions and those who blame external factors. She discusses the challenges of coaching people out of a victim mindset and the importance of fostering a growth mindset, particularly for those earlier in their careers.
The Power of Literature and the Benefits of Reading Fiction
Claire Hughes-Johnson shares her love for literature and her appreciation for Virginia Woolf's writing, particularly her novel "To the Lighthouse." She highlights Woolf's impact on her worldview and the novel's ability to evoke a dream-like state, exploring themes of life, death, love, and human connection. She also discusses the benefits of reading fiction, emphasizing its role in building empathy, understanding different cultures, and developing emotional intelligence.
Working with Me Documents and Making the Implicit Explicit
Claire Hughes-Johnson explains the concept of "working with me documents," which are essentially user manuals for collaborating with a specific individual. She shares her experience creating her own document and the benefits it has brought to her work, including reducing anxiety, fostering open communication, and promoting a culture of transparency. She also discusses the importance of making implicit information explicit in communication, especially in professional settings.
Email Policies and Systems and Renegotiating Commitments
This chapter explores email policies and systems that individuals and companies use to manage their inboxes effectively. It highlights the challenges of email overload and the need for strategies to prioritize and respond to messages efficiently. It also delves into the concept of renegotiating commitments, both personal and professional, emphasizing the importance of setting realistic expectations, recognizing when commitments are no longer feasible, and having the courage to communicate those changes.
Leadership and Disappointing People and the Language of Renegotiation
This chapter examines the nature of leadership and the inevitable need to disappoint people at times. It argues that effective leaders are able to set clear expectations, communicate honestly, and manage the disappointment of others in a way that fosters trust and understanding. It also focuses on the language used when renegotiating commitments, emphasizing the importance of taking ownership, avoiding victimhood, and communicating clearly and respectfully.
Talent Bind and Negotiation and Micro Renegotiation
This chapter explores the challenges of managing multiple priorities and the need for negotiation when resources are limited. It highlights the importance of setting priorities, aligning on expectations, and making joint decisions to ensure everyone is working towards the same goals. It also focuses on the specific language and tactics used when renegotiating commitments on a smaller scale, such as rescheduling meetings or declining requests.
Rules for Self-Awareness and Cultivating Self-Awareness
This chapter explores the importance of self-awareness and the role it plays in effective leadership and decision-making. It discusses the value of personality assessments and the need to understand one's own default settings and how they interact with others. It also delves deeper into the concept of self-awareness, exploring its importance in managing teams and achieving results. It emphasizes the need to understand one's own strengths and weaknesses and how they can be leveraged to complement others.
Managing High Performers and AG1: A Daily Nutritional Supplement
This chapter focuses on managing high performers and ensuring they are able to achieve extraordinary output without burning themselves out. It introduces the concepts of "pushers" and "pullers" and provides strategies for managing each type effectively. It also discusses the importance of a nutrient-dense diet and introduces AG1, a daily nutritional supplement that provides gut health, antioxidant, immune support, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens to help manage stress. It highlights the convenience of AG1 for busy individuals and its NSF certification for sports professionals.
Keywords
AG1
AG1 is a daily foundational nutritional supplement that supports whole body health. It is a science-driven formulation of vitamins, probiotics, and whole food sourced nutrients, designed to provide comprehensive nutritional support for the brain, gut, and immune system.
Shopify
Shopify is an all-in-one commerce platform that empowers businesses of all sizes to start, run, and grow their online stores. It offers a wide range of features, including online storefronts, point-of-sale systems, marketing tools, and customer management capabilities.
Self-Talk
Self-talk refers to the internal dialogue that individuals have with themselves. It can be positive, negative, or neutral, and it significantly influences thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Positive self-talk is associated with increased motivation, resilience, and self-confidence.
Authentic Relationships
Authentic relationships are characterized by genuine connection, trust, respect, and mutual understanding. They are built on shared values, open communication, and a willingness to support and challenge each other.
Say the Thing
"Say the thing you think you cannot say" is a leadership principle that encourages individuals to be direct and honest in their communication, even when it might be uncomfortable. It emphasizes the importance of giving feedback, addressing difficult issues, and fostering a culture of open dialogue.
Victim vs. Player
This framework distinguishes between individuals who take responsibility for their actions and those who blame external factors. Victims tend to externalize blame and lack agency, while players take ownership of their actions and strive to find solutions.
Working with Me Document
A working with me document is a user manual for collaborating with a specific individual. It outlines their communication preferences, decision-making styles, and other relevant information to help others understand how to work effectively with them.
Renegotiation
The process of re-evaluating and adjusting commitments or agreements, often due to changing circumstances or priorities. It involves open communication, mutual understanding, and a willingness to find new solutions.
Self-Awareness
The ability to understand one's own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as how they impact others. It is essential for effective communication, decision-making, and personal growth.
Q&A
What is AG1 and what are its benefits?
AG1 is a daily foundational nutritional supplement that supports whole body health. It provides comprehensive support for the brain, gut, and immune system, and is convenient for busy individuals.
What is the significance of positive self-talk according to Coach Ravelling?
Coach Ravelling believes that positive self-talk is crucial for managing negativity, cultivating a growth mindset, and achieving success. He advocates for a predominantly positive internal dialogue to overcome doubts and foster self-belief.
What is Claire Hughes-Johnson's second favorite operating principle and why is it important?
Claire Hughes-Johnson's second favorite operating principle is "Say the thing you think you cannot say." She believes it is essential for giving feedback, fostering open communication, and promoting a culture of honesty and accountability.
What is Fred Kaufman's "victim vs. player" framework and how can it be applied to leadership and coaching?
Fred Kaufman's framework distinguishes between individuals who take responsibility for their actions and those who blame external factors. Leaders and coaches can use this framework to identify and address victim mindsets, fostering a growth mindset and encouraging individuals to take ownership of their actions.
What are the benefits of reading fiction according to Claire Hughes-Johnson?
Claire Hughes-Johnson believes that reading fiction can build empathy, understand different cultures, and develop emotional intelligence. She argues that fiction can provide a more efficient and elegant way to deliver truths than nonfiction.
What is a "working with me document" and how can it be helpful?
A "working with me document" is a user manual for collaborating with a specific individual. It outlines their communication preferences, decision-making styles, and other relevant information to help others understand how to work effectively with them.
Why is self-awareness important for effective leadership and decision-making?
Self-awareness allows you to understand your own strengths and weaknesses, how you impact others, and how to leverage your skills to complement others.
What are some strategies for managing high performers and ensuring they are able to achieve extraordinary output without burning themselves out?
Recognize that high performers come in different styles. Identify their strengths and weaknesses. Provide support and guidance to help them develop their skills and manage their workload effectively.
What are the benefits of using AG1?
AG1 provides a wide range of benefits, including gut health support, antioxidant and immune support, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens to help manage stress. It is a convenient way to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need.
Show Notes
This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited.
The episode features segments from episode #332 "Coach George Raveling — A Legend on Sports, Business, and The Great Game of Life" and #724 "Claire Hughes Johnson — How to Take Responsibility for Your Life, Create Rules That Work, Stop Being a Victim, Set Strong Boundaries, and More."
Please enjoy!
Sponsors:
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AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)
Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period)
Timestamps:
[00:00 ] Start
[05:14 ] Notes about this supercombo format.
[06:17 ] Enter George Raveling.
[06:48 ] The most important conversation is the one you have with yourself.
[09:03 ] The only two choices George has when he gets out of bed in the morning
[11:13 ] A personal audit once per week.
[11:40 ] Retirement at 80?
[12:10 ] George's controversial collection.
[14:50 ] George's less controversial collections.
[15:44 ] Relationships as a privilege.
[17:28 ] Most of George’s best friendships started by mistake.
[18:20 ] The importance of maintaining friendships with younger people.
[19:22 ] Relationships as a patnership.
[19:52 ] A voracious reading habit.
[23:28 ] How George selects his next book.
[25:17 ] How George continues to grow in his 80s.
[29:09 ] Recommended reading.
[30:42 ] Kindness as an opportunity.
[33:32 ] The 1984 Olympics.
[37:32 ] Enter Claire Hughes Johnson.
[37:54 ] Say the thing you think you cannot say.
[43:26 ] Detoxifying your left-hand column.
[51:11 ] Victim versus player.
[58:43 ] Recommended reading.
[1:05:32 ] The case for reading fiction.
[1:12:57 ] Crafting a working-with-me document.
[1:20:47 ] Make the implicit explicit.
[1:26:07 ] An Irish Goodbye.
[1:27:13 ] Email policies.
[1:32:37 ] Renegotiating the terms of expectations.
[1:34:41 ] Listening for the quiet no.
[1:37:06 ] Money versus time.
[1:38:53 ] Good rules can be liberating.
[1:41:39 ] Leadership and disappointment.
[1:46:38 ] Renegotiating past disappointment.
[2:05:45 ] Asking a question versus stating an opinion.
[2:09:37 ] Training wheels for a "no."
[2:11:06 ] Time, talent, treasure, and testimony.
[2:15:16 ] Spotting bad apples while hiring.
[2:17:16 ] If you're not self-aware, how would you know?
[2:20:01 ] Work style assessments for self-awareness building.
[2:27:17 ] Paragons of no.
[2:29:30 ] No more boards.
[2:33:37 ] Pushers and pullers.
[2:40:32 ] Parting thoughts.
*
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