The Decision To Trust with Dr. Bob Hurley

When Frank Haith assumed the head coaching duties of the #2 ranked Missouri Tigers at the beginning of the 2011/2012 NCAA season, he knew he was inheriting a veteran team of seniors who had strong ties with previous head coach, Mike Anderson.


Haith also knew that Anderson's players viewed him more then just a head coach and he would have to do a fair amount of relationship building before they would buy into his system.

"I really believe in order to get to your players, you can't only communicate with them within that 94 feet," Haith said. "You've got to have time with them off the court where they get to know you so that trust is built up."

Trust has been Haith's approach right from the start and was a big factor that contributed to the Tigers going 9-0 to start the season.

The same can be said for leaders outside of the basketball court and I caught up with Dr.Bob Hurley to further explore the topic of trust.

Dr.Hurley is the author of "The Decision To Trust" and joins me on HCL Radio to discuss the significance of trust to leaders and the organizations they represent. We all know how important trust is a necessary ingredient to building successful organizations and winning basketball teams and as Bob points out,"you have to have trust to have a productive organization".


High trust organizations have what Bob calls "a chain of trust" where trust exists on all levels both internally and externally and the leaders who take the time to understand this are the ones who will find the most success.

Click this link to hear my conversation with Bob or listen via the media player below.

If you're interested in learning more about Dr. Bob Hurley and his work, please visit his website.

HCL Radio - Where developing leaders is more then just a game!

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See you on the court!

Secure Leadership

Insecure Leaders Need Not Apply

I recall once delivering a leadership workshop on self esteem to a group of about 12-15 youth. They were all fairly early in the professional working careers so I was a bit surprised at their reaction when the topic of workplace challenges was raised.



Judging by their responses, I would have thought they were grizzled vets that had been in the workforce for 30+ years and couldn't wait to retire.

I listened to them talk about how de-motivating and challenging it is to work for a micro manager, the dis-empowered feeling they were left with because of not being able to make their own decisions and how unimportant they often times felt when their opinions were constantly second guessed.

It turned out to be a very spirited discussion and the general theme that continued to surface was that trust goes a long way in helping people feel good about the work envirnoment.

Without a Secure Leader at the helm, the work experience is less then enjoyable.

While some leaders have seemingly mastered the art of being that untrusting boss, there are others who are less intentional about their actions and are simply driven by their own personal insecurities.

These insecurities are generally based upon perceived situations or circumstances that often times materialize in the form of suspicions, doubts, uncertainties or fears.

What often follows is a series of unexplainable decisions or actions devoid of any kind of logic or reasonable rationale and leaves onlookers scratching their heads as they try to make sense of things.

The biggest problem with this approach is that it does nothing to inspire, motivate or encourage the people they're leading. These insecure leaders become so self absorbed and reactionary that they start to move further and further away from the things a leader ought to be doing.

Perhaps you've had the misfortune of being led by an insecure leader who lacked confident and therefore scrutinized your every decision?

Maybe transparency was the issue and there always seemed to be "closed" door meetings taking place with a select few?

Or perhaps you weren't assigned tasks because doubts existed whether or not you could "handle" the assignment?

Whatever your situation, the bottom line is that insecurity and leadership don't mix because it does very little to inspire confidence, instill trust and deliver results.

So, what kinds if things can a leader do to demonstrate they're operating from a place of "secureness" and make others feel like they are the top priority and can be trusted?

Here's a list of 11 things I came up with:

1. Secure leaders choose to openly and freely divulge and share information. Insecure leaders operates solely on a need to know basis.
2. Secure leaders nurture employees to help them grow and develop. Insecure leaders don't offer opportunities for growth for fear of losing their job.
3. Secure leaders encourage calculated risk taking amongst the people following them. Insecure leaders want to make all the decisions.
4. Secure leaders give guidance and expect results.Insecure leaders give instructions and expect them to be followed.
5. Secure leaders earn respect. Insecure leaders demand respect.
6. Secure leaders spotlight great performance and don’t worry about getting credit. Insecure leaders may acknowledge great performance but ensure they also get credit.
7. Secure leaders hire and promote others who think differently than they do. Insecure leaders hire and promote others who think like they do.
8. Secure leaders accept responsibility for failure. Insecure leaders look for others to blame.
9. Secure leaders promote those they don’t have to control. Insecure leaders promote those they can control.
10. Secure leaders grow great leaders. Insecure leaders grow good doers.
11. Secure leaders acknowledge effort. Insecure leaders spotlight failure.

The Main Po!nt

Great leaders are first, great individuals who use confidence as a way to to inspire results and win their people over instead of letting insecurities impact their ability to lead others confidently.

See you on the court!

The Anywhere Leader with Mike Thompson

Mike Thompson is the author of "The Anywhere Leader" and he stops by HCL Radio to talk about some of the key traits today's leaders need to have to be successful in the this rapidly changing business enviorment.

The Anywhere Leader offers a blueprint for developing today's leaders who can handle surprising challenges and who thrive in turbulent times by being open to concepts, passionate about progress and resourceful with tools available.

As Mike shares, Anywhere Leaders have 3 key traits. They are Driven By Progress,
Sensationally Curious and Vastly Resourceful.



Click here to follow Mike on Twitter!

See you on the court!

The Slam Dunk Illiteracy Campaign!

I recently had the pleasure of participating in a powerful series of literacy and self-development seminars featuring former NBAer and Toronto Raptor, John Wallace that were designed to make a difference to Toronto/GTA youth!

The campaign ran from October 3-5, 2011 and reached more than 1,000 youth in that time period.

Wallace was drafted 18th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He went on to play eight seasons in the NBA and and two in Europe. In 1998 he was the runner up of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award while with the Toronto Raptors. John was also voted Community Service Man of the Year for his dedication to youth in the city of Toronto.

I've known John for quite some time and he's always had a deep appreciation for the city of Toronto from his playing days and has always wanted to give back to the city in some capacity.

Wallace is the co-founder of a youth mentoring company called, Winning Because I Tried and is joined by his partner, Modie Cox to deliver inspiring talks to young audiences.

Important messages that are taught include:

• The power of hard work and perseverance
• The value of education and literacy
• Learning to develop confidence in your abilities despite obstacles

John and Modie have a true passion to help today's youth reach their full potential. They bot
h came from challenging backgrounds and are committed to sharing their experiences in order to guide audiences on the right path.

The SLAM DUNK ILLITERACY campaign has been receiving rave reviews from Toronto schools and youth organizations:

“Thanks a lot for today. The event was amazing. What you guys were able to do was amazing.”

Lennox Cadore, Arts Program Manager - Urban Arts Toronto

The campaign also featured a book that I co-authored called, "Basketball Talk, The Way It Should Be!" It's an entertaining baller and celebrity quote book that makes reading fun and some of the proceeds are being donated to some of their charities, Epilepsy Halton Peel Hamilton and the ErinoakKids Foundation.

Overall, with poor literacy rates, bullying and lack of motivation rampant among today's youth, John and Modie's presentation aims to connect with young people most as risk and make them accountable and inspired to break through their challenges.

If you're interested in having The SLAM DUNK ILLITERACY campaign come to your school or organization, please feel free to contact:

DaveandAudley@TheBreakdownShow.com

See you on the court!

7 Worthwhile Things I Learned From My Mentor

I'm a big fan of mentorship and I've spoken about it on numerous occasions. I've also had the privilege of interviewing real topic experts like Steve Farber and Don Yaeger.

I was most recently reminded about the importance of mentorship to my personal development when I had a long overdue telephone conversation with someone who had mentored to me.


Terry and I hadn't spoken in close to ten years from my days when I was employed with Service Canada, a department in the Canadian federal government. When we re-connected, it didn't take me very long to remember how much of an impact she had on my growth.

We chatted for over an hour and ended the conversation with a commitment of doing a better job of staying in touch with one another in the future. I immediately began reflecting on our relationship from the moment the phone beeped to signal the call was over.

It was through this thought process I discovered seven key things that made our relationship so worthwhile:

1) Not one sided

A typical mentoring arrangement involves a more experienced or knowledgeable person imparting insights and guidance to someone with less experience.

When Terry and I first met, I was fairly new to government and didn't know very much about bureaucracies or how to navigate through policies and procedures to get the work done.

She had several years of work experience under her belt and had pretty much seen it all before. I, on the other hand was quite comfortable when it came to technology and was always trying to develop systems to help us be more efficient.

This was an area that Terry wasn't as strong in and a way was immediately opened a way for us to learn from one another. I felt as if I was also making a positive contribution to the relationship and not just taking. It was mutually beneficial.

2) Anyone can be your mentor

A mentor doesn't have to be someone in a position of leadership or authority. They definitely have the potential of offering a good learning opportunity but that doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be the best.

While a boss, supervisor or manager can offer a meaningful experience we can gain knowledge or insights from virtually anyone we come in contact with as long as we're open to learning the lesson. This is why I absolutely love the expression,

"Always learn, learn all ways!"

3) Genuine Caring Leads to Authentic Kindness

I don't think its possible to have an effective mentoring relationship if there isn't some level of caring that exists. In my case, I knew right from the onset that Terry was genuinely interested in my well being and wanted the best for me. This was important to know because it allowed me to have complete trust and faith in whatever direction or guidance that came from her.

4) Recognize Greatness

At one point during our conversation, Terry said, "I saw so much potential in you and all I've ever wanted was for you to be a role model to others."

Because mentors have an objective view of things, it's far easier for them to see our individual greatness then for us to recognize it ourselves. Terry not only recognized what I was good at but she also put me in situations where I could maximize skills and build my confidence at the same time.

5) It's a relationship

Being in a mentor/mentee relationship is no different then any other relationship we have in our lives. In the beginning, you've got to commit the time to learn about the other person and understand their likes, dislikes, interests and desires before you can think about trying to help them.

When both sides have a better understanding of each another, the opportunities for growth and development increase. She took the time to understand me and knew how to best help me to succeed.

6) No Structure Needed
There's lots of companies that have structured mentorship programs that come complete with a detailed matching process, a prescribed meeting template and a roles and responsibilities agreement that both sides must adhere to.

While these programs can provide some amazing opportunities for learning and growth, they don't all have to be structured in that fashion. The most lasting mentoring relationships are the ones that have organically developed in the absence of a formalized structured program.

7) Pass it on
Terry eventually moved on to a new position and we stopped working together thus ending our "formal" relationship however we still remained in touch for a bit. I eventually went on to manage a program that gave me an opportunity to mentor more then two dozen young students that were brand new to government over a course of a three year period.

They were all really eager, keen and anxious and I saw a lot of myself in many of them. This compelled me to work hard on creating a positive work experience that supported their learning and development, empowered them to make decisions and offered different viewpoints to help increase their perspective and understanding.

I essentially gave to them what was given to me.

I'm still in contact with many of my past employees today and proud of their professional accomplishments and the type of individuals they've grown to become. I was truly honored this past summer when one of my past "mentees" asked me to MC her wedding.

Knowledge and insight are great things to have but even better when you give it to others. To grow as a leader, you must be prepared to take all of your learnings, lessons and experiences and pass them along to someone else.

In Closing...
Our actions or how we choose to live our lives can serve as mentors to others. In fact, I truly believe that the greatest lessons we learn in life comes from the people around us, thus making the role of the mentor that much more important.


If an opportunity presents itself and you have a chance to be that difference maker to someone else, I would encourage you to step up and embrace the role. Helping someone become better then what they were is a true leadership skill that can have lasting effects.

Thanks Terry!!

See you on the court!

Jason Kidd on Impact & Influence

Seventeen years after being drafted into the NBA, veteran point guard Jason Kidd earned the right to be called NBA champ after capturing his first title with the Dallas Mavericks when they defeated the Miami Heat in the Finals.


This future hall of famer was an integral part of the team and as Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said, "He's just been a thrill and a privilege to spend time with."

Kidd is among the NBA leaders in a number of statistical categories including 3 point shots made, steals and assists. He's a coach on and off the floor and can always be relied upon to support the team with his leadership, stability and poise.

As is the case with most great players who's playing careers are winding down, Kidd is often asked how much longer he'll keep going before he hangs up the sneakers.

The almost 39 year old has gotten accustomed to addressing this question and recently said, "I feel great, and being around younger guys and working on my game, and them believing in me, helped me compete every day."


Hold up! What did he say??

Did one of the best point guards to ever step foot on an NBA court just say that the belief of younger players helped him?

With more then half of the 18 players on the roster having less then 10 years of experience many of his team mates grew up watching him while they dreamed of one day playing in the NBA.

How is this possible?

It's totally possible you see, Kidd's response clearly speaks to the type of impact and influence our actions can have on one another. If young players with no where near half the experience of the future hall of fame point guard can significantly impact his career to the point where he wants to keep going then there's nothing that stops us from doing the same with each other.

Regardless how long we've been in the game, what position we play or who we are, our actions can build confidence and inspire greatness simply by being an encourager and supporter.

See you on the court!

If You Will Lead with Doug Moran

If You Will Lead is the title of Doug Moran's latest book and it uses the power of storytelling to teach leadership lessons. It combines bigger-than-life examples with everyday stories to help leaders apply these lessons to their own leadership challenges.


It's a practical guide that offers numerous resources and tools to help readers hone their skills and achieve their full potential and was listed on Inc. Magazine's list of top selling business books.

Doug visited HCL Radio for second time and we had a great chat about the importance of leaders having an awareness of themselves and his new book, "If You Will Lead"

As a starting point, Doug also provided four critical questions that every leader needs to consider:

1) Who am I , and what do I believe?
2) What do I want?
3) How will I attract and motivate others?
4) How will I earn and retain the privilege to lead?


Listen to my conversation with Doug by clicking below..

See you on the court!