Welcome to Mindful Monday!

This week, we focus on preparation, leading through crisis, Jennifer Coolidge, giving feedback to your boss, and some wise words about travel. And... CLICK HERE to read our USA Today Best-Selling book, The Score That Matters.

#638: Kirk Herbstreit - The Most Prepared Broadcaster in the World

​Kirk Herbstreit is the voice of college football. A former Centerville High School and Ohio State University Quarterback, Kirk has been the lead Analyst for ESPN’s College Gameday since 1996. He calls the biggest games in college football on Saturday nights. Kirk is also the lead analyst for Thursday Night Football on Amazon. Kirk has been nominated for 19 Sports Emmy Awards and has won 5 times! This conversation was recorded in front of about 300 people in Centerville, Ohio. Kirk’s dog Peter was with us on stage when he wasn’t wandering around in the audience. We discussed being the most prepared broadcaster in the world, responding to adversity, his faith, Elk Pride, high school sports, NIL deals, Lee Corso, & the emotional moment when Ohio State won the title this year. You can WATCH this event on YouTube.

This is Why You Exist

My dad once told me something that didn’t land at first. I called him after a rough week at work, venting about a situation I felt unprepared for. He paused, then said, “Tough times? This is why you exist. Leaders are needed when it goes bad. Anybody can lead when it’s going great. True leadership shows up when things fall apart.” CLICK HERE to read more.

Jennifer Coolidge Commencement Speech

Jennifer Coolidge delivered the Commencement address to Emerson College 2025 Graduates. CLICK HERE to watch it. “It is your ability to convince yourself you really can make it, because you have to be your own champion.”

How To Give a Senior Leader Feedback Without Getting Fired

How can you help a senior leader see they’re making life harder for themselves and their team? If you don’t speak up, you’re robbing your organization of your good insights. If you do speak up, you might put your employment and well-being at risk. This puts you in a tough spot. Here are some ways to share feedback with senior leaders, or anyone more powerful than you, while being respectful, helpful, and protecting yourself from their wrath.

Wise Words...

“Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it. You can exercise daily, eat healthily, and live a long life, while experiencing a short one. If you spend your life sitting in a cubicle and passing papers, one day is bound to blend unmemorably into the next - and disappear. That's why it's so important to change routines regularly, take vacations to exotic locales, and have as many new experiences as possible that can serve to anchor our memories. Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives.” -- Joshua Foer​

Thank you for reading. Mindful Monday is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support it is to order our book, The Score That Matters. If you've already read it, I'd love for you to CLICK THIS LINK and write a review.

Ryan Hawk Author: The Score That Matters, Welcome to Management, & The Pursuit of Excellence​ Host: The Learning Leader Show​