The Top 5 M2W Podcast Episodes of All-Time

As we take a break to reflect and recharge, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate our most popular episodes ever on The Manage 2 Win Podcast.

From meditation to sales to politics, this list has a bit of everything. You will find candid conversations with entrepreneurs that have developed habits and strategies to catapult their business to success. You will hear stories of personal growth, prison time, and family.

#1

#23 - Yoga and Meditation for Business, with Travis Eliot

July 3, 2019  |  13,600 views on YouTube  |  159 audio downloads

Travis discusses mindfulness, the difference between yin and yang yoga, how yoga and meditation can be beneficial for everyone, especially business people, and how one of the most violent inmates in a Maine prison became a yoga fanatic.

Listen to the episode →

#2

#47 - A Candid Review of the Entrepreneurial Operating System

November 25, 2019  |  3,500 views on YouTube  |  117 audio downloads

Luis Alvarez shares the story of his introduction to the book Traction and his company's implementation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System, commonly referred to as EOS.

Alvarez Technology Group has been in business for 20 years but they've encountered a radical improvement in their operations by adopting the best practices laid out in EOS. 

Listen to the episode →

#3

#19 - Write-ups & the Performance Improvement Process

May 31, 2019  |  1,400 views on YouTube  |  43 audio downloads

In this episode, David shares a few stories of clients who failed to properly correct employee behavior with a PIP, then goes on to describe what a PIP is, why it is important, and how to implement it.

Listen to the episode →

#4

#139 - America's Second Civil War, and What To Do About It

July 8, 2021  |  505 views on YouTube  |  115 audio downloads

Peter warns America’s current civil war has consumed our identity, and it’s time to reclaim it. We must break our addiction to the misinformation, fake news, and selfish political agendas we digest on our various media platforms and other content sources.

Instead, let’s focus on unity. What do we have in common, rather than what divides us?  Peter’s new book, The Second Civil War: A citizen's guide to healing our fractured nation advises us on how to return to our life’s purpose and who we really are, as we work together to regain our national pride

Listen to the episode →

#5

#9 - How to 10X Your Sales, with Amanda Holmes

March 7, 2019  |  574 views on YouTube  |  21 audio downloads

Amanda Holmes is CEO of Chet Holmes International. CHI has helped over 200,000 businesses get to the next level with 12 core competencies for doubling sales. They offer the best-selling book, The Ultimate Sales Machine, written by their founder Chet Holmes.

When Chet passed away at the age of 55, Amanda took over the company. Her story and sales advice have been featured in Inc. Magazine and the Entrepreneur Weekly podcast, as well as many other prominent blogs, shows, webinars, and events.

Listen to the episode →

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5 Ways to Become a Great Leader, What You Can Learn from Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is often recognized as one of the most outstanding leaders ever.
Renowned for his unparalleled success as a coach in the NBA, Jackson's impact went beyond championship titles.  

His leadership, characterized by a transformational style, mindfulness, and always fostering unity, reshaped the conventional thinking of coaching and catapulted him into the realm of legendary leadership figures.  Through his exceptional ability to cultivate an individual´s potential while establishing a collective sense of purpose, Jackson's legacy offers invaluable insights for those seeking to elevate their own leadership prowess and leave an enduring mark on their teams and organizations.

Through his autobiography, Eleven Rings, we get the opportunity to take a deep dive into his brain, memories, and experiences, to further explore what made him such a winner.

Here are 5 practices that made Phil Jackson an extraordinary leader.

By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA - RO9A3387, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6223045, modified

1. Creating a Shared Vision of Success

"I flashed back to 1989 when I took over as head coach and had talked to Michael (Jordan) about how I wanted him to share the spotlight with his teammates so the team could grow and flourish. In those days he was a gifted young athlete with enormous confidence in his own abilities who had to be cajoled into making sacrifices for the team.

“Now he was an older, wiser player who understood that it wasn't brilliant individual performances that made great teams, but the energy that's unleashed when players put their egos aside and work toward a common goal... Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the 'me' for the 'we.'"

– Phil Jackson

Phil was lucky to be on teams with some of the greatest basketball players ever.

Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Shaquille O'Neal, to name a few.

However, you don’t win 11 championships without having an intense understanding of how to lead and succeed.

He figured out that the formula for creating a great team included molding a group of individuals into a cohesive unit by fostering a collective commitment.  Phil understood that selflessness, trust, and a desire to play for your tribe instead of yourself would inevitably put his team in a position to win.

After the Bulls won their first 3-peat (3 straight championships), Phil alluded to a schematic model borrowed from the book, Tribal Leadership. He stated that by winning those three championships, the Bulls had gone from a Stage 3 team (“I’m great, you’re not”) into a Stage 4 team (“We’re great, they’re not”).  What made them a great team was the belief that THEY were great, not that each individual player was great.

2. Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is defined by Langston University as:

“…a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems.  In its ideal form, it creates valuable and positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders.”

An example of this approach is Phil’s work with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.  Jackson's guidance in employing mindfulness techniques helped Bryant navigate high-pressure situations and hone his emotional intelligence.  By the end of his career, Kobe was recognized for his unparalleled mental fortitude on the basketball court.  Jackson's commitment to nurturing players' personal growth, along with their athletic ability, showed the essence of transformational leadership that extends far beyond sports.

One of the aspects that made Phil such an exceptional leader was his ability to understand his players beyond basketball.  With this understanding, he found ways to motivate and inspire them individually, instilling confidence in even the lowest members of the team.

3. Delegating Authority

“Needless to say, the coaching profession attracts a lot of control freaks who remind everyone constantly that they’re the alpha dog in the room.  I’ve been known to do this myself.  But what I’ve learned over the years is that the most effective approach is to delegate authority as much as possible and to nurture everyone else’s leadership skills as well. When I’m able to do that, it not only builds team unity and allows others to grow but also—paradoxically—strengthens my role as leader.”

- Phil Jackson

For some reason, many leaders believe it is their duty to control everything at every point.  A truly successful team will have multiple leaders, each ready to step up when the time comes.

The less you need to micromanage your team for them to achieve success, the greater your success as a leader.

4. Player-Centric Approach

Tied into our previous point, Phil Jackson’s leadership is characterized by being incredibly player-centric.  This is part of the reason why many of his old players still revere him as an incredible person and mentor.

He took the time to understand their lives both on and off the court, showing a genuine interest in their personal growth and challenges.  This created an environment of trust and respect, where players felt valued not only for their athletic skills but also treated equally as human beings.

Jackson's player-centric approach was evident in his work with superstar players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.  Rather than imposing his will on great talents, he engaged them in the decision-making process, giving them a sense of ownership.  He recognized that their insights and perspectives were invaluable in shaping team dynamics and strategies.  This collaborative approach not only empowered the players but also fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and unity within the team.

Jackson's knack for managing egos and personalities was proof of his player-centric leadership style.  He understood that egos could disrupt team chemistry and harmony, so he skillfully navigated them while maintaining a collective focus on the team's goals.  Jackson showed this in his work with players like Dennis Rodman, whose unconventional behavior just became part of team dynamics.  Their end goal was still to win a championship.

This ethos of putting the players at the center of his coaching philosophy set Jackson apart as a remarkable leader.

5. Manager not Controller

“Phil Jackson was a master of managing personalities.  He controlled Dennis by not attempting to control him.,” 

- Former Bulls forward Jason Caffey. 

One of the biggest hurdles the Chicago Bulls team faced in their second 3-peat championship run was the off-court behavior of Dennis Rodman.  When he was out partying or wrestling Hulk Hogan instead of practicing with the team, many scolded Jackson for not having a harsh hand.

"Coaching Dennis Rodman was a unique challenge.  He was an individual with his own style, but he brought an intensity and determination that few could match.  My approach was to give him a certain level of freedom while also setting clear boundaries.  I knew that his energy and defensive prowess were invaluable to the team, so I worked on finding ways to harness his strengths within our system."

– Phil Jackson

Phil set some boundaries with Rodman, but essentially let him be himself, he knew this would make him most effective on the basketball court.  He managed what could be managed while understanding that by punishing Rodman for being extravagant he would completely alienate a player that was crucial to the team.

This is one of the many reasons why having a deep understanding of your players’ strengths, weaknesses and motivations is pivotal to becoming an outstanding leader and eventually winning some championships.

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