Harrison Bernstein's Everyday Coach

Harrison and James Rodriguez discuss the importance of selfless leadership, continuous learning, and skill development for personal and professional growth, with a focus on adapting to new roles and technologies. They emphasize the significance of embracing change, taking risks, and improving skills, particularly in public speaking and technology. The conversation concludes with the importance of physical and mental fitness, continuous growth, and maintaining a positive mindset in building resilience and achieving success. Currently James Rodriguez serves as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development for University of Health and Performance and sits on the Board of Directors for Soldiers To Sidelines. James previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL VETS), where he was responsible for preparing America's veterans, service members, and their spouses for meaningful careers post service. Prior to that, James was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, overseeing critical support programs for service members. His extensive background also includes leadership roles within Deloitte LLP's Government and Public Sector practice and at BAE Systems, all of which followed a 20 year career as a United States Marine.

Harrison and Tom Quinlan, CEO RR Donnelley, discuss Tom's career trajectory, preparation and execution in both sports and business, leadership, ethical practices, recruiting students from colleges, managing successful younger employees, the importance of fairness and consistency in the workplace, remote work, and the impact of technology on communication and work practices. They reflect on their experiences in managing and leading teams, the importance of steady leadership, maintaining mental well-being, and solution-oriented problem-solving. Quinlan graduated from Pace University before earning an MBA in finance from St. John's University. After extensive experience in the manufacturing and services industry, Tom joined RR Donnelley as an executive vice president in 2004. In 2007, at 44 years old, he became one of the youngest fortune 250 CEO's when he was elevated to president and CEO.  He led RR Donnelley until 2016, then spent four years as chairman and CEO of spinoff LSC Communications with a reputation for turnaround, transformation, and growth. Quinlan returned home to RR Donnelley in 2022 via Chatham Asset Management's purchase of RR Donnelley. Today Tom Quinlan leads the largest provider of printing and print related business services in the world. The company is also a leading provider of communication services and marketing solutions.  

In this episode, I talk with Hall of Fame College Football Coach Mack Brown about the modern sports landscape and how we can best serve todays athletes.   After honing his coaching skills at Southern Mississippi, Memphis State, Iowa State & LSU, Brown earned his first head coaching position at Appalachian St. in 1983.  Soon, Barry Switzer took notice and hired Mack to run the offense at OU.  Brown's high-powered passing attack helped propel the Sooners to a Big Eight Title & a birth in the Orange Bowl.   After a successful stop as head coach of Tulane University, Brown arrived for his first stint in Chapel Hill.  From 1988-1997, Brown led the Tar Heels back to national prominence with 69 wins, 6 bowl appearances & 3 - 10 win seasons.     His success caught the eyes of Texas.  On December 4, 1997, Brown was chosen to lead the Longhorns.  Over 16 seasons in Austin, Coach Brown steered Texas to an astonishing 158 wins, 2 Conference Championships and in 2005… the National Title.    Brown served as a College Football studio analyst for ESPN before returning to Chapel Hill in 2019.  Mack revived UNC football once again reaching the Orange Bowl in 2020 & the ACC championship game in 2022.  Over 16 seasons at North Carolina, Brown led the Tar Heels to 113 wins & 12 bowl games.  He is the most successful football coach in UNC history.  Mack Brown amassed an incredible 288 wins in 35 years as a head coach. 144 of his student-athletes were selected in the NFL draft. He is the only coach in history to reach 100 wins at 2 different schools.   Brown was named the Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year in 2005, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Longhorn Hall of Honor, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame among others.       

This episode features the 12th Sergeant Major of the US Army, Jack Tilley, discussing a lifetime of leadership lessons learned based on his book Soldier for Life. A career soldier Sergeant Major Tilley held many leadership positions within the department of the army and the unified command environments. As Sergeant Major of the Army he served as the Army Chiefs of Staff's advisor on all enlisted-related matters, particularly in areas affecting soldier training and quality of life. He devoted most of his time to travelling throughout the army observing training and talking to soldiers and their families. He sits on a wide variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting enlisted soldiers and their families. Vietnam War veteran Jack Tilley has held a variety of important leadership positions throughout his 34-year career including Tank Commander, Section Leader, Drill Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Senior Instructor Operation Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Command Sergeant Major. His military education includes the first Sergeants Course and the Sergeants Major Academy. Among his numerous awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star with V Device, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Vietnam Service and Campaign Medals. After retirement Jack continued his advocacy for all service members. He is the Co-chairman of the American Freedom Foundation.  Freedom Foundation was organized to honor Veterans of America's armed forces to raise money and awareness for various Veterans organizations with special emphasis directed to welfare and educational issues facing those wounded in action and soldiers killed in action during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has worked tirelessly with the organization managing the annual fundraising benefit concerts with top named entertainment. Sergeant Major Tilley also hosts a popular video podcast called Your Next Mission which is a new initiative from the American Freedom Foundation that provides content resources and support to Veterans, military service members, military spouses, and families as they transition from military to civilian life.

Harrison and Christine Dorfler, CFO of the NFL, discuss the formative role of sports in shaping their leadership skills, with Christine emphasizing the importance of humility, confidence, and adaptability. They also explore the importance of leadership skills in the business world, the power of actions over words, and the significance of vulnerability, humility, and confidence in leadership roles. Lastly, they discuss the importance of building and managing a strong team, the impact of their actions and attitudes on others, and the challenges of balancing family life and work.

In this episode Florent "Flo" Groberg reflects on leadership lessons learned as a young athlete from his early coaches which ultimately shaped his heroic military career that resulted in receiving the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest award for military valor in action Flo deployed several times to Afghanistan, and his actions on August 8th, 2012 earned him the famous Medal of Honor. As a result of his actions, Groberg sustained the loss of 45 to 50 percent of his left calf muscle with significant nerve damage, a blown eardrum, and a mild traumatic brain injury. He spent 3 years at Walter Reed Hospital from August 2012 through May 2015. He was medically retired, as a captain in July 2015.  

In this episode, we discuss the concept of thoughts and the power we choose to give them.  And sometimes we make them VERY powerful. Dr. Ben Freakly shares his perspective on the subject from his extensive experience and knowledge base.   Dr. Ben Freakley is the CEO and founder of Ready|Set|Resilient, a coaching business that uses best practices in sport, performance, and counseling psychology to help individuals and teams achieve the greatness that exists inside all of us. Ben brings over 20 years of experience coaching high performers and teams in sports, tactical, and business environments. Some highlights of Ben's career include: ·      Google Resilience Team – Subject Matter Expert ·      Atlanta United (Major League Soccer) Mental Performance Coach ·      Tampa Bay Rowdies (United Soccer League) Mental Performance Coach ·      University of Health and Performance – Vice President of Performance and Well Being ·      Toronto Blue Jays (Major League Baseball) Head of Mental Performance ·      75th Ranger Regiment (Special Operations Forces) Mental Performance Coach ·      National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) College Soccer Coach – 12 Seasons ·      Tormenta FC (United Soccer League) First ever head coach & General Manager

Kristin Noto, the author of the book Live E.P.I.C Excellence Personified In Character, discusses her secrets to happiness and fulfillment through 7 virtues. This discussion explores and challenges these virtues to help discover peace and happiness within ourselves and those we coach.

In this episode, Shawn Springs and I revisit old football memories and leadership lessons which paved the way for him become the Founder and CEO of Windpact, a successful materials data and technology company. Shawn was a top national football recruit leaving high school, which led to an illustrious college career at Ohio State. Springs would be named the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, earn All-American honors, and follow his father's legacy, Ron Springs, into the NFL. Springs was chosen by the Seattle Seahawks as the third pick overall in the 1997 NFL draft. To this day, no cornerback has ever been picked higher in the draft. He played in the NFL for 13 seasons with the Seahawks, Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots before retiring and building Windpact.

In this Episode we speak with Colonel Patricia Collins who served in the U.S. Army as a Communications Officer for 24 years. In 2006, after returning from Iraq, she was struck by a car while bicycling to work. Her injury left her as a below knee amputee, but did not affect her military service.Upon rehabilitation, she continued to serve, including a deployment to Afghanistan and commanding a Signal Battalion.  Patty challenged herself physically, post amputation. She returned to full military fitness, including free fall status, and became an avid mountain biker and triathlete.She realized incredible athletic success becoming member of the 2016 U.S.Paralympic team in Paratriathlon.

In this episode we discuss everyday coaching with Retired Air Force Veterans, Scott (AKA Soup) and Kim Campbell (AKA Killer Chick) who have been married for 25 years after meeting at the US Airforce Academy. Soup is a retired Air Force fighter pilot with 25 years of service, where he attained the rank of Colonel.  His combat accolades are unrivaled, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross three times for missions in Afghanistan and the Bronze Star twice for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Kim, AKA Killer Chick,  is a retired Air Force Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. Kim has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission in Baghdad.

In this Episode we talk with Marnie Schneider about the role sports play in the development of young Americans nationwide.  Marnie comes from a prestigious sports family that greatly impacted her success.  She is the granddaughter of Leonard Tose, former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles who also founded the Ronald McDonald House.  Marnie's mom, Susan Tose, was the first female General Manager of an NFL team. Marnie Schneider is a CEO, inspirational speaker, author, philanthropist, and best of all daughter and mom. A Philadelphia native now living in the Carolinas, she consistently devotes her time and resources to help others achieve their own victory.  Marnie's passion for sports shines through in her book series, Gameday in the USA, which made the Amazon Top 100 Kids Sports Travel Books. The series includes 8 books that focus on a city and its professional football team. It follows a young girl Freddie and her dog Fumble, and the rich history and culture of each city they visit.

Akili King, originally from Jackson, MS received an appointment to West Point where he played football for 3 years before leaving to attend Oregon State. He excelled at Oregon State and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent. After training camp, he was cut by the team and enlisted in the Army National Guard. Akili made his way to active duty and served on multiple deployments with the 75th Ranger Regiment. While with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Akili was a part of the recovery mission for Operation Redwings, made famous by the book and movie, "The Lone Survivor".  He later attended OCS and received his commission as an Infantry Officer. After leaving the military Akili  reinvented himself as a business development and operations leader. He currently serves as the National Ambassador Program Director for Soldiers to Sidelines.

In this episode we discuss Leadership with retired US Army Major General  Mark O'Neil who last served as the commander of U.S. Army Alaska. He previously served as Special Mission Unit Commander. He has participated in numerous combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mark has earned several medals and accolades including 8 Bronze Stars and a Bronze Star Medal for Valor. Prior to military service, Mark played football and Track and Field and was inducted into his College Hall of Fame at Norwich University.  Mark O'Neil now operates his private consulting business where he works with professional sports teams and America's top businesses. 

In this Episode we discuss the delusion of disability and the reality of mixed abilities with  (Ret.) US Army Command Sergeants Major Gretchen Evans. Gretchen was a successful senior military intelligence analyst and paratrooper, operating in several high tempo and dangerous missions around the world including Grenada, Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2006, while working as a sergeant major in Afghanistan, a mortar blast threw her into a concrete bunker wall. She suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and lost 95% of her hearing, ending her career in military service. Gretchen received the Bronze Star for valor and heroism in combat. Gretchen's story is featured in the new 2020 bestselling book, What's Within You, and Gretchen and her adventure racing team, Team UNBROKEN, is featured in the "World's Toughest Race" on Amazon Prime, hosted by Bear Grylls and produced by Mark Burnett. Team UNBROKEN is the first totally disabled team to ever compete in this arduous adventure race. Their desire is to bring awareness that disabilities do not define or limit what is possible with hard work, grit, gumption, and a rope team. 

In this Episode we discuss life and leadership coaching Philosophy with (Ret.) US Army Command Sergeants Major Rob Lively.  Rob retired after 28 years of military service, as the Command Sergeants Major of a Special Missions Unit within The United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As a geopolitical subject matter expert, he regularly briefed and provided recommendations to the U.S. Government's most senior military and political leadership while also cultivating critical relationships with foreign, civilian, and military leaders in support of U.S. national security objectives. Rob currently translates his many life and leadership lessons from the US Military in his new career as the President of TRX Elite where he leads a diverse team that delivers human performance strategies and solutions in support of government, military and the first responder population as well as the veterans from each of those communities. 

In this Episode we reflect on a life of service through military and sports with the legendary US Air Force (Ret.) Lt. Col. Terry Maki. Maki wrestled for two years and played football for four at the US Air Force Academy. In wrestling, he won the Western Athletic Conference heavyweight title, named Outstanding Wrestler of the WAC tournament, and earned two NCAA qualifying bids.Maki was equally impressive on the gridiron and played linebacker under legendary coach Fisher DeBerry. In his senior year, Maki earned Kodak All-America honors, selected to play in the 1986 Hula Bowl, and was a finalist for the Butkus Award. He is being inducted into the US Airforce Athletics Hall of Fame this year.  After his athletic career, Terry embarked on a 20-year career with the Air Force in Special Tactics.  During his time he worked as a combat diver and executed more than 320 parachute jumps in tours all throughout the world.  Upon retiring from the Air Force, Maki served as Head Football Coach for Florence High School in Montana, and now is the CEO of Bitterroot Services and Technologies which sells state-of-the-art technologies to the VA. 

In this episode Coach Mike Pollak and I discuss the latest evolution of coaching sports and explore the benefits of the sacrifice of sport.  Pollak played 7 years in the NFL as an offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Carolina Panthers. Prior to being drafted in the second round of the NFL, Mike earned All Pac-10 honors at Arizona State University, where he also earned the prestigious Pat Tillman Award.  He now serves as the Director of Training for Tip of the Spear Football, which teaches revolutionary techniques that make football safer through improved performance.

In this episode we discuss the concept of Leader followership with US Air Force Retired Colonel Christopher Plamp who's call sign is Sponge. Sponge was an Air Force Command Pilot, flight instructor, and evaluator, primarily flying the A-10 Warthog and the MQ-1B Unmanned Predator.  He was an A-10 Fighter Squadron Director of Operations, an MQ-1B Reconnaissance Squadron Commander, a Flying Training Group Commander, and served in the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Christopher's awards include: Defense Superior Service Medal; two Bronze Stars; the Legion of Merit; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; three Air Medals; and the German Silver Cross of Honor. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Operations, Programs and Entertainment for the USO.

In this Episode we speak with Matt Stevens who is the CEO of the Honor Foundation, a non-profit company that prepares and assists special operators in their transition from the military to the civilian workforce. Matt transitioned from the U.S. Navy in July 2017 after serving for 26 years as a SEAL. He attended one of the first Honor Foundation symposiums, which he loved so much that he got more involved, joined the board, and now serves as CEO. Matt, an outstanding baseball player growing up, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991 with a B.S. in Ocean Engineering.  He graduated Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in 1992 and then was assigned to the East Coast where he served in various SEAL Teams, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. Matt Stevens also serves as a little league baseball coach in Virginia Beach.