One Question Leadership Podcast

Continuing his visit with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast, Dave Hart talks about trust in communications saying that most, if not all, major decisions in athletics should be communicated with the President well before those decisions are actually made. He also talks about his new venture, Athletics Legacy Partners, and its leadership development mission. When discussing his current role as Special Advisor to the Chancellor at ECU, he says it is exactly what he wants to do as he winds down his career.

Dave Hart, long time leader in the college athletics industry and current Special Advisor to the Chancellor at ECU visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. In the first part of the conversation, Hart talks about the leadership challenge of making tough decisions. He mentions the influence of mentors in providing direction when a potential decision could go against the values leaders have established for themselves. Hart goes on to say that values based decisions can be, at times, very unpopular.

Garrett Rowland, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Lee University, visits @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast during the 2018 CSCCa National Conference. Two years ago, Coach Rowland was asked to build Lee University's first strength & conditioning program as the school was completing the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. Rowland discusses the process of getting coaches and administrators on board as he implemented the new program. He also touches on the intricacies of organizational structure.

Coach Andrea Hudy, Asst. AD for Sports Performance at Kansas, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast during the 2018 CSCCa National Conference. Coach Hudy was an integral component to multiple national championships at UCONN and most recently, in 2008, with Kansas Men's Basketball. Assessing her current post with KU, Hudy discusses leadership and creating a successful culture in the Athletic Performance role; specifically as it relates to and complements the head coach's style in leading the team.

Scott Wetherbee, VP & Director of Athletics at Eastern Michigan University, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss his progression from a ticketing intern to Athletics Director. He recalls his exposure to alumni, marketing, development, and much of the external side of athletics as the foundation for his experience leading to the AD chair. Wetherbee also mentions the challenge for those in tickets is to avoid being pigeonholed as just a ticketing person by being active in as much as possible.

Devin Crosby, Director of Athletics at Lynn University, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss his approach to leadership. He discusses his philosophy on the fundamentals of C.A.R.E. (Cultivate, Absorb, Rest, Excellence). Crosby also talks about his process of running meetings using Design Thinking. During those meetings, he puts his title as AD to the side, a process which he says allows free-flowing problem solving and creativity without everyone looking to him for all the answers.

Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports (Women Leaders) joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the changing narrative around women in leadership roles within the industry. As of the recording, 26 women have been hired to positions such as Director of Athletics, Commissioner, etc. in 2018. Phillips talks about the Women Leaders mission of taking a proactive role in advancing women into positions of influence; specifically through its leadership institutes, membership, and national convention.

Harry Stinson, Athletics Director at Lincoln (Pa.) University joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the process of moving a portion of the Lions athletics portfolio to a different conference. A member of the CIAA (NCAA DII), Lincoln University moved the Baseball & Women's Soccer teams to the East Coast Conference (ECC) in early 2018. Stinson touches on his leadership relative to the Student-Athletes and coaches during the transition time before officially joining the ECC.

Kevin Hurley, Sr. Associate AD for Facilities & Construction at Texas A&M, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the process of coordinating multi-million dollar facilities projects. Hurley specifically talks about one of (if not the) biggest renovation projects in college athletics, the $450 million upgrade to the football stadium-Kyle Field. He notes that the biggest challenges those in facilities face are budgetary concerns, scope of the facility, and time to completion.

Mike Hill, AD at UNC-Charlotte, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss executing a basketball search within the first month of accepting the position. Hill, a first-time AD, talks understanding the expectations from the moment he was hired. Empowered by the 49er leadership, he leaned on his experience with Florida Athletics to execute the search in a high-level fashion. The conversation also touched on the challenges of priority management that come with being new to the AD chair.

David Wright, Assistant VP, Development Officer, & AD at Gettysburg College (PA) visits @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss his unique responsibilities reporting to the Enrollment & Educational Services Division. In this role, Wright has had a hand in bringing the coaches on staff to the table to understand the admissions process beyond just athletics. He also has been very active in fundraising for the school and touches on how that has proven to be beneficial for all parties involved.

Portia Hoeg, Director of Athletics and Recreation at Allegheny College, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss some of the challenges that NCAA Division III institutions face as the cost of higher education continues to rise. Hoeg touches on the struggles of many DIII athletic departments related to recruiting and offering financial aid packages. She even finds herself explaining the value of the college experience to the parents of some recruits because of the high costs of tuition.

1.Question Co-host @TaiMBrown continues his conversation with Eric Hyman, retired college athletics leader. Hyman talks about maintaining values and avoiding situational ethics as a leader in the current high-dollar college athletics environment. On the question of taking time for himself and his family when he was an AD, Hyman admits he wasn't the best at it. He recommends leaders take a step backwards, take time to re-energize yourself, and invest in your family.

Victor Santa Cruz, Head Football Coach at Azusa Pacific University, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. Santa Cruz mentions how including the whole athletics department in the decision making process helped create collective buy-in. He also mentions NCAA brand awareness as an immediate benefit while recruiting, as well as new donors coming on board to help increase scholarships and make the transition successful.

Tim Duncan, new Deputy AD for External Affairs at Northeastern University, recently stepped down as Director of Athletics at Clayton State. Prior to doing so, he visited @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss professional development for his staff and Student-Athletes. Duncan, founder of the Emerging ADs conference, speaks to possibly being hired by a former Student-Athlete as the ultimate measure of success in terms of leadership development.

Eric Hyman, former Director of Athletics at VMI, Miami (OH), TCU, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. Hyman's career spanned 47 years in intercollegiate athletics including his time as a Student-Athlete, football coach, and athletics administrator. In the first of two parts, he discusses what it takes to be successful and have longevity in the AD chair.

Chris Fuller, Deputy Athletics Director for External Operations at Syracuse University, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the similarities and differences between the corporate sales & marketing industry and athletic development in college athletics. Fuller goes into the interesting intricacies of university fundraising campaigns such as how much money is actually available to use after a successful campaign. This is an excellent peek behind the development curtain.

Paul Winters, Head Football Coach at Wayne State University, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss how his very visible role as football coach is and should be a benefit to the athletics department as a whole. From development, being an ambassador for the university, and providing community service, Coach Winters speaks to the variety of ways he and his program support the university and the wider Detroit community. (Recorded during the 2018 AFCA Convention)

Stevie Baker-Watson, Associate VP & Director of Athletics at DePauw University joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss group dynamics. Baker-Watson has served on dozens of NCAA committees and working groups designed to improve the state of college athletics. In this discussion, she shares her insight on how successful groups can function to produce effective outcomes.

Dr. Pat Ivey, Assistant AD for Athletic Performance at Arkansas State, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the influence held by those in the Strength & Conditioning/Athletic Performance position. Coach Ivey expounds on the variety of evaluation methods that strength coaches face, such as reporting to the football coach, a sport admin, and possibly the director of athletics. He also touches on the process of implementing a sports psychologist into the fold during his time at Missouri.

Albany State's AD, Sherie Cornish Gordon, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the leadership challenges involved with combining two athletics programs from two very different institutions. When Albany State University absorbed Darton State College, Gordon had to outline expectations and a vision for the new Golden Rams athletics department, all while maintaining success on and off the field. Of note - all this took place during her first year on the job.

Brian Streeter, Director of Athletics at Penn State - Behrend, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the benefits of longevity and continuity at one institution. Streeter has been at Penn State - Behrend for 21 years, with coaches on staff that have been there for longer than he has. During his tenure, he has added 16 sports to the portfolio. The conversation touches on avoiding complacency by realizing every year as a new year and being fair to every sport, coach, and student-athlete.

Larry Lyons, Director of Athletics at Illinois State, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss maintaining a strong and stable financial status throughout a tumultuous budgetary period within the state of Illinois. He touches on relationships with faculty and staff on campus and how combining success in athletics and academics has helped to strengthen the financial model used by the Redbirds.

Matt Bassett, Assistant Vice President & Director of Athletics at Le Moyne College, visits with @TaiMBrown and the 1.Question Podcast to discuss developing a successful campus-wide program geared toward enhancing the Student-Athlete (SA) experience. The L.E.G.U.P program is a mission and culture driven initiative which includes aspects of self-assessment by every SA in the athletics department. Bassett gives insight on taking the initiative from an idea to implementation.

Kelley Kish, Director of Athletics at Lake Erie College, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast on her 101st day on the job. With that milestone as the backdrop, the conversation centered around her process of learning the new environment, making decisions, fulfilling the strategic plan of the institution, and developing relationships with staff and everyone around her. With a notable excitement about the challenges ahead, Kish gives insight into the mind of a first-time AD.

Jean Boyd, Executive Sr. Associate AD at Arizona State, rounds out his conversation with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast with specifics on how the NFL setup will work for the Sun Devils. Boyd mentions messaging to Student-Athletes, recruiting, and continuity amid changes as major benefits of the new structure. Seamless communication also seems to be a major factor.

Jean Boyd, Executive Sr. Associate AD at Arizona State, joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the NFL-type setup that the Sun Devils have implemented for the football program. In the first of a two part interview, Boyd touches on the new concept which allows the head coach to be free to do the coaching, recruiting, etc., while a leadership structure is put in place to manage many of the other executive level responsibilities.

Andy Carter, Director of Athletics at Minot State University, visits with @TaiMBrown and the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the interesting moment in time which exists after a coach leaves a program and before a new coach is hired. Carter expounds on setting expectations for the Student-Athletes of the respective sport where a new leader is being considered. He emphasizes that this group has a voice but not necessarily a vote.

Hope College sets the standard for attendance in NCAA Division III Men's & Women's Basketball. Co-Athletic Director, Tim Schoonveld joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the process of engaging fans and consistently leading in fan attendance.

Coach Robin Fralick has been a head coach for a total of three basketball seasons - all at Ashland University. During that span, she has amassed nearly 100 wins and a NCAA DII National Championship. Coach Fralick took a few minutes during this year's undefeated regular season to visit with @TaiMBrown and the 1.Question Podcast to talk about fan engagement. With Student-Athlete involvement and support from the athletic administration, The Purple Swarm has proven to be an asset in Ashland's WBB success.

Coach Mel Tjeerdsma, Director of Athletics at NW Missouri State University, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. Coach Tjeerdsma, three time national champion football coach, discusses his transition to Director of Athletics and how he has approached the chair with a fair perspective while maintaining his passion for football.

Sam Atkinson, Associate Athletic Director of Communications at Gallaudet University joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. Atkinson explains the intricacies of telling the athletics story of the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students.

Jacqie McWilliams, Commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), joins @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. McWilliams, in her fifth year leading the CIAA, discusses the intricacies of hosting the conference's basketball tournament in a city (Charlotte) which boasts a significant number other sports attractions. She also touches on how her background directing NCAA Basketball tournaments helped prepare her for such an undertaking.

Paul Plinske, Director of Athletics at University of Nebraska at Kearney, joins the 1.Question podcast to discuss UNK's recent announcement that it will drop three sports as part of a campus-wide plan to close a $3.4M budget deficit. Plinske addresses stabilizing the department, facilitating student-athlete transfers, and outreach to donors and alumni. Key takeaways include necessity of an open line of communication and guiding principle of taking care of one's people.

Warde Manuel, Director of Athletics at Michigan, visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to discuss his role in ensuring that all sports feel valued within the athletics department. Acknowledging that the majority of media coverage goes to football and basketball, Manuel dives in to developing an internal culture of celebrating all sports and their respective Student-Athletes.

Keith Hackett, Director of Athletics at Cornell College, visits with @TaiMBrown and the 1.Question Podcast. Hackett talks about leading while facing budget cuts and budgetary restrictions. He specifically discusses the difficulty of cutting sports. A key takeaway that Hackett identifies is that no matter the size of the budget, making responsible, tough financial decisions is one of the key responsibilities of anyone in the chair.

Craig McPhail, VP of Athletics at Lees-McRae College visits with @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast. McPhail discusses how the "Vice President" title has enhanced his leadership on campus. He also touches on preparations for the arrival of a new president in an environment where Student-Athletes represent 40% of the total student enrollment.

In part 2 of the conversation with Dr. China Jude, Sr. Association AD for Admin & SWA at Wyoming, discusses her approach to learning as much as possible in her new position and how her previous experience as a Director of Athletics will help lead to success in this new role.

Dan Schumacher, Director of Athletics at UW-Eau Claire, visits 1.Question Podcast co-host @TaiMBrown at the 2018 NCAA Convention. Schumacher, currently in his third AD job, discusses doing your best due diligence to understand the issues you may face when taking on a new leadership role. He points out that problems are usually deeper than the eye can see.

Dr. China Jude, Senior Associate AD for Administration & SWA at Wyoming, visits the 1.Question Podcast to discuss her career up to this point. In the first of two parts, Dr. Jude discusses her thought process during her very successful tenure as the Director of Athletics at Queens College. Conference championships, core values, and revenue generation highlight the discussion points in this interview.

Tim McMurray, Director of Athletics at Texas A&M Commerce, visits with 1.Question to talk about the Lions NCAA Division II football championship and the athletic department's "Best in Class" initiative which puts heavy emphasis on providing an excellent Student-Athlete experience. McMurray talks about culture, resources, opportunities, and people being the driver for success at TAMU-Commerce.

In the second part of his 1.Question interview, Coach Tim Teykl, Director of High School Relations at University of Houston, discusses the role he plays within the football program, and ultimately, the athletics department as a whole. Coach Teykl also discusses the emphasis on compliance, promoting other sports at Houston, and helping other programs in the state set up similar positions.

In the second part of his 1.Question interview, Coach Shaw addresses what he sees as a major deficiency in the development of young people today. He mentions the responsibility that coaches (and leaders in general) have in teaching humility, and emphasizing the importance of self-evaluation.

@TaiMBrown visits with Julie Soriero, Director of Athletics at MIT, during the 2018 NCAA Convention. Soriero, a former coach and longtime administrator, discusses the aspects of positioning oneself for career advancement. The 2018 NCAA President's Pat Summitt Award winner also touches on the topic of women in leadership positions within athletics. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@TaiMBrown visits with David Shaw, Head Football Coach at Stanford University, at the 2018 AFCA Convention. Coach Shaw talks about his philosophy on communicating with recruits, "Start as you mean to go on." Essentially, he saying that coaches should be the adult in recruiting conversations. Shaw also discusses the differences in communicating the same message to today's youth.

1.Q Co-host Tai Brown visits with Tim Teykl, Director of High School Relations at University of Houston, during the 2018 AFCA Convention. The discussion centers around the concern people have about the growing number of staff members within college football programs. In the first of a two-part conversation, the long time coaching veteran contrasts the reasons why the High School Relations position is necessary with a look at how college football programs handled the responsibilities in the past.

Tai Brown visits with Valerie Cleary, Director of Athletics at Portland State University, during the 2018 NCAA convention. Cleary discusses the thought process needed, as a leader, to be able to make tough decisions. She mentions the difficulty ADs face when deciding to eliminate a sport. As we hear from many seasoned executives, core values play a major role in the process.

Tai Brown talks with Dr. Brian Hainline at the 2018 NCAA Convention. Dr. Hainline, Chief Medical Officer for the NCAA, addresses the medical concerns that are currently on the forefront of the minds of all who are involved with Student-Athletes. The biggest issue he identifies is mental health. Hainline discusses best practices provided by the NCAA, including a simple teaching module which touches on the ABCs of mental health, which can be found at www.ncaa.org/ssi

Tai Brown visits with David Cutcliffe, Head Football Coach at Duke University, during the 2018 AFCA Convention. Coach Cutcliffe, known for hiring and developing young coaches, discusses his philosophy on creating a culture for success; specifically with young professionals. He also talks about how the environment created by Kevin White, Duke Athletic Director, has allowed for success in leadership development.

Tai Brown sets up shop at the 2018 NCAA Convention and visits with Rob Carolla, Director of Communications at College Football's 150th Anniversary. Carolla discusses the organization designed to spearhead college football's sesquicentennial celebration. The NCAA and the College Football Playoff are among the parties involved.