Crucial Conversations

Sometimes, improving communication is about understanding the dynamics of your relationship and not just focusing on verbal exchanges. It's about fostering emotional safety and trust, where both partners feel heard, respected, and valued.

Agitation, in many ways, helps push boundaries and promote physical and mental growth. Whether in training, performance, or life, stepping out of your comfort zone and confronting challenges can lead to improvements. It can spark creativity, build resilience, and force adaptation.In athletic training, for example, controlled agitation (through progressive overload, intense workouts, or pushing limits) helps muscles grow, increases endurance, and enhances mental toughness. It's about embracing discomfort and understanding that it's part of growth.What type of agitation are you thinking about? Is it related to training, leadership, or another area?

This episode explores the concept of 'carrying your water'—taking responsibility for your journey and challenges. It's about persistence, ownership, and staying focused on your goals, regardless of weight. Tune in for insights on leadership, personal growth, and pushing through adversity.

Scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” – Proverbs 3:5-6Devotional Thought:Taking risks can be scary. Fear often holds us back, whether it's starting a new job, pursuing a dream, or stepping into an unknown situation. But faith calls us to trust God beyond our comfort zone.Application to Sports and Life:God often asks us to take steps of faith without seeing the whole picture. We may never move if we wait until we feel entirely ready or until every detail is certain. But when we trust God fully, He directs our steps and turns our risks into testimonies.Challenge: Find some area to take calculated risk that uses wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) – "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."Devotional ThoughtAs an athlete, it's easy to focus on personal stats, achievements, and individual effort. But true success is never a solo act. The Law of Significance reminds us that no matter how talented we are, we achieve more when we embrace the power of teamwork and community.Application to Sports and Life Recognize Your Need for Others Encourage and Lift Up Others Seek God's Strength in CommunityChallenge: This week, find a way to encourage or assist a teammate. Whether it's offering words of motivation, helping with a drill, or simply showing up with a positive attitude, be intentional in strengthening those around you.

Proverbs 18 - A stubborn fool considers his own way the right one, but a person who listens to advice is wise. Please consider purchasing my book: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

During my vacation, we had to replace the brakes and rotors on our vehicle. While the cost was lower at the shop we visited, I wanted to share the valuable lesson I learned from the experience. Driving with faulty brakes and rotors gave me a new perspective on the importance of maintenance and the steps needed to fix the problem. I realized that this experience offers an insightful analogy for leadership in everyday life—highlighting the necessity of regular checks, timely repairs, and the patience required for a smooth and effective process while leading others.

In this episode, I share an experience from my recent gym visit while on vacation. I observed two individuals who, despite clearly catching up, spent nearly an hour conversing, showing photos, and socializing. As a result, others had to wait for the equipment. This situation made me realize the importance of being mindful of time in shared spaces. I encourage everyone to stay focused and avoid unnecessary delays to ensure a smoother experience for all.

In this episode, I would like to share with you some insights into how to engage in constructive argument and use that to develop strategy that leads to meaningful change. Remember, communication is a two-way street. Let's embrace it, evolve through it, and use it to create powerful, purposeful leadership. Please consider purchasing my book: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

HBCU homecomings are vital and vibrant celebrations of community, culture, and shared history. In this episode, I discuss what I experienced at Norfolk State University, which was 20 years for me. This discussion will encourage and challenge your mindset on why attending an HBCU (if that is your preference) is important, more so attending homecoming and how it made me feel.

In this video, I explore the benefits of pre-activation training methods for young athletes before practices and games. I specifically explain the banded ricochet steps, both forward and backward, and how to transition into explosive complete movements to effectively activate lower body musculature.

It is a wonderful book that provides valuable insights into successful individuals' thought processes and mindset strategies. It is a practical guide to understanding and adopting the thought processes that can lead to success. It's ideal for readers looking to improve their mindset and approach to achieving their goals. Please check out the full video on Spotify.

This podcast will direct you on: Clear Focus Versatility Engaging Curiosity and Motivational Appeal

The above provides a holistic approach to success. It supports individuals in achieving a balanced life where mental well-being, ethical living, and effective goal management are harmonized. This integrated approach enhances performance in specific areas and promotes overall fulfillment and personal growth. To view the video, please check out the podcast on Spotify. Please consider purchasing my book: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

The Art of this subject suggests a deep and thoughtful exploration of forgiveness, which can resonate with a broad audience. Forgiveness is a powerful and transformative topic that can appeal to listeners interested in personal growth, emotional healing, and improving relationships. Please check out the video on Spotify. Also, please consider purchasing my book: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

In this episode, we'll explore how ants offer valuable insights into leadership. We'll discuss how their behaviors teach us about clarity, effective communication, collaboration, support, conflict resolution, adaptability, courage, and strength, among other key qualities. Please consider purchasing my book: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

Building resilient relationships with others involves developing strong, adaptable bonds that can withstand challenges and grow over Time. Here are some key strategies: Be Transparent: Share your thoughts and feelings honestly. Clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings and builds trust. Active Listening: Pay attention to what others say and validate their feelings and perspectives. Put Yourself in Their Shoes: Try to understand things from another person's. This helps address concerns and find common ground. Offer Support: Be there for others during tough times and celebrate their successes enthusiastically. Define Limits: Set and respect boundaries to maintain a healthy balance in the relationship. This helps in preventing burnout and ensures mutual respect. Communicate Needs: Clearly articulate your needs and expectations to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. Let Go of Grudges: Learn to forgive and move on from past conflicts. Holding onto resentment can strain relationships. Be Patient: Understand that building resilient relationships takes Time, and be patient with the growth process. Be Reliable: Follow through on promises and commitments. Consistent behavior builds trust and reliability. Be Honest: Maintain integrity in your actions and words to reinforce trust. Embrace Change: Be willing to adapt to changes and challenges together. Resilient relationships are flexible and can evolve. Learn and Grow: Continuously work on personal development and encourage relationship growth. Encourage Ambitions: Support each other's personal and professional goals. This fosters a sense of partnership and mutual respect. Celebrate Achievements: Recognize and celebrate milestones and accomplishments together. Address Issues Early: Don't let issues fester into major problems. Address conflicts as they arise with a problem-solving mindset. Seek Solutions Together: Approach conflicts collaboratively, aiming for solutions that benefit both parties. Spend Time Together: Regularly invest Time in your relationships through activities and conversations that strengthen your bond. Make It Meaningful: Engage in activities that both enjoy and reinforce your connection. Express Thanks: Regularly show appreciation for the other person's person's qualities. Acknowledge Contributions: Recognize and acknowledge the optimistic impact others have on your life.

In this episode, we spotlight a restaurant that nurtures strong community ties and maintains unwavering trust. Join us as we explore how their exceptional stewardship has set a high relationship-building and community engagement standard. Tune in to discover the key practices that make this restaurant a standout example of trust and connection in the industry

In today's episode, I'm excited to discuss a recent experience with one of my soccer athletes from Hampton University. We hit a moment when our usual training had to shift gears, and instead, we focused on connecting through mental and verbal interaction. Coaches, this is an excellent opportunity to talk about how we can tune into our athletes' needs. Here's how you can encourage open communication and ensure a positive training environment: Watch Their Posture and Movement: Notice if their body language shows signs of fatigue or disengagement. Read Facial Expressions: Watch for any changes in their expressions that might indicate stress or discomfort. Listen to Breathing Patterns: Heavy or irregular breathing can signal that they're pushing their limits. Please pay Attention to What They're Saying: Listen closely to their verbal cues and feedback during sessions. Evaluate Performance and Recovery: Look at their consistency in performance and the length of time it takes them to recover. Sometimes, Talk It Out: There are moments when stepping away from the drills to have a meaningful conversation can make all the difference. Tune in to hear more about how these insights helped shape a more effective and supportive training session. Let's get into it!” Please consider purchasing my book. The Influence of A Coach - Biblical Principles from A-Z! https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Coach-Biblical-principles/dp/B0C2RF56DY

Welcome to the Influence to Perform podcast, where we engage in meaningful conversations and mentorship talks with top strength coaches, leaders, and professionals in their respective fields. Our guests have been carefully selected to inspire and empower you and those around you. While many strength coaches may be caught up in following social media trends, some remain dedicated to honing their skills and achieving true success. These individuals have gone on to create impactful platforms that motivate and educate those who find themselves overwhelmed in the fast-paced world of bigger, faster, and stronger. In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Lee Taft about the importance of adopting a revamped bottoms-up approach to training models when it comes to the development of young athletes. Lee shares insights on his certification, training methods, the role of AAU, mentorship, and strategic modeling. These valuable discussions aim to guide parents, athletes, and coaches toward a more effective and fulfilling path. We also delve into other invaluable gems that are highlighted throughout this episode. #basketball #aaubasketball #leadership #strengthandconditioning #mentor #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kelvin-king-jr/message

In this segment, it is a reminder of how a little appreciation goes a long way. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kelvin-king-jr/message

Thank you for listening to the Influence to Perform, formerly the Crucial Conversations Podcast. In this episode, I want to briefly cover why I think the Tidal Tank is a game changer for all athletes; especially for those in-season athletes (in this case female basketball, female track, young men lacrosse, and other sports as applicable). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kelvin-king-jr/message

As coaches we face many trials of life that can have an impact on how we live people; especially our athletes. Therefore, in this episode addressed are some small gems on love, how we can show it and ear fruit from the impact of positive love. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Tempo training focuses on building work capacity through various light and intensive runs based on the athlete's training age and the resistance, if any, used. If trained correctly, this would allow one to run at faster velocities with relatively short recovery periods (anaerobically), conditioning the body to adapt to working at rapid intervals and limiting recovery time. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In Episode 4 of the Crucial Conversation podcast, I was able to speak with Zach Even-Esh, whom I met at the Underground Strength and Conditioning Certification years ago. Zach Even-Esh is the founder of The Underground Strength Gym and creator of The Underground Strength Coach Certification. He served as the Strength and Conditioning coach for Lehigh and Rutgers University wrestling team and the author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning. Zach is well published and quoted around the world. Zach's resources are as follows https://zacheven-esh.com/ (Website), https://www.instagram.com/zevenesh/ (Instagram), and Zach Even-Esh (Youtube). In this episode, Zach and I talk about: How to Build More Leaders; How coaches can put the Focus on Their Athletes; Growing Up Tough; Building Athletes into Good People; Today's Youth; Fatherhood, and Life! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In Episode 3 of the Crucial Conversation podcast, Marcus and I discuss Leadership, Life, Mentorship and everyone can move forward to do better and make a difference! Marcus is the CEO/Owner of “Marcus of Ceremony” (his MC/Hosting Services Company), has a clothing line, Victory Everywear, or #VictoryOrNothing. He can also be seen and heard on, “The World Sucks But I Love It, Radio Show.” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In Episode 2 - Part 2 of the Crucial Conversation podcast. This is a continuation where Dan John I left off. Dan is well published and quoted around the world. Dan's books Easy Strength, Mass Made Simple, Never Let Go, and Can you Go (to name a few) are very insightful. Please check out Dan's YouTube page where he shares his thoughts on training and life. In this episode, Dan and I conclude with the below and it is awesome! *Family; *Faith; *Leadership; *Embracing clients post quarantine and; *Youth sports post quarantine. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In Episode 2 of the Crucial Conversation podcast, I was able to speak with Dan John, who was my first mentor in the Strength and Conditioning field. Dan also published my very first article. Dan is well published and quoted around the world. Dan's books Easy Strength, Mass Made Simple, Never Let Go, and Can you Go (to name a few) are very insightful. Please check out Dan's YouTube page where he shares his thoughts on training and life. In this episode, Dan and I discuss: Leadership, Family, Crossfit, The World, and How can we move forward as a society! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This podcast is a candid conversation between Justin and me regarding diversity in the fitness industry. A much-needed discussion based on the past and current recent events concerning African Americans, which has led to the ongoing protests around the world and what we can do as professionals to change things. Topics covered: 1. Addressing the Elephant in The Room. 2. Discussing race in the industry and its impact on African Americans. 3. Do other minorities have the same opportunities as the majority? 4. How can we move forward? 5. How do you relate to your athletes, their history, and work with them to have success in life? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app