Let Them Lead

Serge Savard ranks as one of the top 100 hockey players of all time, and won an incredible 8 Stanley Cups as a player, the most by any defenseman, and two more as a general manager. But in this conversation he says winning the 1972 Summit Series for Team Canada over the Soviet Union tops them all, where he was the only player to win or tie every game without any losses. Here he discusses coach Scotty Bowman, how teams come together – or don't – and what it takes for a team to reach its potential, lessons he learned as a great player and as an executive who won two Cups as a general manager. Tune in for a fast, funny, and fascinating conversation.  About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In this episode Morton Schapiro explains how this grandson of Holocaust survivors, and son of a store owner, rose from an average community college student to the president of Williams College, then Northwestern University. One crucial figure: an inspiring professor who recognized his hidden promise. Here Schapiro talks about his love for learning and teaching, the importance of humility in leadership, his best and worst days leading two great schools, how big time athletics can work at top-notch universities, and the lessons he has learned along the way.  About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In this conversation, David Harlock, one of only two 3-year captains in the 100 year history of Michigan hockey, discusses what real leadership looks like, especially for a reserved personality like his; how college hockey compared to his experience winning a silver medal for the Canadian Olympic team, and playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. Then he compares his career in hockey to his current profession in high-end insurance brokering and risk management. What translates, and what doesn't? What advantages do former athletes have in the workplace? Traits like mutual accountability, teamwork, hard work, attention to detail, and countering failure, inevitable in any field, with persistence. He concludes by reflecting on his favorite teacher and the valuable lessons he learned from him. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

John Wangler, a great Michigan quarterback in the 70s and 80s, became a successful businessman, and father of five children – three of whom played varsity sports at Michigan. Here he tells us what he learned playing for legendary coach Bo Schembechler, coming back from what they thought was a career-ending injury, and raising his kids to be resilient, handle failure, and be grateful.  About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

This week I pay homage to one of my best mentors, role models, and friends: K. Ross Childs, who passed away a year ago at 84. Ross played goalie at the University of Michigan, almost won the award for lowest goals-against as a junior – then moved to forward as a senior because that's what the team needed. He became Grand Traverse County's administrator, and was awarded Michigan Civil Servant of the Year, with a rare ability to work with both sides of the aisle.Along the way, he ran the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association for more than a decade -- where he also served as my first coach, leaving a lasting impression. When he stepped down, he received three or four standing ovations. He then started the Traverse City high school hockey program.He and wife Helen also raised three children: Mary, born paraplegic; Susan, who was hit by a car as a toddler, and not expected to survive, but did and now has a teenager of her own; and Scott, my best friend, killed in a car accident at 15.As my old U-M professor Ralph Williams said: “Happiness is not a state into which one falls; it is a choice of the will, and always against odds.”Ross's greatest triumph, in my view, was the willpower to find happiness in life despite the incredible tragedies he had to endure. And I believe he knew he had to, if he was going to be of service to others. And you simply cannot find another man who served others so well.For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Join host John U Bacon on the Let Them Lead Podcast as he delves into the extraordinary journey of Pat Richter, a sports legend who excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, securing both athletic and academic All-American honors. Pat's remarkable path led him to an eight-season NFL career with the Washington Redskins, but his story didn't end there. Rising to the role of Vice-President at Oscar Mayer, he later returned to his alma mater, transforming the landscape of Badger athletics by recruiting icons like Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan, ushering in a golden era celebrated with a statue outside Camp Randall Stadium.The legacy continues as Pat's son, Barry, carved his own unique path, earning national recognition, the esteemed captain's "C," and All-America honors in the one sport his father didn't partake in - ice hockey. Barry's journey extended to representing the U.S. Olympic team and competing in the NHL, before venturing into a successful business career. Today, Barry serves as the President of Hausman Group in Madison.In this episode, they share compelling stories about the influential leaders, coaches, and mentors who shaped their values, including a glimpse into their relationship with the legendary Vince Lombardi. Through their experiences, we uncover the timeless elements of leadership that have remained constants over the past sixty years. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on sports, success, and enduring leadership principles. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Matt Maasdam, a Navy SEAL for 20 years, the SEAL training program's head instructor, and for 2.5 years, the carrier of the President's ‘nuclear football,' is so good in this interview that we broke it up into two episodes: Part I: Training the SEALs, and Part II: Carrying the Nuclear Football.In Part II, Navy SEAL leader Maasdam returns for a riveting bonus round. Here he tells us how he got selected to carry the infamous “Nuclear Football” for the president, what the job entails, and what he learned from his 2.5 years carrying the nuclear football within a few feet of the leader of the free world, and the many top advisors the president consults every day. Maadam has stories!He also discusses his role working with the legendary Navy SEAL Team 6 before its raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound to get the terrorist leader, and explains how a Navy pilot saved the operation by essentially crash landing his helicopter nose first, and protecting his passenger's ability to complete their mission.So tune in for more great stories and leadership lessons. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Matt Maasdam, a Navy SEAL for 20 years, the SEAL training program's head instructor, and for 2.5 years, the carrier of the President's ‘nuclear football,' is so good in this interview that we broke it up into two episodes: Part I: Training the SEALS, and Part II: Carrying the Nuclear Football.In Part I, Maasdam recounts his journey: after winning a Nebraska state championship in swimming, he became a University of Michigan water polo player, then trained 18 months to prepare for the Navy SEAL's unbelievably demanding test, which he describes in amazing detail. After seeing combat in Afghanistan, including capturing high-ranking Al Qaeda leaders, he returned to lead SEAL training as the head instructor, including the famous ‘Hell Week.'Along the way he tells us several unforgettable stories, and explains how the tests were designed to reduce the pool to 30-percent of those who start, and on what basis: not merely physical prowess, but uncommon mental toughness, with an unshakeable commitment to the team, at all costs, and the highest ethical standards. One lie, for example, and you're done.Join us for an incredible conversation, a peek into a world few ever see. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In this week's Let Them Lead podcast, John Bacon and WTKA's Sam Webb discuss Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker, who has been accused by sexual assault prevention leader Brenda Tracy of engaging in unwanted phone sex, thoughTucker claims it was consensual. The story raises more questions than answers. Can MSU fire Tucker, even if his claim is true? Who knew what at MSU, and when? Who leaked Tracy's name to the media, and why? And most important, from a leadership point of view: could MSU have avoided this mess, and how should MSU handle it going forward? Join for a timely conversation. Our thanks to WTKA for having John on the show: https://www.wtka.com/About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Scott Miller learned worked under leadership legend Stephen Covey, author of the classic “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” But Scott has become a leader in his own right, writing 7 books, including his latest, “The Ultimate Guide to Mentorship,” while producing his popular podcast and columns. His insights are unconventional, funny, irreverent, and bold, including this: Not everyone should be a leader, and it's a mistake to push them to do so.In this fun, fast moving 30 minute conversation, Scott discusses what he learned from Stephen Covey, “a man who not only knew his strengths, but his weaknesses. He also underscored the difference between being efficient and being effective,” and the gist of his books “Management Mess to Leadership Success” and “Everyone Deserves a Great Manager,” and his latest hit, “The Ultimate Guide to Mentorship.”“In great companies, it's not a democracy,” he says. “The leader has to make the final decision. But she has to listen, too. This is 2023. People no longer want to work for the ‘smartest guy in the room.' They want to be heard, they want to be part of something.“Stephen Covey often said, ‘When you're working with people, fast is slow, and slow is fast.' Take the time to hear them out. That's how you get buy-in.”Scotts Books: https://www.scottjeffreymiller.com/books/About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Brad Park has been voted one of the 50 best hockey players of all time. The nine-time All-Star finished second of the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defensemen, a record six times, thanks to his one mistake: being born the same year as Bobby Orr, considered the best defenseman of all time. Here he talks about Team Canada coach Harry Sinden, who led the country's first “Dream Team” of NHL All-Stars against the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series.Team Canada was supposed to win every game, but after winning just one game in the first five, plus a tie, Team Canada had to win all three games in Moscow. “We weren't in the kind of shape they were, they played a style of hockey we'd never seen before, and we didn't take them seriously – at first!” Park recalls.But Team Canada discovered they had certain advantages, too: led by Sinden, they were smart enough to adjust, they knew how to handle a long series – unlike the Soviets -- and they created a team spirit where none had existed before during a two-game layover in Sweden, on the way to Moscow. They also had their country behind them. More Canadians watched the last three games in Moscow than the moon landing three years earlier. As Wayne Gretzky told me, “This was more important!Under unprecedented pressure, and with Bobby Orr out with a bad knee for the entire series, Brad Park played some of the best hockey of his life, and Team Canada actually did win all three games, each by a goal, including Paul Henderson's famous game winner with 34 seconds left in the final game.“We learned humility and respect, and how to rely on each other,” Park recalls. “Hey, when it's you against the world, you gotta come together! I'll never forget it – and no one else will, either.”About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon 

This week we're sharing an interview I just did on Jeff Cohen's popular "Heart of Sports" radio show from Philadelphia's WWDB, 840AM. While it's focused on college football, the themes are all leadership, in real time: at the NCAA, where a vacuum of leadership is being filled by conference commissioners and others; at the University of Michigan, where the administration and head coach Jim Harbaugh are trying to figure out how to respond to potential NCAA sanctions, and more. As I say, the NCAA is great at misdemeanors and horrible at felonies, and they prove it here. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

If you have a TV you've probably seen former Federal Prosecutor Barb McQuade discussing the latest legal issue, almost daily. She's also a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and the author of the forthcoming book, “Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.In this episode McQuade talks about her start in journalism, and what it taught her, her shift to the legal world, and her rise up the ranks to Federal Prosecutor. Along the way she has become an expert on criminal law, criminal procedure, national security, data privacy, and civil rights. From 2010 to 2017, McQuade served as the U.S attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, the first woman to serve in her position.Here she talks about what she's learned from her best bosses, including the virtually lost arts of civility and collaboration, the importance of volunteering for opportunities others decline, and how she and her husband have raised four adult children – plus the impact her high school counselor had on her, and her career. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

This week we talk with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss, whose bestsellers include biographies of Bill Clinton, Vince Lombardi, Roberto Clemente, and the city of Detroit itself.Our discussion focuses on his Lombardi book, “When Pride Still Mattered,” one of the best biographies I've read on any subject, in any field of endeavor. In it, Maraniss dispels several myths about the legendary leader, including his reputation as a win-at-all-cost coach, and a tyrannical authoritarian. In fact, Lombardi believed it is better to lose honestly than win dishonestly, and that faith and family are more important than football. With his players he was undeniably a strict disciplinarian, but remarkably fair – especially appreciated by his African-American players – and surprisingly open to their ideas. And, in his personal life, he looked out for his relatives who were closeted homosexuals, showing that his love for them was greater than society's approbation.  Maraniss took hundreds of personal interviews with the people who knew him best and transformed them, and his insights, into a deeply considered, well-rounded portrait of a complicated man, but one whose fundamental values are as important today as ever.Get David's books wherever books are sold.About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Launched in 1988, “Shark Week” is the world's longest running cable TV programming event, broadcast in 72 countries. Its creator, Clark Bunting, served as President and General Manager of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, and joins us on the Let Them Lead podcast to tell us how it started, how leadership works in cable TV, and how it succeeded – and other ideas failed, often spectacularly.Here Clark, a proud Michigan State alumnus, brings his Midwest charm, humility, and humor to our conversation about cable TV in particular – including inside info even the most avid viewer wouldn't know – and leadership in general, including: the importance of finding great mentors who “know more than you do,” showing respect for his colleagues and their audience; and always giving credit where credit is due.“As you rise the ranks,” he says, “the skills you need tend to be less technical and more personal.”Along the way we get great stories about everyone from Mike Rowe to Steve Irwin to Jane Gooddall.“No one trains you to be famous,” Bunting says, “so it's interested to see how they handle it.” About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon 

This week we're addressing current events: two leadership failures, one very shocking, and the other not surprising at all -- alas. I taught at Northwestern University for six summers, and have great admiration for the university and its amazing football program under Pat Fitzgerald. I wrote about both at length in my book Fourth and Long, so I was stunned to learn he'd been fired for failing to stop a years-long hazing custom in his program -- and hazing might be euphemistic. Lawsuits are bound to follow. The second failure comes from the NFL, an entirely amoral organization, where Oakland coach Jon Gruden had been fired a few years ago when his racist emails were leaked to the press. Now he's suing the NFL because he believes commissioner Roger Gooddell tacitly approved former Washington owner Dan Snyder releasing the emails. Clearly, there are no heroes in this story, they all pretty much deserve each other, and the value system is almost comical. The other change of pace this week is delivering all this through my weekly appearance on WTKA.com, hosted by the great Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, which results in a fast, focused, and often funny exchange among us. Please leave us a review and let us know what you think. http://www.WTKA.comAbout our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon 

This is The Mark Divine Show, where I explore what it means to be fearless through the lens of the most inspirational, compassionate, and resilient leaders in the world, including folks from all walks of life: Stoic philosophers, motivational scientists, peace crusaders, and amazing journalists and coaches like my guest today, John U. Bacon. John's a renowned sports journalist, radio personality, and author of 13 books, including 7 national bestsellers. But most interesting to me, he led the nation's worst high school hockey team to become one of the best in three years, which we're going to talk about today, from his book, Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership From America's Worst High School Hockey Team. He shares insights on leadership and the power of making things hard. John U. Bacon (@John U Bacon)'s career as a leader and teacher spans three decades. He has won awards for being an inspiring writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor. Bacon has taught at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, and teaches at the University of Michigan. Although he is a mediocre hockey player, his excitement and knowledge of sports has made national history.“ You are very impatient with behaviors and very patient with results. If your attitude is good, and you're doing all things I'm telling you to do and our processes are correct. If you follow those, you will get there and worry less about the results and more about the process. ” – John U. BaconKey Takeaways:High Bar:Keeping a high bar allows people to rise to the challenge. People prove over and over again that when things are hard and challenging it inspires them to want to do better and become more comfortable with failure. When the bar is held high it teaches people they are more capable and can exceed their own expectations.Team Leadership:Strong and successful teams let go of the hierarchical models. The ones in “control” or “command” know when to defer to those in lower ranks when the mission calls for it. Strong leadership is understanding that everyone can lead and needs to lead within their strengths as it is called for.Effort is Important: Technique and skills can be taught. If you want to learn how to be more aggressive and successful in business and fall on the shy or introverted spectrum, let go of fear of failure. All good leaders understand that the quality of hard work and effort is more important than someone knowing how to do something correctly. Mentorship Over Money: Having strong mentorship, especially when you are young is more important than making money. The money will come eventually if you have the right attitude, develop your skills, and stay humble.Check out The Mark Devine Show and all of Mark's content at https://markdivine.com/About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Some people are lucky enough to have one interesting career. Pat Hughes had two: playing in the NHL for nine years, then serving 20 years in the Ann Arbor Police Department, retiring as a Detective Sergeant. He played for legendary coaches Scotty Bowman in Montreal and Glen Sather in Edmonton, and alongside all-time greats Guy Lafleur, Wayne Gretzky, and Mark Messier, winning three Stanley Cups, then earned a reputation as one of Ann Arbor's most respected law enforcement officers. He talks here about the lessons he learned along the way.In this episode Pat tells us what he learned becoming one of the first college hockey players to get to the NHL – “There is no substitute for honest effort,” then playing for two hockey dynasties, the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers. While Montreal was an established, old-school organization, and Edmonton was run by young players whose coach gave them more freedom, the two clubs had a lot in common, as all winning teams do.“Great teams are inclusive,” Hughes says. “They bring you in right away, and make you feel like you belong.” He explains how both teams did that, and made every player feel important and valuable to the team's mission.He also talks about both Hall of Fame coaches, Montreal's Scotty Bowman, and his remarkable ability to influence his players, and Edmonton's Glen Sather, who took a different approach in some ways, with a younger, looser bunch, but kept his finger on the pulse of his players, and still instilled the principles needed to win four Stanley Cups in five years.Hughes also talks about what he learned playing alongside such all-time greats as Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lafleur, and Ken Dryden in Montreal, and Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey in Edmonton, among others. A humble man, Hughes had to be prompted to discuss one of his highlights: five goals in one game against Calgary – the second highest total any NHL player has achieved, including Gretzky.The conversation then turns to Pat's lifelong interest in law enforcement, and how he realized his second dream by becoming a Detective Sergeant in the Ann Arbor Police Department, and the lessons he learned in his 20-year career, including how to settle down a college party run amuck without sparking a riot, and how to transfer his ability to stay calm under pressure from his hockey career to the AAPD.We close with Pat describing his favorite teacher from high school, and his great advice about being either really smart or very organized. Pat jokes that he picked the latter!About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In this episode of the Let Them Lead podcast, host John U. Bacon sits down with Pete Heeringa and Chris Fragner, his former high school hockey captains at Ann Arbor Huron, the subject of Bacon's book, Let Them Lead. They discuss the valuable life lessons they learned on and off the ice, proving that hockey is more than just a sport; it's a means of developing lifelong skills and relationships.  The explain how the team's basic values – work hard, support your teammates – help the team define itself, and allowed the players to focus on their behaviors, which they controlled, not their results, which they often didn't. The two also share how they've made hockey a big part of their lives without playing professionally, by leveraging their passion to propel their careers in finance and engineering, respectively. They also discuss the lessons learned from former Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson, and their favorite teachers, Ms. Thompson and Professor Brophy.That these two started out as high school players of Bacon's, and have since become close friends and mentors themselves – their sons are older than Bacon's! – is a testament to the depth of relationships sports can create. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Doug Stanton wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling In Harm's Way and Horse Soldiers. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer turned Horse Soldiers into 12 Strong, starring Chris Hemsworth. Stanton is interested in “dramatic situations when people are forced to make a right decision at the most difficult moment.”Here we discuss In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Store of its Survivors, and the lessons it teaches on leadership, responsibility, and accountability to each other, after the absolute worst happens.In July of 1945, after the Indianapolis delivered the atomic bomb to Tinian Island so the Enola Gay could drop it on Hiroshima, the Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese, sending 900 sailors into the shark-infested seas. Due to several catastrophic mistakes by Navy command, no one came to the rescue for days after, leaving 600 men to drown or be eaten by sharks. (This is the scene in JAWS that Quint describes while drinking with his crewmates.)To Captain McVay III's great credit, he kept the men together and spirits up during four inhumanly hard days – a sterling example of leadership under tremendous pressure, by McVay and the men themselves -- until finally a U.S. plane discovered them by accident, saving 300 souls. Nonetheless, McVay became the first U.S. Navy captain to be court-martialed, despite testimony from his crew to the Japanese captain who torpedoed his ship. It was a grossly unfair outcome, but Captain McVay never blamed anyone else – though he surely could have. The survivors kept reuniting for years afterward, and through their efforts, McVay's name was finally cleared in 2000 – 32 years after his death by suicide.Stanton tells the story masterfully, and the leadership lessons it has to teach.Connect with Doug and get his books:http://dougstanton.com/ For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Most people know Jack Harbaugh as the father of John, the Super Bowl champion coach of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, and Jim, who has led the Michigan Wolverines to two straight Big Ten titles. But Jack took the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers from the verge of extinction to a national title himself, one of the great coaching feats of his era.In this episode Jack tells us what he learned-from paying his dues while climbing up the ranks of high school coaching – including one of his schools that had exactly two practice footballs;-from Hall of Fame coaches Doyt Perry at Bowling Green, and Bo Schembechler at Michigan;-from being fired from his first head coaching job at Western Michigan;-from his tenure taking over a near-defunct program at Western Kentucky, getting them into the playoffs as a 16th seed, then leading the Hilltoppers to a very unlikely national title.Along the way, Jack Harbaugh tells insightful and hilarious stories, many at his own expense, that you won't forget. About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

When they first met, Bacon was a 22-year old assistant hockey coach at Culver Academies, and Kevin Dean was the captain of one of the nation's best teams, and an AP history student. Dean went onto play 7 years in the NHL, and has since served as an assistant coach for five seasons with Boston and Chicago.Decades of pro hockey have taught Dean “high standards help you, not hurt you; the best players want you to coach them; and you have to be honest with your people, without being emotional.”In this episode Dean explains how he learned all this with great stories about Culver's Al Clark, and great NHL captains like New Jersey's Scott Stevens, Boston's Patrice Bergeron, and Chicago's Jonathan Toews.Be sure to join this fun, quick, and clever conversation.  About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

AJ Harbinger and Johnny Dzubak created the immensely popular Art of Charm podcast. When they met years ago they realized they could combine AJ's work in a University of Michigan cancer research lab and Johnny's observations tending bar out East to transform the mysteries of influence into hard science. Now they've developed a coaching program that helps clients handle every sticky social situation from getting a date to impressing your boss to working a room. A fascinating, fast-paced and fun episode.The keys to “Unlocking the Power of Relationships and Communication” include the value of vulnerability in breaking the ice, the importance of peer pressure, and how to change the signals we send out to elicit the responses we want.  They now work with organizations from universities to corporations to the military, one of their biggest clients. When you listen to this episode, you'll understand why. About our Guests:Website: https://theartofcharm.comPodcast: https://theartofcharm.com/podcast/Facebook Community: Facebook About our Host:For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Joe Battista led Penn State hockey to 6 ACHA national titles, then helped Penn State build an $88 million arena and join Big Ten hockey. A master of leadership and teamwork, his book Pragmatic Passion shows you how to “Dream big, keep it real, and make a plan.”  I met Joe Battista at Culver Academies (Indiana) in the fall of 1986, when we were both assistant hockey coaches for the legendary Al Clark. Over lunch one day I asked him what he wanted to do after Culver. He said, “Go back to Penn State, become the head hockey coach, win some national titles, go varsity, and build a new rink.”This dream was crazy, since the Penn State hockey position hadn't even opened up. Yet, on October 11, 2013 – 27 years after that conversation – I watched from the glass as Battista, who had won six ACHA national titles as Penn State's head hockey coach, walked onto the ice at Penn State's brand new Pegula Arena, and dropped the puck for the ceremonial first faceoff before Penn State's varsity team played its first game in the Big Ten. It was hard not to get choked up, because I was watching a friend achieve every crazy dream he'd told me about 27 years earlier.Battista has funneled the wisdom he's gained about leadership, teamwork, and simply getting hard things done into a book, “Pragmatic Passion: 7 Common Sense Principles for Achieving Personal and Professional Success,” and a robust speaking career.We talk about all of that and more in today's podcast. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

On LET THEM LEAD, we talk about leading others. But what about leading ourselves? In 2020, John Bacon ran 700 miles, lost 35 pounds, and designed his own marathon. The key: Just put your shoes on. On my 55th birthday in July, 2019, I tipped the scales at 205. Not healthy when you're 5-foot-8, and not smart when you have a three-year old son. So I started running, and only eating when I was actually hungry. 35 pounds and 700 miles later, I was prepared to run the Boston Marathon, when Covid-19 postponed it.What do you do? I decided to create my own marathon, designed to see everything I care about in my hometown – starting at my parents' home, running past my schools, parks, rinks, and friends' homes, and ending on the other side of town at our home, with my wife and 4-year old son Teddy waiting for me at the finish. What I didn't expect was 100 people to come out and cheer me on every mile along the way, and 30-40 to run or bike alongside (at a safe distance!). In 2000 we were very hungry for even a little bit of good news, inspiration, and connection – and maybe we still are.The story has appeared in the Washington Post, National Public Radio, the BBC's “Stories of Hope” (it runs from 27:30-34:30, with a cameo by my 4-year old son, Teddy, Detroit News, Michigan Radio, the Clarin newspaper chain, Argentina's main media outlet, and Folha, Brazil's biggest newspaper chain.Hope you enjoy it. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

A native of Cheboygan, MI, Mark Grisdale recalls his football coach, Irv Sigler, quietly and privately telling Grisdale he knew he was padding his work out sheet, and if he kept cutting corners the team would not be undefeated again the next year. The lessons stuck. Grisdale fell into education and soon discovered teaching, coaching, and leading were his passions. Ten years ago he started a new high school in Houston, and it's now one of the state's best.  For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Leading a city is a largely thankless job, where strangers get to insult you in public. So if you're not excited about actually governing, this isn't for you. Christopher Taylor is a successful lawyer, but has served as Ann Arbor's mayor since 2014 – for peanuts – and he loves it. “In a democracy, collaboration is the key. You simply have to get buy-in. So when we make a decision, a lot of smart people have given it a lot more thought than you'd think!” He even sings in this interview – and he's good! For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

When Franklin Roosevelt contracted polio at 38, his career seemed over. 12 years later he was elected president -- strengthened, not weakened, by his battle with polio to lead the nation through the Great Depression and World War II. Award-winning author James Tobin tells his story. https://www.jamestobinwrites.com/For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

If you've seen Jerry Maguire, you know David Meltzer's story – or part of it. The inspiration for the famous movie, Meltzer started with little, quickly rose to the top of the sports agent world – when his wife gave him a wake-up call. He later lost it all, bankrupt – then rebuilt his fortune on new principles. This is his story.Davids Website: https://dmeltzer.com/For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Fred Crawford played for the MSU basketball program in the mid ‘80s, but wisely decided to focus on school. He worked his way to the top of AlixPartners, a New York firm specializing in turnaround and restructuring, including arguably the best-known turnaround in corporate history: General Motors.“One thing you learn quickly: time is not your friend, and neither is perfection. You have to move fast, and if 80-percent of your plan is working, you're doing great.For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In Part III, the final episode of this interview, Mauti and Zordich tell the story of the rest of Penn State's 2012 season. After almost all the players decided to stay, the team suffered a heart-breaking 0-2 start, followed by a stirring run, including revenge against Illinois, capped by an overtime victory against future Big Ten champion Wisconsin. Then they describe what it all means today. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

In Part II of this podcast, Mauti and Zordich describe the 24 hours after NCAA sanctions hit, when dozens of teammates were considering leaving and others actually driving off. With Penn State in danger of imploding, these two met this moment of truth head on, working with rookie head coach Bill O'Brien to keep the team together, and the program alive.For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

After a strong Season One (thanks to our great guests and listeners!), we're ready to launch Season Two of Let Them Lead: a podcast about the risks and rewards of leading today. We'll have more great guests talking about their mentors, their hardest days, and their most satisfying triumphs leading in just about every endeavor imaginable, including sports, education, health care, business, law, politics – you name it. Some are famous and some are not, but all have done amazing work in their fields, and have lessons to teach us that we can apply to our work every day. Guests: Mike Mauti and Mike ZordichBefore Penn State's 2012 football season, Jerry Sandusky was arrested, Joe Paterno resigned and soon died, and the NCAA announced severe sanctions on the program. If you're a player on that team, what do you do? Seniors Mike Mauti and Mike Zordich decided to stay and fight, and convince their teammates to do so, too. In Part I of this three-part interview, they explain why. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Joe Parker grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan, where a 6th grade teacher recommended him for student council. He never forgot it. Parker went on to win multiple state titles in swimming, became an All-American at the University of Michigan, then embarked on his career in athletic administration, serving for Bill Martin at UM, plus Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech before becoming the AD at Colorado State. There he has built a new football stadium, and led the Rams to great success on and off the field. One key: higher leaders who see themselves first as educators. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

This week, with the Helber family's approval, we're presenting my eulogy of their husband, father, and grandfather, Paul Helber, who was very well known and respected by anyone who grew up playing hockey (and probably baseball and football, too) in Ann Arbor. Our relationship started, amazingly, after I was the last man cut from his 1978-79 travel team. He handled it so well it became the foundation of a lifelong friendship, one in which he served as mentor to me on many levels – as I know he did for hundreds of other young people, too. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms: https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Brenda Ryan grew up in Detroit in the late 1960s, and took a big chance to enroll at Michigan Tech, sight unseen. She started a promising career at General Motors before getting her masters and starting her own companies – three, now, all successful – while becoming the Chair of the MTU Board of Trustees. Some keys: when you become a leader, don't tell people what to do, ask them to teach you; when you suffer a bad break, take control of your situation; be inclusive of your people's opinions, then be decisive and own it. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Almost three decades ago, Amanda Macaluso, from Australia, decided to work at Hayo-Went-Ha for Girls just for a year, on a lark – but she never left. Thanks to a dramatic scene on a beach, she was transported her from possibly being fired to becoming Director on Lake Arbutus, near Traverse City, MI, a position she has held for XX() years. Her keys: “Make camp a safe place to be different, and try new things; no one fails camp; ask candidates what they do for fun, and hire interesting people who know how to go the extra mile; and don't ask them to do anything you wouldn't.” During Covid, Macaluso wasn't above cleaning the bathrooms.(Editors notes - Sorry for the mix up on the original upload. Please enjoy this excellent conversation)For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Almost three decades ago, Amanda Macaluso, from X() Australia, decided to work at Hayo-Went-Ha for Girls just for a year, on a lark – but she never left. Thanks to a dramatic scene on a beach, she was transported her from possibly being fired to becoming Director on Lake Arbutus, near Traverse City, MI, a position she has held for XX() years. Her keys: “Make camp a safe place to be different, and try new things; no one fails camp; ask candidates what they do for fun, and hire interesting people who know how to go the extra mile; and don't ask them to do anything you wouldn't.” During Covid, Macaluso wasn't above cleaning the bathrooms. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Brad Black grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where he met people from across the country passing through their train station. He rose up quickly through the ranks at Pitney-Bowes, then re-built the sales side of Stryker Corporation, and transformed the culture so dramatically, the employees voted to decertify their union. He then founded Humanex, which transfers his leadership principles to athletic and academic organizations, to great effect. A few keys: If you don't think you can do it, don't expect anyone else to; keep it simple: work hard, work smart, and care about people; promote from within when you can; talent, culture, and teams make the difference, and these ideas are transferrable to any field. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Today's podcast is the commencement address I gave for Michigan Tech this spring. In it, I discuss what I call "the myth of inevitability. We're often told our present world was created by enormous, unstoppable forces. Not true. It was often shaped by individuals, in crucial moments." And then I explain why these graduates are uniquely prepared to lead us -- and need to be! I tried to give a 15-20 minute talk that is inspiring, entertaining, occasionally funny, and reassuring, at a time we could use more of all of those things. You can decide if I succeeded.For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Al Gallup, a 96-year old veteran of World War II, still bikes every day. A former assistant principal at Ann Arbor Huron and Dean of Community High School, during the early 70s he actually let the Huron students engage in sanctioned drag racing, which effectively ended the all-too common racial fights. His keys: “Keep moving!”; “You can't motivate anyone you don't know,” which I have quoted in Let Them Lead; “Don't say ‘No, because,' but ‘Yes, if…'”; Let them set their goals, rules, and even punishments. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Richard Koubek grew up in Illinois and attended community college, but eventually rose to become Dean at Penn State, Provost at LSU, and Michigan Tech's tenth president in 2018, where he has led MTU to record enrollment, research grants, and donations. His take-aways: sometimes you have to sit on the bench and let your people take over; assume the best of people until they prove otherwise; hire for character, and sell the mission, not the salary; and when in doubt, trust your values. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Dave Deluca never went to camp as a kid, but got hooked on it when he became a camp counselor in college. Now he's spent four decades working in YMCA camps as a counselor, a camp director, and now a CEO of Hayo-Went-Ha Camps, overseeing two major YMCA camps in Michigan. Most of what works for a good YMCA camp works for Fortune 500 companies, too: When you become a leader, ask for help; when you hire, look for empathy and compassion before skills; and when you've got the right people, “you've got to let them paint the porch and carve the turkey.” You'll be amazed how many lessons from YMCA camps apply to your work today. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Brian Lawlor has been the president of local media for Scripps TV for ten years, which has grown from 10 stations to 61 nationwide since Lawlor took over. His take-aways include: To be a good journalist you need to be curious, and that takes courage; hire slowly and carefully, because mediocrities can kill your organization; a leader's job is to create a strategy that drives us and a culture that connects us; and you don't need to be the smartest person in the room, you need to find smarter people and let them lead. He's also got a great story about his favorite teacher, Brother Roy, who taught ninth grade biology, was the Dean of Discipline, and coached the high school swimming team. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

By his own admission, Ron Alvesteffer is no computer whiz, but after he took over ServiceExpress, which provides data center solutions, in 1998, he transformed it from a $3 million company to a $300 million company. What he's learned: Don't make the mistake of just hiring anyone; They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care; your job as a leader is to remove obstacles and provide resources; Don't try to protect your people from bad news. They can handle it, and will respond better. He's got some great stories, too!https://serviceexpress.com/ For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

A fun and lively 25-minute conversation with Fred Nahhat, Senior Vice President of Detroit PBS and a frequent host of PBS Books “Author Talk.” Here we discuss LET THEM LEAD: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America's Worst High School Hockey Team. It's one of the best conversations I've had on the book, because Fred was so well prepared and asked such good questions. Aside: Room Rater watched this episode and gave my office an 8/10, saying something like, “Not bad for an author.” Trust me, I know what they meant – and I won't ask for more! For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Steve Papadopoulos and his family moved constantly when he was a kid while his dad, a Greek immigrant, pursued his career in the oil business. He became a neurosurgeon – this really is brain surgery – developing an incredibly strong, quiet confidence in the process – just want you need to establish a 99-percent success rate. Papadopoulos then patented dozens of medical instruments, and became the Chief Medical Officer of the Barrow Neurologic Institute in Phoenix, which performs more brain surgeries than any facility in the country. As both a practitioner and a leader, Papadopoulos learned your job as a leader is to remove obstacles preventing your people from realizing their vision of success; indisputable integrity is non-negotiable; and you must demand 100-percent commitment. You cannot make it easier for them. It has to be earned. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

If you read LET THEM LEAD: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America's Worst High School Hockey Team, you know two of the stars of the book are my first captain, Mike Henry, and one of our best goalies, Steve Beltran. Today Henry is the General Manager of USA Hockey Arena and Director of Compuware Hockey in Plymouth, and Beltran is a stand-out eighth-grade social studies teacher at Arthurs Middle School in Trenton. Here they describe their experience on the team, and the lessons they've taken with them, including: Keep it simple; focus on behaviors, not results. Henry tells his people, “Work hard, support your teammates, and have fun when you're done.” Beltran tells his students “Respect yourself, and respect others.” Needless to say, I'm extremely proud of these two, and you can hear it in our conversation. For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Vic Strecher is a professor of public health at the University of Michigan, where he started Health Media in 1998, a pioneering, web-based, “digital health coach.” His life changed when his younger daughter, Julia, contracted chicken pox at one, and required two hear transplants. When she passed away at 19, Strecher did some serious soul-searching, and emerged with a new focus: Living on Purpose. He has explored the power of purposeful living in his books, and his new company, Kumanu. His take-aways include: 1-This is not practice. Your life is happening now. You could die today. A sense of urgency helps. 2-Become your own therapist, consider what you want and what you're missing. 3-What is your purpose? Who relies on you? What causes do you care about? Nietczche: if you know your ‘Why,' you can handle any ‘How.' strecher@umich.eduvic.strecher@kumanu.comhttp://www.kumanu.comhttps://www.vicstrecher.com/Free course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/finding-purpose-and-meaning-in-life For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these social platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

Rosalie Tocco-Bradley Is the Chief Clinical Officer of Trinity Health Michigan, which includes eight hospitals, ten outpatient surgical centers and nine emergency departments. For the past two years, she has also served as the COVID Response Incident Commander for all of Trinity Health Michigan – a job you'd wish on no one. Growing up she would watch through the fence while her brothers played baseball, and know that she should be out there, too. To overcome the stigma against women in a male-dominated field, she learned to define herself; When your bosses ask for volunteers, raise your hand”; no role is too big or small for you not to do your best; leadership is not a popularity contest; and have a full life outside of your work. You not only live a better life, it actually helps you do your work better, too.For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon

After 11 very eventful years as the Executive Director of the Boston Athletic Association, which conducts the Boston Marathon, Tom Grilk will step down after this year's race. Years ago he told his wife that the stress of being an attorney was going to cause him to start drinking or start running. He picked running, which led to sub-3:00 marathons and his current post. He led the Marathon, the world's greatest race, through extremes of hot and cold, and the bombing of 2013.  His take-aways include: You can't afford not to exercise; we need to be together, and we need to help others – for our own sake; if you're people are truly prepared, they're ready to make decisions under pressure on the spot, and adapt to changing conditions; and finally, from General Patton: Don't tell your people how to get there, just tell them where you need to go. They'll find more ingenious ways to do it than you ever imagined.  For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:http://www.letthemleadbybacon.comhttp://www.johnubacon.comYou can connect with John via these platforms:https://www.facebook.com/johnubaconhttps://twitter.com/Johnubacon