Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Sean McDonald of MOR Associates. He may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
Lee Corso was a member of ESPN’s College Game Day program, a weekly college football show. After 38 years, he retired, participating in his last show this past Saturday. Since many of MOR’s clients are in higher education and fourteen of the pre-season Top Twenty teams are current or recent clients, I am taking the liberty to reflect on Lee for this week’s Tuesday Reading.
As I occasionally tuned into the show over the years and the tributes this past Saturday, there are numerous leadership and life lessons to pull from. I want to share five of these lessons I hope can guide us all on our journeys ahead:
- Be true to who you are
- Respect and care for others
- Be clear on what success looks like
- Recognize the power of a practice
- Have some fun along the way
1. Be true to who you are
As Lee shared his gratitude for this opportunity to serve others over these many years, he pointed to one core value that guided him: being himself, not giving in to conformity. Others, in thanking him, made note of this reality and how that truth inspired them to be their authentic selves. This, in a profession, like many, has pre-conceived notions about what is expected. Stepping across comfort lines can feel risky, but can make all the difference.
2. Respect and care for others
As our careers progress, regardless of role or title, we become a more deeply ingrained part of the culture. Not only are we being watched by others, but they are also coming to us for counsel, coaching, and guidance. This responsibility is not written in our job descriptions, but sets the tone for a working environment for good or bad. As I listened to Lee’s colleagues thank him, it was clear that in opportunities to lead from where he was, he chose to be there for others, to be respectful of all, to listen first, and to be deeply loyal and supportive of team members. A legacy we can all strive for.
3. Be clear on what success looks like
He was a former college football coach, with most of that time at Indiana University. For this new role, he was hired as a sports broadcaster to report on college football. However, it was not lost on him that, in the end, his job was about entertainment. His knowledge about college football and the players taking the field was important to the job. But he knew that in his business, success was measured by the number of people watching. This is a useful reflection for all of us, especially when the winds of change accelerate. We are hired for a role, we bring expertise, we navigate each day and our seemingly endless to-do list. As we do this, we need to keep front and center what the ultimate success measures are for our organization and institutions.
4. Recognize the power of a practice
One of the things Lee was most known for was his unique way of picking who he thought would win the big game that week. It was October 5, 1996, in Columbus, Ohio, where he first decided to put on the head of the mascot of the team he was choosing. That week, it was the head of the Ohio State University’s mascot, Brutus the Buckeye. It was just a simple idea, unexpected, and perhaps a bit bold, but it was aligned with a desired result, and it stuck. With persistence and consistency, he built a solid practice that fans everywhere anticipated with great suspense each week. This past Saturday, in his 431st and final pick, he was once again in Columbus, Ohio, and, fittingly enough, once again chose to put on the mascot head of Brutus the Buckeye (who did win by the way, sorry Longhorn fans).
That story reminded me of this Tuesday Reading practice, and Jim Bruce’s simple idea over twenty years ago, to keep leadership lessons front and center for alumni of the MOR programs. Over 1,000 Tuesday Readings later, Jim Bruce gave us all a wonderful practice to benefit from. Thank you, Jim!
What results are you pursuing? And how can you leverage the power of practice in small ways starting today to move in that direction?
5. Have some fun along the way
Lee was often smiling, always filled with memorable light-hearted one-liners. He was having fun, and it was contagious. There was a job to do, but his presence and approach were great reminders to pause and appreciate the moment and the people around you. We take our roles seriously, we do them well, and for many years. Where we can, let’s be grounded in the things that bring us joy, appreciation for the opportunity to work with others, and to make time for an occasional smile.
Author’s note: I appreciated that ESPN also chose to honor Chad Hanna on this past Saturday’s episode. Chad was behind the scenes as a lead on the production team. He passed away from cancer this summer, and after 31 years, was the second-longest serving team member of this program. He was said to be the “lifeblood” of the production truck.
Which of Lee’s lessons resonates most with you?
Last week, we took a cold shower as an example of doing something difficult. We asked which you would most want to do:
- 37% said network at a social mixer.
- 26% said make a difficult decision.
- 25% said have a needed, difficult conversation.
- 12% said take a cold shower.
Our ability to become more comfortable doing things we find difficult is a sign of our individual growth. Our collective levels of comfort are strongest in networking and forming new relationships, followed by making difficult decisions and having difficult conversations. It is reassuring in our leadership community that roughly seven out of eight of us would rather take one of these leadership actions than take a cold shower.