1.question Podcast

We asked Breakthru Brands Founder, Laura Barnard, about common patterns women face during their leadership journey. The company has worked with over 200 clients, primarily women leaders, to elevate their unique contributions and voices. Based on the data and other studies, Barnard identified two gaps senior women leaders deal with as they progress in their careers: 1. Confidence gap: Senior women leaders are less likely to feel confident in their job performance within their careers.  2. Authority gap: Senior women leaders are less likely to feel heard and trusted in the workplace, they also experience interruptions and doubt in the workplace. This insight is interesting because one is internal, while the other seems to be external. Barnard goes in depth about these two gaps and much more during her visit to @1QLeadership.  @1QLeadership Question: Have you faced the confidence and authority gaps during your career?  - Tai M. Brown - One Question Leadership Podcast

On the question of creating a strategic plan, Toledo Executive Associate Athletics Director & COO, Nicole Alderson visits @1QLeadership to talk about her involvement in putting together the strategy for Toledo Athletics. Immediately upon being hired, Alderson was tasked with creating the strategy for success for the department. She gives insight on communicating with campus and tying all aspects of campus together to prepare a successful future. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of valuing the human element in the workplace, Michigan Associate AD for Communications & PR, Kurt Svoboda, stops by @1QLeadership  to share his insight on growing people, separating work and home identity, crisis communications, and leadership development. Svoboda also gives his thoughts on analyzing failure within the context of issues management. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of mid-major conference finances, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Deputy Commissioner, Jessica Grasso visits @1QLeadership to discuss revenue generation, building trust within the conference, and leadership. Grasso gives her insight on what makes the MAAC unique within the industry. She also talks about her philosophy of 'Leading Beyond the W.'  - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of the Hispanic experience within college athletics, Liz Reyes of Illinois and Ben Rodriguez of Rutgers visit @1QLeadership to share insight and talk about the establishment of the Latino Association for Collegiate Athletics Administrators & Student Athletes (@LA_CAASA). The organization exists to increase representation and opportunities for Hispanics in college athletics. Both Reyes and Rodriguez talk about their experiences and desires for what they have seen and want to see within the industry.

On the question of the role of legal counsel within an athletics department, Ane Debro, Associate General Counsel for Athletics at Ole Miss, visits @1QLeadership to discuss her position. Debro talks about the difference in tempo working in athletics versus working as the general counsel on campus. She gives her insight on how her responsibilities go beyond compliance, which include providing legal answers that help things move a bit faster within the department. The conversation wraps with Debro's thoughts on student-athletes and NIL.

On the question of leadership through a reflective lens, Texas A&M Director of Athletics, Ross Bjork, stops by @1QLeadership to talk about his experiences and understanding the breadth of college athletics. The conversation covers planning for different possible outcomes, letting his emotions impact his actions in the past, and advice to those looking to be in the chair. His five hot button areas for ascending professionals are embracing tradition, understanding the political environment, increasing competitiveness, finances, and adapting to the evolving nature of college athletics. - One question leadership podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of creating an environment where mental wellness is a priority, Temple University Sr. Associate Athletics Director, Dr. Stephany Coakley, visits @1QLeadership to discuss the setup for the athletics department. With a purpose of helping people master the mental and emotional aspects of performing consistently at a high level, Dr. Coakley has put education for coaches and staff as a priority within the department. The conversation also covers the difficulty athletes have transitioning away from sports, noting it can take a minimum of 12 months to fully accept the transition. Coakley also provides advice to people who are influential in a student-athlete's life to help them prepare to transition away from participating in sports. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of NCAA activism, Northern Illinois VP of Intercollegiate Athletics, Sean Frazier returns to @1QLeadership to ponder what the collective group of institutions that make up the governing body of college athletics is doing to counteract the trend of states banning DEI positions, banning books, and other actions that seem to violate the social agreement. Frazier mentions past activism actions in the Carolinas among other places as a standard that should continue. - One question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of managing athletic facilities on campus, Notre Dame Sr. Associate Athletics Director, Timothy Wise, visits @1QLeadership to cover a number of related items. Wise talks about the important areas that get overlooked with planning a facilities operating budget. He gives insight on how someone in his position is evaluated, and covers the pain points when managing up in terms of facilities. The conversation wraps with his involvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the college athletics industry. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of coaching football with her father, University of St. Thomas (MN) student Anna Caruso, joins Head Football Coach Glenn Caruso, to give her perspective of being on the sideline with family. Anna, a current Tommies Softball Student-Athlete, talks about categorizing the coach mindset while playing, and Coach Caruso gives his thoughts on the evolution of women coaching football.

On the question of feeling like a leader, Macalester College Director of Athletics, Donnie Brooks, visits @1QLeadership to talk about his evolution in the leadership chair. Brooks goes over his process of developing personal core values, and affirming them by also defining what they do and don't look like in action. He also discusses feeling uncomfortable in the traditional AD outfit of sport coat and Cole Haan's but acknowledges visiting other leaders and finding unique qualities to bring back to his department as the school ascends its conference.

On the question of the why women and people of color are given unfavorable leadership positions, Dr. Christy Glass, Professor of Sociology at Utah State, visits @1QLeadership to discuss the Glass Cliff. Glass unpacks her research finding that that women and people of color are more likely to be appointed to leadership positions when an organization is at risk to fail. She also offers suggestions on how to convince organization leaders about the importance of diversity. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of how purpose, core values, and culture fit in college athletics, Eric Hyman, former Athletics Director oat VMI, Miami (OH), TCU, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, stopped by @1QLeadership to give his experienced insight. With 47 years in college athletics, including 28 years as an AD, Hyman discusses definitions of the key terms inherent to successful leadership – value, values, core values, purpose, and culture. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of developing staff for a successful culture, Lamarr Pottinger, Associate Director of NCAA Leadership Development, visits @1QLeadership  to give his insight on prioritizing people. With regard to HR, Pottinger talks about the need for the athletics industry to further understand what it means to be a resource to humans. He also mentions the importance of knowing that everyone should be poured into even if they don't want to move up the proverbial career ladder. The conversation wraps on individual sports employing staff members specifically for people development. - Tai M. Brown - One Question Leadership Podcast

Addressing the topic of being transformational in an industry filled with transactions, Kent State Director of Athletics, Randale Richmond, visits @1QLeadership to give his thoughts. Richmond talks about the process of ensuring action behind the department's guiding principle of being student-centered, coach-led, and administrator-supported. He talks about how Alston Awards are earned, and relates the current state of athletics to the economic principle that every free market in a capitalistic system finds its balance. The conversation wraps with advice on existing in an environment where values don't align.

Andrew Gavin, AD at UW-Parkside, and Chris Barker, AD at Southern Connecticut State, stop by @1QLeadership to discuss their friendship in the business, leadership styles, and lessons learned. Gavin talks about keeping work away from home by having a colleague with common experiences to talk through issues with. Barker covers working for Gavin at Parkside prior to taking on his own leadership role. Both Gavin and Barker discuss the benefits of the NCAA's Leadership Development programming as they progressed to the AD chair. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

DaShena Stevens, Deputy AD at UIW, visits @1QLeadership to talk leadership. Stevens covers her thoughts on the difference between leaders and managers saying that leaders wear both hats. She covers her philosophy evolution, giving her top three priorities of leadership, leading by example, having an impact, and being transformational. She also addresses the changes in responsibilities since becoming the Deputy AD.

In a recently discovered conversation from Summer 2022, Heath Schroyer LinkedIn Profile Director of Athletics at McNeese State, visits @1QLeadership to talk about the adventure of leading an athletics department through the aftermath of two nasty hurricanes, in the middle of a pandemic, and all during his first year or so as he transitioned from head basketball coach to AD. He talks about assessing the community, prioritizing safety, creating a plan to play, and executing the plan to play all sport seasons. The conversation wraps on the diligence of student-athletes.

Sean Frazier, VP & Director of Athletics at NIU, visits @1QLeadership to discuss his idea for mitigating the potential educational impact of entering the transfer portal. Frazier proposes a solution that finances the remaining degree requirements for those who enter but don't sign on with a new school. He also gives his insight on why ADs went from silence to actively promoting NIL collectives on their respective campuses. Also joining the conversation is Lauren Bullock of Stretch.