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This can be a particular episode of The CEO Collection for me as a result of we took a visit to Notre Dame Stadium the place I performed soccer as a walk-on alongside my brother through the undefeated season of 2012. We went to my previous stomping grounds to sit down down with head coach Marcus Freeman to speak about management and the way, in some ways, he’s the CEO of their unimaginable program.
Beneath are some highlights of that dialog, which have been edited for size and readability. Watch the total video above.
The coach as CEO
“A CEO is in control of a giant firm, and my firm occurs to be Notre Dame soccer. On the finish of the day, you are liable for each resolution that impacts the individuals in this system and the outcomes which are on the sector. So you do not make each resolution, however you are liable for each resolution. That is essential to be sure you perceive. All through my teaching profession, the best satisfaction got here from seeing the gamers you had been concerned with have success.”
The celebration video that went viral after he was employed as head coach
“It was a blur. However I bear in mind strolling out of that door and seeing the staff going loopy — all I wished to do was hug them. It wasn’t a few speech. It was an opportunity to rejoice and be together with your guys, proper? I inform them on a regular basis: I am a teammate. I is likely to be the captain, however I am a teammate. I perceive the belongings you’re going by. I am on this battle with you. And I believe they respect that and so they perceive that. Strolling out that door is a second I will always remember and one I will cherish ceaselessly.”
The that means of his mantra “Select Exhausting”
“It began a few years in the past once I was within the Notre Dame weight room and was understanding as our gamers had been being pushed onerous. And I bear in mind pondering you could select to undergo the motions or you’ll be able to select to go as onerous as you’ll be able to. And that is once I got here up with this considered ‘Select Exhausting.’ We put up an indication you see if you stroll into this constructing that claims ‘Select Exhausting.’ As a result of if you stroll into Notre Dame soccer, you have to have that mindset. We’ll select onerous immediately in observe, select onerous immediately in conferences, select onerous immediately within the weight room. And for the gamers, you are going to be challenged within the classroom, proper? You are going to be at school with among the most clever individuals on this world. And it is troublesome, however finally you’ve got chosen to come back right here so select onerous, settle for it, and know that the rewards from selecting onerous each single day cannot be discovered anyplace else.”
Downside-solving philosophy
“When a staff is not successful, lots of people say, belief the method. My mantra is: repair the method. I spend lots of time evaluating every part we had been doing. Why aren’t we taking part in higher? What are we doing schematically? Is there one thing our gamers do not perceive? Losses occur and it is part of life. However they harm. As a pacesetter, you do not wish to have too many. Repair it with urgency.”
Retaining gamers within the age of the switch portal
“Look, in the event you’re the CEO of an organization, you bought to pay your staff, proper? Now if they will go some other place and make much more cash, it doesn’t matter what sort of firm you are operating, they are going to most likely go away. So we now have to guarantee that our gamers can maximize the alternatives of title, picture and likeness. That is essential, however what else retains them at Notre Dame? What else attracts them right here? And you have to imagine it is your tradition. You have to imagine it is the way in which they’re handled. Do they take pleasure in being a part of your program? That is so essential. And that is a message for myself and our different coaches. Let’s guarantee that as onerous as we push them, as demanding as we’re, we’re not demeaning. We would like them to take pleasure in being part of this staff and all the alternatives that the College of Notre Dame gives.”
Try extra profiles of progressive and impactful leaders by visiting The CEO Collection archives.