Every athlete and coach will tell you consistency is key. It’s consistently showing up, putting in the work, performing and communicating.

Consistency pays off when building relationships too. Keep showing up in small talk and use these sports conversation starters to get started.

Self care is a popular term, but what if you take it a step further and practice "sacred selfishness?" Leaders need to place high value on taking care of themselves so they can lead others. 

And according to Jonni Ressler, CEO of Eleven 11 Solutions, it's one of the best habits you can develop as a leader.

I originally posted this blog three years ago when it felt like “hot takes” were all the rage on TV. No one wanted to listen, and everyone wanted to yell.

Things haven’t changed all that much, but they should because listening is a leadership skill, as is controlling your emotions, showing empathy and knowing how to disagree like an adult.

I understand there’s a lot going on in the world. The stress and uncertainty can be overwhelming. Emotions are running high.

Great leaders don’t allow their emotions to make an already emotional situation more difficult.

Conflict happens in conversations. Disagreements happen and differing opinions exist. So does a better way of handling those situations.

I talk for a living. I actually talk sports for a living. But more importantly I talk to human beings for a living. After nearly two decades in sports, I’m well-practiced at asking questions, assessing the environment and engaging in conversations. I...

Halfway through the NFL season I feel (mostly) comfortable with how I’m maintaining and building relationships without stepping foot in a locker room, on a sideline or being able to have in-person conversations.

All the time I’ve spent over the years getting to know the Seahawks players and coaches pays off now when I have to rely on different forms of communication.

Here’s the thing – you can’t maintain a relationship if you never started building one.

Every conversation counts towards building relationships, and every single relationship I’ve built inside the Seahawks locker room started with small talk.

Small talk matters. Make the conversation count. Use these sports #ConvoStarters to get the ball rolling.

When you’re emotionally connected you take action. It’s true in relationships, politics and social issues. It also shows up at work in the form of employee engagement. Doing good work might always be a driving force, but the motivation to continue doing good work comes from the connection you have with your colleagues, managers and leaders.

That’s where vulnerability comes in. When you drop your guard, people understand who you are, not just the plan you’re following or the work you’re doing.

It’s one thing to say you’re willing to be vulnerable and it’s another to get comfortable sitting in those moments where you’re really not sure how people will react. 

There’s a way to practice this and get better at showing vulnerability -  ask a question you don’t know the answer to. Like, really don’t know the answer to. The uncertainty in the seconds between that type of question and the answer is...

I can’t believe it’s November. I also can’t believe my brother hasn’t sent his yearly wish-list email yet. His birthday is next week, and for the last several years he has sent a combined birthday/Christmas wish list to the entire family. At first I thought it was ridiculous, then I found it helpful, now I look forward to seeing it.

I realize you don’t care about my brother’s birthday. Here’s what you should care about - having a strategy that allows you to show up consistently to the point people expect to hear from you.

Once a year isn’t enough to build a business relationship. You need an opportunity to converse or interact monthly and weekly. These weekly conversation starters help with that.

I’m here if you need me.

You know you can reach out anytime.

Let me know how I can help.

We’ve all said things like this with the very best intentions and we’ve heard our friends, colleagues and business contacts say the same thing back to us.

And yet, when we actually could use a little help we’re hesitant to reach out partly because it’s a vulnerable ask especially if the help we need is pulling ourselves out of a funk or getting past strong emotions during a pandemic.

How do you even start the conversation when you’re already overwhelmed, sad or frustrated. You’d like to know you’re not alone without feeling rejected if you don’t get a response. You certainly don’t want to impose on someone and add to their stress levels.

Here are ways to initiate a conversation when you need help, support or just a quick pick-me-up.

5 Ways to Ask for Help When You Don’t Know How 

Revisit a previous experience/conversation. ...

The date caught me off guard.

It shouldn’t have, I look at the calendar every day but yesterday I realized this is the final week of October. Then I realized how much I had planned to get done but am still hustling to finish before the end of the month. Things I thought would be so easy to accomplish now feel like a grind. How often has this happened to you?

How often does this show in up in your conversations? That Zoom catch-up you meant to schedule, the long overdue call home to check in in on family, the follow ups you intended with clients.

Busyness and overwhelm can trump best intentions. Build those conversations and storylines into your regular interactions by using sports small talk.

You don’t need lengthy conversations to stay in touch, you do, however, need touch points.  A quick email or text that says, “Wow! What did you think of how that game ended?” or “That was a big win for your team yesterday.” Is a way to stay in touch,...

How do you find your voice?

It’s a topic I’ve shied away from in the past because I didn’t have a good answer and quite honestly wasn’t even sure if I’d found mine. Unless the question was directed at finding my voice as a broadcaster. I know how that came about.

I remember how unsure I felt early in my on-air career at hearing the sound of my own voice. It’s a weird feeling, even if it’s the job you’ve prepared for and the role you’ve always wanted. Hearing yourself on TV or radio sounds different that you might and it’s unnerving. 

I felt pressure to say the exact right thing and to sound like a broadcaster in the process. As a result, I didn’t sound like myself, I wasn’t connecting with the audience and I was too preoccupied to enjoy the moment and just have fun.

It took time, years as a matter of fact, to find my voice as a broadcaster both in what I said and how I said it. It took being on TV every day...

All of those Zoom meetings you have are they spur of the moment or are they scheduled?

My guess is they’re planned. There aren’t many spur of the moment interactions these days and that works to your favor in being able to prepare for small talk.

You’re not randomly going to bump into a colleague in the hall, elevator or coffee shop but you’ll see them on your regularly scheduled meetings. Knowing that makes it easier to prepare and brush up on small talk topics this week.