Mike Miedler might not be leading a team of realtors at Century 21 the way he does today if it weren’t for a bandana he insisted on wearing during high school football practice. Miedler thought it looked cool, but his coach had other priorities—he wanted his team to be tough and disciplined.
“I had a coach who told us to tuck in our shirts and made sure all the small things were taken care of,” Miedler shared on the podcast. “When we got out onto that field, we were actually executing at a very high level. He was a strict coach.”
That same coach told Miedler to take off the bandana, warning that he would be benched if he kept wearing it during practices. But, like many young people testing limits, Miedler didn’t listen.
“I remember showing up on the bus for a JV game on a Thursday afternoon with my bandana on. My coach had some really choice words, and I, for whatever reason, didn’t listen to him and just kept the bandana on,” Miedler recalled. “I was removed from that game and wasn’t allowed to play in the varsity game that Saturday.”
That experience stuck with Miedler. He realized that his coach’s rules about small details were there for a reason. If you want to win big, you have to manage the small things. It’s a lesson Miedler has carried into his leadership at Century 21, one of the nation’s largest real estate firms.
In this episode, Miedler shares additional insights about his journey to becoming CEO, including:
Despite the decades that have passed since high school, Miedler still reflects on the lesson he learned from his coach over that bandana.
“I think the lesson for me as a young individual is you can test leadership,” Miedler explained. “Yes, you can question things. But, at the end of the day, the leader is doing things for a reason. The team is big, and everyone needs to fall in line and follow those rules. Because if you’re not following the rules, it causes dissension among the team. It’s a lesson I remember even to this day.”
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
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“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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