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Rafe Wilkinson

Former Denver Bronco says: Once a decision is made, agreement is optional, commitment is not.

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Rafe Wilkinson knows a lot about football and coaching. He played linebacker for a Super Bowl Denver Broncos team and considered coaching until his entrepreneurial drive kicked into gear and led him to buy ODS Security Solutions. Over 15 years, he led the company through explosive growth, increasing his workforce from a team of 30 to more than 1,000.

In 2016, he became a co-founding partner of CEO Coaching International with twelve-time triathlete Mark Moses. Whether he is coaching a client or a member of his team, Rafe believes in using difficult conversations to forge the best possible solutions, with the proviso that once a decision is made, agreement may be optional—commitment to it is not.
“When the huddle breaks, you may not be the one carrying the ball to glory and a touchdown,” Rafe noted, “but you have to execute your part to the fullest of your ability. The same is true in business.”

In this episode, Rafe shows how he applies lessons he learned during his playing days in his role as a corporate “eye in the sky” to entrepreneurs and C-level executives who want to achieve a culture of growth.


You will learn:

  •  3:00   What it was like to go to Super Bowl his rookie year.
  • 13:00  How to overcome the “I don’t belong here” feeling.
  • 14:00  How to focus on what you can control.
  • 21:00  Importance of preparation and reflection.
  • 24:00  How to ask better questions while networking.
  • 33:00  How to take a group of individuals and make them a team.
  • 35:00  How to give real time actionable feedback.


You will learn:

  •  6:00   How easy it is to cut corners in practice and why you’ll suffer as a result.
  •  8:00   How to emphasize the power or “we” on your team.
  • 11:00  How living and working in Japan in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster taught Lane that caring was the universal language of respected leaders.
  • 15:00  The level of employee interaction required to achieve success.
  • 18:30  The difference between being accountable and responsible.
  • 27:00  How to identify a meaningful friend or mentor.

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Meet Don Yaeger

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13-Time New York Times Best-Selling Author & Leadership Coach

As a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and 12-time New York Times Best-Selling author, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. From walking into Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen to living with football legend Walter Payton, Don has spent three decades embedded with the world’s greatest "Greats." Now a sought-after executive coach and host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, he translates the lessons of sports and business legends into actionable strategies for building a culture of greatness.
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Simon Sinek

Best-Selling Author, Inspirational Speaker

"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.”

Beth Brooke

Global Vice Chair of Public Policy for Ernst & Young

“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.”

Rick Hendrick

NASCAR Hall of Famer, Owner of Hendrick Motorsports & Chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group

We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”

Bill George

Longtime Medtronic CEO, Harvard Professor

“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.”

Greg Brenneman

Home Depot Board Director

“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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