But Visser tackled the project with everything she had and, after it was published, got a journalist’s ultimate praise. “I got a note from my editor telling me I ‘wrote the heck out of the badminton piece!’” said Visser. “After all these years, it remains a highlight of my professional career.”
Eventually, this kind of approach to her work won her glamorous jobs as well. Among her list of firsts, which included being the first woman inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, she became the first sportscaster – male or female – to have worked on the network broadcast of The Final Four, The Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, The Triple Crown, the U.S. Open and the Olympics.
Visser says she owes her extraordinary career success to following one simple maxim, picked up from the great baseball slugger “Joltin” Joe DiMaggio, who once noted that his approach to the game was to treat every at bat as a quality at bat. That’s a good rule of thumb for a batter or a business leader, and it’s one Visser applied throughout her career.
The accomplished podcast host of In Conversation with Lesley Visser, Visser was named as one of GQ’s “five ideal dinner guests,” an honor which reflects her expert listening skills as well as storytelling prowess and remarkable experiences.
In the podcast, the range of Visser’s storytelling talents are in evidence as she offers new perspectives on the leadership qualities she saw demonstrated by a host of friends from sports, entertainment, and broadcasting.
You will learn:
"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.”
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!”
“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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