“My college coach once said that as a manager, you always want to build a bridge,” said Triplett, who played football at South Carolina State. “That means as you are moving along in an organization, you are walking across that bridge. You want to make sure that the people who are working with you and for you are crossing that bridge with you. You want to have a full bridge because, if it’s empty and you’re standing on the other side all by yourself, it’s only been about you. It hasn’t been about the team.”
The leader’s responsibility, notes Triplett, is to mentor and sponsor others so that they are prepared to advance along with you. Triplett’s dedication to those concepts has earned him four national recognitions from Savoy Magazine as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America and a seat on the National Corporate Council for the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.
Triplett likens great business leaders to great coaches. For example, when evaluating the most successful NFL coaches of all time, Triplett is less impressed by those who won a bunch of Super Bowls than he is by those who developed many other coaches who went on to win even more Super Bowls.
In other words, Triplett is a mentor’s mentor, and in the podcast, he offers lessons and tips that anyone with aspirations to improve their own leadership skills can benefit from. These include:
“The difference between high school and college football was watching film versus studying film,” Triplett observed. Triplett takes that difference with him today. “When you watch film in college, you actually study it, and you become a master of understanding your opponent, your competitor. It’s an important part of the process of continuous improvement that you have to take to heart in business.”
"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.”
Sign up to receive Don Yaeger’s weekly leadership contributions, and be the first to listen to new Corporate Competitor Podcast episodes.