About the Episode
In this episode, Jeremy chats with performance expert Alan Stein Jr., who has worked with basketball players such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, and now works with executives at Fortune 500 companies such as Pepsi, Starbucks and American Express. Stein offers tips on handling burnout, self awareness, public speaking, managing your to-do list and more. They also have a lengthy conversation about how to be an effective leader in 2022, and Alan explains how everyone can lead regardless of their title.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace the Basics: Success lies in mastering the fundamentals. Consistent focus on foundational skills leads to long-term growth and fulfillment.
- Leadership Is a Choice: Effective leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about influencing and inspiring others to reach their potential.
- Combat Burnout with Alignment: Burnout often results from misalignment between your work and personal values. Address it by reconnecting with your purpose or refining your workload.
- Self-Awareness Is Foundational: Growth begins with recognizing your strengths and blind spots. Regular feedback from trusted peers is essential.
- Intentional Conversations Matter: Clear, direct communication builds trust, fosters innovation, and strengthens team dynamics.
- Focus Your Energy: Prioritize meaningful tasks daily and avoid overloading your to-do list to maintain balance and productivity.
Episode Summary
How to Know When It’s Time for a Career Pivot
Alan shares his journey from basketball performance coaching to corporate speaking, emphasizing the importance of recognizing when your passion no longer aligns with your work. Burnout, he explains, can be a signal that it’s time for a change. Higher ed professionals can learn from Alan's advice to reevaluate their alignment with their roles and explore new opportunities when the timing feels right.
Practical Strategies to Manage Burnout
Burnout is a common challenge in higher ed admissions and enrollment. Alan highlights two key approaches:
- Increase Rest and Recovery: Incorporate mental, physical, and emotional recovery into your routine.
- Reconnect to Your Purpose: Reflect on why you started your career and identify ways to reignite your passion.
The Power of Self-Awareness in Leadership
Self-awareness, Alan argues, is a critical leadership skill. He offers practical steps to develop it:
- Seek Honest Feedback: Trusted colleagues can help reveal blind spots.
- Align Perceptions: Ensure your self-view aligns with how others see you.
- Continuous Improvement: Like physical fitness, self-awareness requires consistent effort to maintain.
Leadership Beyond Titles
Alan debunks the misconception that leadership requires a formal title. True leadership comes from contributing value, setting an example, and inspiring others. For higher ed professionals, this means excelling in your current role while finding opportunities to lead through collaboration and innovation.
Actionable Advice for Managing a To-Do List
Many professionals feel overwhelmed by their daily tasks. Alan suggests prioritizing your top three responsibilities and focusing your energy on high-impact activities. He also recommends creating a “not-to-do” list to minimize distractions and maintain clarity.
This episode is brought to you by Gecko - a student engagement platform offering multiple modules to help institutions better engage with students and lighten the load for their staff.
Mission Admission is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Our podcast network is growing by the month and we’ve got a plethora of marketing, admissions, and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks all designed to empower you to be a better higher ed professional. Our shows feature a selection of the industry’s best as your hosts. Learn from Mickey Baines, Zach Busekrus, Jaime Hunt, Corynn Myers, Jaime Gleason and many more.
Learn more about The Enrollify Podcast Network at podcasts.enrollify.org. Our shows help higher ed marketers and admissions professionals find their next big idea — come and find yours!
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