Today I heard
Don Yaeger speak at the
Accellerent Breakfast in Overland Park, Kansas. Don is
New York Times Best-selling Author. Long-time
Sports Illustrated Writer. Cancer Survivor. Entrepreneur. Captivating Storyteller. Speaker of Champions.
Don is an AMAZING speaker. He is one of my favorite motivational speakers - he is a phenomenal storyteller. This morning he spoke about how he was the 6th man who scored during a one-on-one match with Michael Jordan! He spoke about the life of Warrick Dunn - who is probably the most deserved, talented and heart-felt athlete out there!
His story is incredible and Don Yaeger was able to write the book on his life
.
He also was able to spend MANY days and years with his close, good friend, the late Coach John Wooden
. Who - quoted by Don today - gave great advice: "Show me your friends & I'll show you your future!"
More on
Don Yaeger: As the author of 17 books, four of which became instant
New York Times best-sellers,
Don Yaeger has developed a reputation as one of America's most provocative journalists. His award-winning writing career, including 10 years as Associate Editor of
Sports Illustrated, has led to guest appearances on every major talk show in America - from
Oprah to
Nightline; from
CNN to
Good Morning America.
Few can lay claim to as exciting and colorful career as Don. In his 20-plus years as a journalist, he has conducted interviews with some of the greatest athletes of our time - Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Emmitt Smith, Serena Williams, Jimmy Connors and countless others. He has lived with Walter Payton, writing the NFL legend's autobiography as Payton courageously battled cancer, and even interviewed the President of the United States in the Oval Office.
Using lessons learned from a lifetime in sports, Don shares the formula that he has seen in the great winners he's worked with - and explains how that formula can work for others.
John Wooden, Legendary UCLA Coach and winner of 10 National Championships says, "My time with Don Yaeger is always both a treat and intellectually stimulating!"
Don customizes each speech or breakout session (see below) to meet the needs of his audience, but the topics he is most asked to discuss include:
What Makes the Great Ones Great(Ideal for corporate or association groups focused on leadership and development)
As a New York Times best-selling author and Sports Illustrated Associate Editor, Don has had the opportunity to spend time with some of the greatest winners in the world of sports. Using these rich, personal accounts gathered from more than 20 years of interviews with legends like Walter Payton, Jimmy Connors, Dot Richardson, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Pat Riley, and Dale Brown, Don has distilled
Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness.
Don shares these lessons with audiences in an easy, engaging style, which helps participants realize that they, too, can achieve a higher level of personal success. In his most popular speech, Don illustrates how the great ones achieved their own greatness by detailing common characteristics in
1. How they think
2. How they prepare
3. How they work and
4. How they live.
Turning Adversity into Advantage(Ideal for survivorship groups)
Don, a cancer survivor, relates stories and lessons taken from those who have encountered great challenges and become better, not despite them, but because of them. In this speech, he reminds his audience that adversity is one of the most potent forces in life - it can build you up or tear you down. Your reaction to adversity - big or small - shapes your character, clarifies your priorities and defines your path. And, as described in this speech, it can fuel your greatness.
He has discussed this subject with athletes and entertainers like Tim McGraw, who watched his father lose a battle with brain cancer. McGraw's experience preceded the release of Don's monster hit, "Live Like You Were Dying."
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Little League
(Ideal for sporting organizations and schools)
Sportsmanship. Leadership. Teamwork. Honesty. Humility. Through emotional, personal stories, Don shows how these and other life lessons are learned in little league.
Don tells how legendary Alabama Coach Bear Bryant used football to break down racial stereotypes and how Bryant's decision impacted many in the South. He also details how the US government uses sports to help rebuild the fabric of fledgling democracies. From his experiences in Iraq, Don reveals that one of the first moves made after the capture of Saddam Hussein was the successful restoration Iraq's sports community, providing Iraqi youth with opportunities to compete in soccer, basketball and track. Why? Sports give communities, families and friends something positive to rally around.
What Will Your Legacy Be, And What Are You Doing to Ensure It?
(Ideal for religious audiences)
In today's live-for-the-moment world, few of us have given thought to the legacy we will leave behind. While working with two exceptional athletes - Walter Payton and Tug McGraw - as they were battling for their lives, Don spent hours discussing the subject of legacy with them. Both men provided lessons that changed Don's life - lessons too important not to share.
Breakout Sessions:
Institutional Reputation Management
Don has covered some of America's most challenging stories over the last two decades. This session will cover everything from tips on how to create a well of good will with today's media to developing a communications plan to guide you through any potential crisis.
Building Your Personal Brand
Everyone recognizes the value of a brand. In fact, BusinessWeek magazine once said that Coca-Cola's brand alone is worth $67 BILLION. But you don't have to be a Fortune 500 company to be a brand. Today, in the Age of the Individual, every one of us is a brand. And, just as executives at Coca-Cola must do, it is your responsibility to increase your brand value daily.
The first step is understanding and defining your brand - skills for which Don Yaeger has developed a national reputation. His company, 180 Communications, has been asked to work with some of the most famous athletes in the world of sports - including the #1 draft pick each of the last 3 years in the NFL drafts and 2008's #1 draft pick in the NBA - to define and nurture their brand.
Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business you're in, anyone can benefit from this training. Don will teach you how to define and then build your brand in order to maximize your professional potential.
The Discipline of Writing
As a journalist and author, Don has spent years searching for the tricks to the trade of writing. In this session, he'll share those tricks with you.
When the Media Comes Calling
In today's age of instantaneous communication, companies and individuals alike need to be more knowledgeable than ever when it comes to media relations. If a member of the press contacts you, will you be ready for that call? How will you react when a question comes your way that you weren't expecting? And what if you actually want to tell your story? Is there a trick to getting a reporter to see your story as worth telling? Don Yaeger has developed a national reputation for answering these questions. His expertise has been sought out by countless high-profile athletes, business leaders and elected officials.
As a New York Times bestselling author and former associate editor of Sports Illustrated, Don has been on both sides of the microphone. He has conducted interviews around the globe and has been interviewed on countless national television and radio shows about his work. His 20-plus years of experience give him the qualifications to teach you how to win the battle between a professional interrogator and an amateur respondent.
Building Tomorrow's Leaders
Don discusses the early building blocks of success in this session aimed at younger audiences.
Crisis Management
As the author of the best-selling book on the Duke lacrosse scandal - a spectacular example of poor crisis management - Don has studied ways to prepare for and manage potential crises. This seminar is a shortened version of a one-semester course that he taught at a major university.
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