Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” (Dr. Seuss)
No truer statement may ever have been uttered. It’s amazing how much you learn after you realize that you don’t have to please everyone.
If you want to please everyone then go sell ice cream.
Bob Gardner has been the executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations since May of 2010. He will be retiring from this position in August of 2018 after nearly 50 years of serving in secondary education. Gardner was only the fifth full-time executive director for the NFHS since 1940.
During his 18 years on the NFHS staff in Indianapolis, participation in high school sports has increased by almost 400,000, including the expanded opportunity for students with disabilities in high school sports. Gardner has led the organization’s focus on risk minimization in high school sports, with particular emphasis on concussion awareness, and has brought a heightened national presence to the work of the NFHS and its member state associations.
In addition to the continual expansion of the NFHS Learning Center during his tenure, Gardner is credited with starting the NFHS Network, the first-of-its-kind digital coverage of high school sports with more than 25,000 events covered during the 2016-17 school year.
He spent his career in Indiana as a teacher and coach at three schools for eight years and as an athletic director. In 1978, Gardner became principal of Milan Junior-Senior High School, followed by a stint as superintendent of the Milan Community Schools.
After serving on the Indiana High School Athletic Association board of directors during his time at Milan, Gardner joined the IHSAA staff in 1985 as assistant commissioner. He served 10 years in that role prior to becoming commissioner in 1995.
Gardner joined the NFHS staff in 2000 as chief operating officer and served in that position for 10 years prior to becoming executive director. During this time, he chaired the NFHS Rules Review Committee and was responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization. He has served on the board of directors for USA Football, USA Basketball and the Indiana Sports Corp. He is a member of the Indiana High School Wrestling Hall of Fame.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” (Gandhi)
Mark Fauser has been a television and movie actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He had parts in such shows as Jag, Evening Shade, Coach, SeaQuest, and Quantum Leap. He moved from Hollywood to Marion, Indiana in the early 2000’s and proceeded to help build up the Community School of the Arts as the Executive Director. He has continued to add value to the Marion community as the Director of Marketing for the City and currently serves as a Creative Development Consultant for Marion Community Schools. He has a love and passion for helping the community and has a desire to give back. His relationships with such stars as Jim Caviezel, Kelly Ripa, Billy Bob Thornton, and his mentor Burt Reynolds were key as he was able to get them to help the Community School of the Arts in various ways. In 2006 he won the Marion Grant County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award. In 2007 he won the Indiana University Public Service Award and the Grant County Community Achievement Award. He was presented with the 2011 Indiana Governor’s Arts Award for his work as a writer, actor and his leadership for the Community School of the Arts. He lives with his wife and three children in Marion, Indiana and works out of a home office that is decorated from wall-to-wall with action figures.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” (Carl Gustav Jung)
“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
Are you going through a mid-life crisis? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
Have you been passed over for a promotion? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
Is your girlfriend is a nag? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
Your parents don’t understand you? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
You say your husband doesn’t listen to you? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
Are the people around you are idiots? “IT IS WHAT IT IS”
Hearing “It is what it is” makes me want to punch someone. And then when they’d complain, I’d just say, “Sorry, but it is what it is”