Episodit

  • Serge Savard ranks as one of the top 100 hockey players of all time, and won an incredible 8 Stanley Cups as a player, the most by any defenseman, and two more as a general manager. But in this conversation he says winning the 1972 Summit Series for Team Canada over the Soviet Union tops them all, where he was the only player to win or tie every game without any losses. Here he discusses coach Scotty Bowman, how teams come together – or don’t – and what it takes for a team to reach its potential, lessons he learned as a great player and as an executive who won two Cups as a general manager. Tune in for a fast, funny, and fascinating conversation.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • In this episode Morton Schapiro explains how this grandson of Holocaust survivors, and son of a store owner, rose from an average community college student to the president of Williams College, then Northwestern University. One crucial figure: an inspiring professor who recognized his hidden promise. Here Schapiro talks about his love for learning and teaching, the importance of humility in leadership, his best and worst days leading two great schools, how big time athletics can work at top-notch universities, and the lessons he has learned along the way.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

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  • In this conversation, David Harlock, one of only two 3-year captains in the 100 year history of Michigan hockey, discusses what real leadership looks like, especially for a reserved personality like his; how college hockey compared to his experience winning a silver medal for the Canadian Olympic team, and playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. Then he compares his career in hockey to his current profession in high-end insurance brokering and risk management. What translates, and what doesn’t? What advantages do former athletes have in the workplace? Traits like mutual accountability, teamwork, hard work, attention to detail, and countering failure, inevitable in any field, with persistence. He concludes by reflecting on his favorite teacher and the valuable lessons he learned from him.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • John Wangler, a great Michigan quarterback in the 70s and 80s, became a successful businessman, and father of five children – three of whom played varsity sports at Michigan. Here he tells us what he learned playing for legendary coach Bo Schembechler, coming back from what they thought was a career-ending injury, and raising his kids to be resilient, handle failure, and be grateful.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • This week I pay homage to one of my best mentors, role models, and friends: K. Ross Childs, who passed away a year ago at 84. Ross played goalie at the University of Michigan, almost won the award for lowest goals-against as a junior – then moved to forward as a senior because that’s what the team needed. He became Grand Traverse County’s administrator, and was awarded Michigan Civil Servant of the Year, with a rare ability to work with both sides of the aisle.

    Along the way, he ran the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association for more than a decade -- where he also served as my first coach, leaving a lasting impression. When he stepped down, he received three or four standing ovations. He then started the Traverse City high school hockey program.

    He and wife Helen also raised three children: Mary, born paraplegic; Susan, who was hit by a car as a toddler, and not expected to survive, but did and now has a teenager of her own; and Scott, my best friend, killed in a car accident at 15.

    As my old U-M professor Ralph Williams said: “Happiness is not a state into which one falls; it is a choice of the will, and always against odds.”

    Ross’s greatest triumph, in my view, was the willpower to find happiness in life despite the incredible tragedies he had to endure. And I believe he knew he had to, if he was going to be of service to others. And you simply cannot find another man who served others so well.

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Join host John U Bacon on the Let Them Lead Podcast as he delves into the extraordinary journey of Pat Richter, a sports legend who excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, securing both athletic and academic All-American honors. Pat's remarkable path led him to an eight-season NFL career with the Washington Redskins, but his story didn't end there. Rising to the role of Vice-President at Oscar Mayer, he later returned to his alma mater, transforming the landscape of Badger athletics by recruiting icons like Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan, ushering in a golden era celebrated with a statue outside Camp Randall Stadium.

    The legacy continues as Pat's son, Barry, carved his own unique path, earning national recognition, the esteemed captain's "C," and All-America honors in the one sport his father didn't partake in - ice hockey. Barry's journey extended to representing the U.S. Olympic team and competing in the NHL, before venturing into a successful business career. Today, Barry serves as the President of Hausman Group in Madison.

    In this episode, they share compelling stories about the influential leaders, coaches, and mentors who shaped their values, including a glimpse into their relationship with the legendary Vince Lombardi. Through their experiences, we uncover the timeless elements of leadership that have remained constants over the past sixty years. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on sports, success, and enduring leadership principles.

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Matt Maasdam, a Navy SEAL for 20 years, the SEAL training program’s head instructor, and for 2.5 years, the carrier of the President’s ‘nuclear football,’ is so good in this interview that we broke it up into two episodes: Part I: Training the SEALs, and Part II: Carrying the Nuclear Football.

    In Part II, Navy SEAL leader Maasdam returns for a riveting bonus round. Here he tells us how he got selected to carry the infamous “Nuclear Football” for the president, what the job entails, and what he learned from his 2.5 years carrying the nuclear football within a few feet of the leader of the free world, and the many top advisors the president consults every day. Maadam has stories!

    He also discusses his role working with the legendary Navy SEAL Team 6 before its raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound to get the terrorist leader, and explains how a Navy pilot saved the operation by essentially crash landing his helicopter nose first, and protecting his passenger’s ability to complete their mission.

    So tune in for more great stories and leadership lessons.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Matt Maasdam, a Navy SEAL for 20 years, the SEAL training program’s head instructor, and for 2.5 years, the carrier of the President’s ‘nuclear football,’ is so good in this interview that we broke it up into two episodes: Part I: Training the SEALS, and Part II: Carrying the Nuclear Football.

    In Part I, Maasdam recounts his journey: after winning a Nebraska state championship in swimming, he became a University of Michigan water polo player, then trained 18 months to prepare for the Navy SEAL’s unbelievably demanding test, which he describes in amazing detail. After seeing combat in Afghanistan, including capturing high-ranking Al Qaeda leaders, he returned to lead SEAL training as the head instructor, including the famous ‘Hell Week.’

    Along the way he tells us several unforgettable stories, and explains how the tests were designed to reduce the pool to 30-percent of those who start, and on what basis: not merely physical prowess, but uncommon mental toughness, with an unshakeable commitment to the team, at all costs, and the highest ethical standards. One lie, for example, and you’re done.

    Join us for an incredible conversation, a peek into a world few ever see.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • In this week's Let Them Lead podcast, John Bacon and WTKA's Sam Webb discuss Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker, who has been accused by sexual assault prevention leader Brenda Tracy of engaging in unwanted phone sex, thoughTucker claims it was consensual. The story raises more questions than answers. Can MSU fire Tucker, even if his claim is true? Who knew what at MSU, and when? Who leaked Tracy's name to the media, and why? And most important, from a leadership point of view: could MSU have avoided this mess, and how should MSU handle it going forward? Join for a timely conversation.

    Our thanks to WTKA for having John on the show: https://www.wtka.com/

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Scott Miller learned worked under leadership legend Stephen Covey, author of the classic “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” But Scott has become a leader in his own right, writing 7 books, including his latest, “The Ultimate Guide to Mentorship,” while producing his popular podcast and columns. His insights are unconventional, funny, irreverent, and bold, including this: Not everyone should be a leader, and it’s a mistake to push them to do so.

    In this fun, fast moving 30 minute conversation, Scott discusses what he learned from Stephen Covey, “a man who not only knew his strengths, but his weaknesses. He also underscored the difference between being efficient and being effective,” and the gist of his books “Management Mess to Leadership Success” and “Everyone Deserves a Great Manager,” and his latest hit, “The Ultimate Guide to Mentorship.”

    “In great companies, it’s not a democracy,” he says. “The leader has to make the final decision. But she has to listen, too. This is 2023. People no longer want to work for the ‘smartest guy in the room.’ They want to be heard, they want to be part of something.

    “Stephen Covey often said, ‘When you’re working with people, fast is slow, and slow is fast.’ Take the time to hear them out. That’s how you get buy-in.”

    Scotts Books: https://www.scottjeffreymiller.com/books/

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Brad Park has been voted one of the 50 best hockey players of all time. The nine-time All-Star finished second of the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best defensemen, a record six times, thanks to his one mistake: being born the same year as Bobby Orr, considered the best defenseman of all time. Here he talks about Team Canada coach Harry Sinden, who led the country’s first “Dream Team” of NHL All-Stars against the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series.

    Team Canada was supposed to win every game, but after winning just one game in the first five, plus a tie, Team Canada had to win all three games in Moscow. “We weren’t in the kind of shape they were, they played a style of hockey we’d never seen before, and we didn’t take them seriously – at first!” Park recalls.

    But Team Canada discovered they had certain advantages, too: led by Sinden, they were smart enough to adjust, they knew how to handle a long series – unlike the Soviets -- and they created a team spirit where none had existed before during a two-game layover in Sweden, on the way to Moscow. They also had their country behind them. More Canadians watched the last three games in Moscow than the moon landing three years earlier. As Wayne Gretzky told me, “This was more important!

    Under unprecedented pressure, and with Bobby Orr out with a bad knee for the entire series, Brad Park played some of the best hockey of his life, and Team Canada actually did win all three games, each by a goal, including Paul Henderson’s famous game winner with 34 seconds left in the final game.

    “We learned humility and respect, and how to rely on each other,” Park recalls. “Hey, when it’s you against the world, you gotta come together! I’ll never forget it – and no one else will, either.”

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • This week we're sharing an interview I just did on Jeff Cohen's popular "Heart of Sports" radio show from Philadelphia's WWDB, 840AM. While it's focused on college football, the themes are all leadership, in real time: at the NCAA, where a vacuum of leadership is being filled by conference commissioners and others; at the University of Michigan, where the administration and head coach Jim Harbaugh are trying to figure out how to respond to potential NCAA sanctions, and more. As I say, the NCAA is great at misdemeanors and horrible at felonies, and they prove it here.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • If you have a TV you’ve probably seen former Federal Prosecutor Barb McQuade discussing the latest legal issue, almost daily. She’s also a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and the author of the forthcoming book, “Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.

    In this episode McQuade talks about her start in journalism, and what it taught her, her shift to the legal world, and her rise up the ranks to Federal Prosecutor. Along the way she has become an expert on criminal law, criminal procedure, national security, data privacy, and civil rights. From 2010 to 2017, McQuade served as the U.S attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, the first woman to serve in her position.

    Here she talks about what she’s learned from her best bosses, including the virtually lost arts of civility and collaboration, the importance of volunteering for opportunities others decline, and how she and her husband have raised four adult children – plus the impact her high school counselor had on her, and her career.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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  • This week we talk with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss, whose bestsellers include biographies of Bill Clinton, Vince Lombardi, Roberto Clemente, and the city of Detroit itself.

    Our discussion focuses on his Lombardi book, “When Pride Still Mattered,” one of the best biographies I’ve read on any subject, in any field of endeavor. In it, Maraniss dispels several myths about the legendary leader, including his reputation as a win-at-all-cost coach, and a tyrannical authoritarian. In fact, Lombardi believed it is better to lose honestly than win dishonestly, and that faith and family are more important than football. With his players he was undeniably a strict disciplinarian, but remarkably fair – especially appreciated by his African-American players – and surprisingly open to their ideas. And, in his personal life, he looked out for his relatives who were closeted homosexuals, showing that his love for them was greater than society’s approbation.

    Maraniss took hundreds of personal interviews with the people who knew him best and transformed them, and his insights, into a deeply considered, well-rounded portrait of a complicated man, but one whose fundamental values are as important today as ever.

    Get David's books wherever books are sold.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Launched in 1988, “Shark Week” is the world’s longest running cable TV programming event, broadcast in 72 countries. Its creator, Clark Bunting, served as President and General Manager of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, and joins us on the Let Them Lead podcast to tell us how it started, how leadership works in cable TV, and how it succeeded – and other ideas failed, often spectacularly.

    Here Clark, a proud Michigan State alumnus, brings his Midwest charm, humility, and humor to our conversation about cable TV in particular – including inside info even the most avid viewer wouldn’t know – and leadership in general, including: the importance of finding great mentors who “know more than you do,” showing respect for his colleagues and their audience; and always giving credit where credit is due.

    “As you rise the ranks,” he says, “the skills you need tend to be less technical and more personal.”

    Along the way we get great stories about everyone from Mike Rowe to Steve Irwin to Jane Gooddall.

    “No one trains you to be famous,” Bunting says, “so it’s interested to see how they handle it.”

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • This week we're addressing current events: two leadership failures, one very shocking, and the other not surprising at all -- alas. I taught at Northwestern University for six summers, and have great admiration for the university and its amazing football program under Pat Fitzgerald. I wrote about both at length in my book Fourth and Long, so I was stunned to learn he'd been fired for failing to stop a years-long hazing custom in his program -- and hazing might be euphemistic. Lawsuits are bound to follow.

    The second failure comes from the NFL, an entirely amoral organization, where Oakland coach Jon Gruden had been fired a few years ago when his racist emails were leaked to the press. Now he's suing the NFL because he believes commissioner Roger Gooddell tacitly approved former Washington owner Dan Snyder releasing the emails. Clearly, there are no heroes in this story, they all pretty much deserve each other, and the value system is almost comical.

    The other change of pace this week is delivering all this through my weekly appearance on WTKA.com, hosted by the great Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, which results in a fast, focused, and often funny exchange among us. Please leave us a review and let us know what you think.

    http://www.WTKA.com

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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  • This is The Mark Divine Show, where I explore what it means to be fearless through the lens of the most inspirational, compassionate, and resilient leaders in the world, including folks from all walks of life: Stoic philosophers, motivational scientists, peace crusaders, and amazing journalists and coaches like my guest today, John U. Bacon. John’s a renowned sports journalist, radio personality, and author of 13 books, including 7 national bestsellers. But most interesting to me, he led the nation’s worst high school hockey team to become one of the best in three years, which we’re going to talk about today, from his book, Let Them Lead: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership From America’s Worst High School Hockey Team. He shares insights on leadership and the power of making things hard.

    John U. Bacon (@John U Bacon)’s career as a leader and teacher spans three decades. He has won awards for being an inspiring writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor. Bacon has taught at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, and teaches at the University of Michigan. Although he is a mediocre hockey player, his excitement and knowledge of sports has made national history.

    “ You are very impatient with behaviors and very patient with results. If your attitude is good, and you’re doing all things I’m telling you to do and our processes are correct. If you follow those, you will get there and worry less about the results and more about the process. ”

    – John U. Bacon

    Key Takeaways:

    High Bar:Keeping a high bar allows people to rise to the challenge. People prove over and over again that when things are hard and challenging it inspires them to want to do better and become more comfortable with failure. When the bar is held high it teaches people they are more capable and can exceed their own expectations.Team Leadership:Strong and successful teams let go of the hierarchical models. The ones in “control” or “command” know when to defer to those in lower ranks when the mission calls for it. Strong leadership is understanding that everyone can lead and needs to lead within their strengths as it is called for.Effort is Important: Technique and skills can be taught. If you want to learn how to be more aggressive and successful in business and fall on the shy or introverted spectrum, let go of fear of failure. All good leaders understand that the quality of hard work and effort is more important than someone knowing how to do something correctly. Mentorship Over Money: Having strong mentorship, especially when you are young is more important than making money. The money will come eventually if you have the right attitude, develop your skills, and stay humble.

    Check out The Mark Devine Show and all of Mark's content at https://markdivine.com/

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

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  • Some people are lucky enough to have one interesting career. Pat Hughes had two: playing in the NHL for nine years, then serving 20 years in the Ann Arbor Police Department, retiring as a Detective Sergeant. He played for legendary coaches Scotty Bowman in Montreal and Glen Sather in Edmonton, and alongside all-time greats Guy Lafleur, Wayne Gretzky, and Mark Messier, winning three Stanley Cups, then earned a reputation as one of Ann Arbor’s most respected law enforcement officers. He talks here about the lessons he learned along the way.

    In this episode Pat tells us what he learned becoming one of the first college hockey players to get to the NHL – “There is no substitute for honest effort,” then playing for two hockey dynasties, the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers. While Montreal was an established, old-school organization, and Edmonton was run by young players whose coach gave them more freedom, the two clubs had a lot in common, as all winning teams do.

    “Great teams are inclusive,” Hughes says. “They bring you in right away, and make you feel like you belong.” He explains how both teams did that, and made every player feel important and valuable to the team’s mission.

    He also talks about both Hall of Fame coaches, Montreal’s Scotty Bowman, and his remarkable ability to influence his players, and Edmonton’s Glen Sather, who took a different approach in some ways, with a younger, looser bunch, but kept his finger on the pulse of his players, and still instilled the principles needed to win four Stanley Cups in five years.

    Hughes also talks about what he learned playing alongside such all-time greats as Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lafleur, and Ken Dryden in Montreal, and Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey in Edmonton, among others. A humble man, Hughes had to be prompted to discuss one of his highlights: five goals in one game against Calgary – the second highest total any NHL player has achieved, including Gretzky.

    The conversation then turns to Pat’s lifelong interest in law enforcement, and how he realized his second dream by becoming a Detective Sergeant in the Ann Arbor Police Department, and the lessons he learned in his 20-year career, including how to settle down a college party run amuck without sparking a riot, and how to transfer his ability to stay calm under pressure from his hockey career to the AAPD.

    We close with Pat describing his favorite teacher from high school, and his great advice about being either really smart or very organized. Pat jokes that he picked the latter!

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

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  • In this episode of the Let Them Lead podcast, host John U. Bacon sits down with Pete Heeringa and Chris Fragner, his former high school hockey captains at Ann Arbor Huron, the subject of Bacon’s book, Let Them Lead. They discuss the valuable life lessons they learned on and off the ice, proving that hockey is more than just a sport; it's a means of developing lifelong skills and relationships.

    The explain how the team’s basic values – work hard, support your teammates – help the team define itself, and allowed the players to focus on their behaviors, which they controlled, not their results, which they often didn’t.

    The two also share how they've made hockey a big part of their lives without playing professionally, by leveraging their passion to propel their careers in finance and engineering, respectively. They also discuss the lessons learned from former Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson, and their favorite teachers, Ms. Thompson and Professor Brophy.

    That these two started out as high school players of Bacon’s, and have since become close friends and mentors themselves – their sons are older than Bacon’s! – is a testament to the depth of relationships sports can create.

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

  • Doug Stanton wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling In Harm’s Way and Horse Soldiers. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer turned Horse Soldiers into 12 Strong, starring Chris Hemsworth. Stanton is interested in “dramatic situations when people are forced to make a right decision at the most difficult moment.”

    Here we discuss In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Store of its Survivors, and the lessons it teaches on leadership, responsibility, and accountability to each other, after the absolute worst happens.

    In July of 1945, after the Indianapolis delivered the atomic bomb to Tinian Island so the Enola Gay could drop it on Hiroshima, the Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese, sending 900 sailors into the shark-infested seas. Due to several catastrophic mistakes by Navy command, no one came to the rescue for days after, leaving 600 men to drown or be eaten by sharks. (This is the scene in JAWS that Quint describes while drinking with his crewmates.)

    To Captain McVay III’s great credit, he kept the men together and spirits up during four inhumanly hard days – a sterling example of leadership under tremendous pressure, by McVay and the men themselves -- until finally a U.S. plane discovered them by accident, saving 300 souls. Nonetheless, McVay became the first U.S. Navy captain to be court-martialed, despite testimony from his crew to the Japanese captain who torpedoed his ship. It was a grossly unfair outcome, but Captain McVay never blamed anyone else – though he surely could have. The survivors kept reuniting for years afterward, and through their efforts, McVay’s name was finally cleared in 2000 – 32 years after his death by suicide.

    Stanton tells the story masterfully, and the leadership lessons it has to teach.

    Connect with Doug and get his books:

    http://dougstanton.com/

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon

    About our Host:

    For info about the book or this podcast please visit our website:

    http://www.letthemleadbybacon.com

    http://www.johnubacon.com

    You can connect with John via these platforms:

    https://www.facebook.com/johnubacon

    https://twitter.com/Johnubacon