There You Are

In a stream of conscious kind of way, below are some of my reflections immediately after I shared the Game On Nation message recently at the Good Stuff Summit, in Sugar Creek, Ohio. Hope you enjoy...

When you strip away the noise, the titles, the judgement, the fear of getting it wrong, and the obsession with performance, what’s left?

Real and imperfect PEOPLE...

Embracing the power of PLAY...

Creating opportunities for authentic CONNECTION!

At the Good Stuff Summit in Sugar Creek, OH - hosted by my buddy Kevin Bille - I didn’t show up to get applause from the room. I showed up to be present, to present the Game On message, and to do my best to authentically engage with the room. In my experience, growth doesn’t happen when us presenters solely focus on performing. True growth occurs when we get out of our own way, humble ourselves, and focus on connection.

Why Hide-and-Seek Is Still the Greatest Leadership Model You’ve Never Considered

When I asked the room how many had played hide-and-seek as kids, every hand shot up across ages, regions, and cultures. Why? Because hide-and-seek is universal. It’s simple. It teaches something that’s missing from most boardrooms, classrooms, and locker rooms today. The goal is to find the other person, be found, and not leave anyone stranded. If we do not seek, the game drastically changes from hide-and-seek to someone is lost, and no one wants to be or feel lost.

In business, life, and leadership, if you don’t actively seek the people around you, the game falls apart. No one thrives alone. It’s not a transaction. It’s a covering. A protection. A covenant to see each other beyond resumes, metrics, or what’s posted on LinkedIn.

Connection starts with the most profound and simple question you can ask:

“Do you want to play?”

Not, “What’s your ROI?”

Not, “What’s your quarterly performance?”

Not, “What are your stats?”

Simply, “Do you want to play?”

And when the answer is “Yeah,” just like Aaron from Walnut Creek did when I invited him to join me up on stage, that’s where the real impact, the movement, and growth begins.

Three Rules to Change Your Culture (and Maybe the World)

We live in a world that often weaponizes humor and rewards sarcasm. But real trust? Real connection? It’s built on something simpler and stronger:

1. Laugh With, Not At - Humor should lift people, not cut them down. When you focus on using humor in a positive and powerful way, you’ll lose a few cheap laughs, but you’ll gain a mountain of trust.

2. Have Each Other’s Back - Cover each other with intention, care, and love. It doesn’t mean you have to force the connection and/or literally embrace everyone you meet. It means you create the time, give some space, and focus on honoring others and protecting their dignity.

3. Celebrate Small Wins - Whether someone speaks on stage for the first time or pauses because they’re scared, if you guide them and take care of them and get them to shine, those are the victories that build legacies.

Embracing Mystery: Leadership Lessons From a 7-Year-Old Bootmaker

Aaron, the young man - and my new buddy - who had no idea he’d be on stage that day, taught us the power of embracing mystery. Together, from an audience member’s suggestion, we pretended to be experts in “boot making,” weaving a whole, improv-based story around books, right-foot leadership, and the joy of invention.

The lesson in this authentic interaction, the unplanned yet intentional scene, this pure moment of improvisation?

You don’t have to know the outcome to step forward. Resilient leaders don’t wait until they have certainty. They move with confidence, creativity, and clarity. They laugh in the unknown. They protect the mystery - and their teammates - rather than fearing what’s next.

Dimmer Switch: A Game-Changer for Emotional Intelligence, Tone, and Connection

One of the simplest but most powerful concepts we shared was “Dimmer Switch”. Forget yelling at your team to “calm down!” It doesn’t work. (Trust me, I’ve lived that mistake.) Instead, imagine yourself at a “5”, present, consistent, and alert. Then shift intentionally:

3: Calm, Observe, Listen.

5: Engaged, Present, Steady.

8: Excited, Passionate, Enthusiastic.

It’s not about being wild, noisy, or loud. It’s about being intentional, grounded, and sound.

Our staff, teammates, students, audiences, etc. don’t need more noise. They need more resonance, clarity, and tangible, actionable techniques they can implement and use on the daily.

Coins: Why Your Value Has Nothing to Do With Your Title

At the end of our time together, I asked everyone to think about their “Coins” - the people, places, foods, pets, and hobbies, that make their heart light up. Things that have nothing to do with your title, salary, or job description.

Why? Because...

When the world shakes you, your Coins keep you grounded.

When the world praises you, your Coins keep you humble.

When the world forgets you, your Coins remind you that you matter.

Your identity is not your output. Your story is not your survey score. You are more than what you do. You are all that you value and what brings you value.

Ready or Not, Here We Come

What if we all walked into our meetings, our teams, our families, not with judgment, but with the spirit of hide-and-seek?

“Ready or not, here I come.”

Not to shame. Not to dominate. But to find, lift, celebrate, and cover each other. That’s how we build resilience. That’s how we build connection. That’s how we, together, can change the world.

There you are. Tag, We’re It!