The Resilience of Champions!™: Secret Habits of Highly Resilient Individuals and Organizations

By Dr. Tommy A. Watson Ed. D. ACC

Dr. Tommy A. Watson went from being homeless and living out of a trunk to being a star athlete, bestselling author, and popular speaker. In this guide to being a lifelong champion, he shares the six habits that he has experienced and researched that help individuals and organizations to be resilient and successful. Whether its Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, McDonalds, or Mary Kay Cosmetics, there are certain skills that must be mastered to survive and thrive.

Watson takes a particularly close look at the impressive leadership development training program at McDonalds, which has developed leaders worldwide. He witnessed the strength of the program firsthand, joining its ranks after being fired from a job due to a lack of leadership skills. He later went on to win the prestigious McDonalds leadership award.

Now he shares what he has learned throughout his career to help you develop the skills you need to serve as a broker of hope, find a sense of purpose, and embrace change. The Resilience of Champions! empowers you and your organization with practical habits to overcome obstacles, boost performance, and gain more satisfaction out of your work.
Watson had guts. He had wits. He had determination. He had within himself the characteristics necessary to succeed. Hes an example.
The Denver Post
The Resilience of Champions! is a superb book! Its stories and practical application will be a rewarding experience for leaders and individuals who want to have the courage and tools to get through challenge and change.
Ken Brown
Multi-millionaire McDonalds Franchisee & Bestselling Author

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491733530

Dr. Tommy A. Watson Ed. D. ACC

Dr. Tommy A. Watson, Ed.D., ACC, is an ICF-certified executive and professional coach, bestselling author, and popular speaker. He holds a bachelor’s degree in housing and community development, a master’s degree in educational administration, an advanced graduate degree in K-12 administration, and a doctorate of education in leadership with an emphasis in organizational change. He is the founder of T.A. Watson Speaking/Coaching/Consulting LLC and also the author of A Face of Courage: The Tommy Watson Story. He currently lives in North Carolina.

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Copyright © 2014 Dr. Tommy A. Watson, Ed. D., ACC.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-3354-7 (sc)

ISBN: 9781-4917-3353-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014908101

iUniverse rev. date: 5/30/2014

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The Resilience of Champions!™ Kickoff Quiz

Background of Resilience

Habit 1 :Broker of Hope

My Story and Broker of Hope

Resilient Champions and Brokers of Hope

Research on Hope

Habit 2 :Think Can

My Story and Think Can

Resilient Champions and Think Can

Research on Self-Efficacy

Habit 3 :Endeavor Intentionally

My Story and Endeavoring Intentionally

Resilient Champions and Endeavoring Intentionally

Research on Sense of Purpose & Intentionality

Habit 4 :Clinch the Coaster

My Story and Clinching the Coaster

Resilient Champions and Clinching the Coaster

Research on Embracing Change

Habit 5 :Shine the Spot Right

My Story and Shining the Spot Right

Resilient Champions and Shining the Spot Right

Research on Solution-Based Focus

Habit 6 :Confident Curator

My Story and Confident Curator

Resilient Champions and Being a Confident Curator

Research on Self-Awareness (Emotional Intelligence) & Burnout

Conclusion

The Resilience of Champions!™ Post-Game Quiz

References

About the Author

Foreword

by Tyrone Carter

Two-Time Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburg Steelers

T here is no better person to write a book on resilience than Tommy Watson. I met Tommy Watson in 1996 at the University of Minnesota, and we played football together on the same team. We have similar backgrounds; we’ve stayed in touch in since college. We have remained close over the y ears.

I learned about Tommy’s incredible story of overcoming obstacles during his childhood when were teammates in college. Tommy did a great job in finding his sense of direction to get him through many difficult times. It’s powerful to see that he found something to be happy about and move in that direction. He’s the type of man that’s shown resilience and strives to make a difference. He didn’t let his circumstances hold him back.

During my childhood, I had to overcome some difficult obstacles as well. When I was young, it was hard seeing the adults around me using drugs. I didn’t know what it was, but knew I shouldn’t have been exposed to it. My life changed when I had my son at an early age. I committed that, no matter what happened, I would give him the things I didn’t have. He’s motivated me to make sure I’m always there for him and to show him the way. Within family, there are pros and cons. They can either lift you up or bring you down. Family can teach you, teach you to be that person or not be that person. Family can teach you to be a better person or man.

I played in the NFL for 11 years, winning two Super Bowl rings, and faced some difficult challenges. However, having hope helped me get beyond those moments. I was married for about a month -- right before winning the Super Bowl -- when my wife became paralyzed. I had a tough decision to make: perhaps I should give up football and be there for her full time. She’s a strong individual and she knew where my heart was and knew football was my sanctuary so she encouraged me to stay with football. The Pittsburgh Steelers believed that family came first and stood firm with me, so I took a break. I knew I had a job with them, but it was a hard task. It was tough to see that happen to my wife at a young age. But things got better, and we have remained hopeful through it all.

Change, as an NFL player, is something that I had to constantly deal with. We were always traveling. Always being away from family, always moving and not being still. Also staying sharp, staying ahead of the game and being a student of the game was an important part of adjusting to the NFL changes. Being a professional, I had to master my craft because every year the players got bigger and faster, elevating their game. Change never stopped.

I had a chance to play for one of the greatest coaches in NFL and hall of famer, Dick Lebeau (Defensive Coordinator), and future Hall of Fame teammates, Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamlu. That was an amazing experience. The team had to come together and stay focused on winning a Super Bowl. Pittsburgh is a blue collar town that has a strong ethic in working hard. The Steelers are a close organization and it starts from the top down where they believe family comes first. The owner was there daily, having dinner with us. It made us want to go out there and work hard. We worked hard for them because we knew they had our back.

My teammates and I faced a major obstacle during our Super Bowl winning season when Ben Roethlisberger got injured. Big Ben got hurt in a motorcycle accident; we didn’t know how severe the injuries were. That was the hardest part, not knowing. He was out for a while and it was like losing a family member. It affected the team, but we had to buckle up. Later, when Ben came to the facility and we saw that everything was okay, the team was able to release and strive.

That same year, one of the things that made the Pittsburgh Steelers different from every other NFL team in our pursuit of a Super Bowl, the players became a student of the game. Not just knowing their own assignment, but everybody’s position. We did a lot of studying and watching film.

The Rooney family (owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers) have a strong reputation for their generosity. The ownership and leadership showed that in their appreciation and gratitude toward me and the other players on the team. They were there every day. They gave a lot of rewards or little gifts, or cash and would say, Here, get a little something for your kids or wife. It meant something to us.

My closing thoughts about being resilient and overcoming obstacles: To overcome obstacles, you have to be resilient and proud of yourself. There will always be bumps along the way. To continue moving forward, you have to have resilience and faith in yourself and a dedication to what you want to accomplish and push forward. Do not let any distractions bring you down. Struggles will always happen; they’re always there. Know that better days are ahead and push forward.

The Resilience of Champions!™ is a must read for everyone!

Introduction

B efore we dive into the heart of the book, let’s take a quick look at what makes a resilient individual and leader. In his New York Times Bestseller,