EP #18: Leadership Lessons from the Field - Eric Smith on Building Champions in Sports & Life

The Healthy Wealth Experience

In this powerful episode of The Healthy Wealth Experience, Chris Hall sits down with Eric Smith, founder of the Winning Edge QB Academy and author of "The Winning Edge Way." Eric shares his journey from Division I quarterback at Bowling Green State University to becoming a leadership coach who transforms athletes into leaders both on and off the field.

Eric reveals the Four C's of Leadership (Character, Connection, Competence, and Construction) and explains why being in a leadership position doesn't automatically make you a leader. Drawing from his experience coaching high school football and working with quarterbacks across the country, Eric discusses the critical difference between transactional and transformational coaching, and why 70% of youth athletes quit sports by age 13.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The intersection of preparedness and opportunity in athletic success
• Why leadership must be intentionally taught to athletes
• Tom Brady's masterclass in building team connections
• The difference between compliance-based and trust-based leadership
• How to "gas up" your teammates and build emotional fuel tanks
• The impact of coaching styles on player development
• Why effort should be celebrated more than results
• The importance of doing inner work as a coach
• Building a winning culture vs. putting slogans on walls

Resources Mentioned:

Eric's Book: "The Winning Edge Way"
Website: 3dcompetitor.com
App: Winning Edge Academy (free on App Store)
"21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell
"Inside Out Coaching" by Joe Ehrmann
Jerome Bettis Hall of Fame Speech

Connect with Eric Smith:
Website: 3dcompetitor.com
Courses: Leadership, resilience, and competitive excellence for athletes
Connect with Chris Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishall530
Email: healthywealthexperience.com

00:00 Introduction & Eric's Background
06:44 Eric's Recruiting Story
12:33 Preparedness Meets Opportunity
17:01 The Four C's of Leadership Overview
25:18 Building Authentic Connections (FORD Technique)
33:22 Tom Brady's Leadership Example
37:34 Jerome Bettis's Four Keys to Greatness
45:17 Why 70% of Kids Quit Youth Sports
55:08 Transformational vs. Transactional Coaching
01:00:34 Learning Through Failure
01:06:28 Systems Over X's and O's

Whether you're an athlete, coach, parent, or business leader, this episode delivers actionable strategies for developing leadership skills that transfer from the playing field to the boardroom and beyond.

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