Seeing Leadership as a Gift, with Mike Matheny
As a player, Mike spent 13 years in the major leagues building his reputation as Mr. Consistency on the field. Though he retired 18 years ago in 2007, he still holds the all-time major league record with 1,565 consecutive errorless chances in the field. After his playing days, Mike went on to become the manager the St. Louis Cardinals. There, he became the first skipper in MLB history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons which included leading the Cardinals into the 2013 World Series.
But beyond his statistics and successes, both as a player and as a manager, what stands out about Mike is his thoughtful commitment to leading well. In this episode, you’ll hear about how playing the position of catcher on the baseball diamond is analogous to the unique perspective leaders have in front of them every day. You’ll learn how a life-threatening event Mike experienced in 2024 has brought him to new levels of urgency and intentionality in how he is investing his life. And you’ll get a chance to understand just how influential the word “gift” is in Mike’s leadership.
Show Notes
In this episode you’ll learn:
The power of viewing leadership opportunities as gifts and maintaining gratitude
Matheny's experience with transformational coaching and its impact
Matheny's current focus on executive coaching and helping leaders see their roles as opportunities for impact and urgency
Additional Resources
Host: Tim Spiker The Only Leaders Worth* Following video series on Right Now Media The Only Leaders Worth* Following book The Only Leaders Worth Following book Discussion Guide Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
Learn more about The Aperio The Matheny Manifesto – Mike Matheny with Jerry B. Jenkins The Dad Coach – Mike Matheny with Jerry B. Jenkins Radical Candor – Kim Scott Good to Great – Jim Collins InsideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives – Joe Ehrmann
Things to listen for:
[00:00] Introduction and Gratitude [00:38] Meet Mike Matheny: From Player to Coach [02:04] Mike's Upbringing and Early Leadership Lessons [04:43] The Role of a Catcher: Leadership on the Field [12:38] Facing Adversity: The Pitch Incident [16:53] The Matheny Manifesto: Redefining Youth Sports [26:11] The Dad Coach: Continuing the Legacy [29:40] The Unique Journey to Managing the Cardinals [31:15] The Unexpected Interview Opportunity [33:11] Leading the Cardinals to Continued Success [36:36] Challenges and Departures [40:39] Managing the Royals: A New Challenge [43:08] A Life-Changing Health Crisis [47:57] Embracing Urgency and Impact [51:00] Leadership Lessons and Final Thoughts