Does the name Don Yaeger ring a bell?
His name, standing alone might not, but if you’ve read Sports Illustrated Magazine or the autobiography of Football great Walter Payton, then his name will be familiar.
Or perhaps you’ve seen him on Nightline or Oprah, or on CNN or Good Morning America.
I was fortunate enough to meet Don and his wife and business partner, Jeanette a few weeks ago, as we were invited to attend a CEO weekend retreat on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands.
Let me go back a few months to how I first heard of him. My partner Jack and Don were both speakers at a CEO conference held at MIT in the spring. And then, coincidentally, they were both honored by the Institute of Sales Excellence in Washington DC a few weeks later. And then Jack was an invited guest on Don’s podcast, the Corporate Competitor .
Honestly, I was sick of hearing about “Don this, and Don that”. When I learned we would be together for an entire weekend last month, I was bracing myself, as most people as well known and in-demand as Don Yaeger, are a bit full of themselves.
Boy – was I wrong.
I first met Don and his wife Jeanette at the airport on Tortola Island. We had a few hours to wait for our transportation to Moskito, so we sat together at lunch. I was a bit shocked when Don picked up the check for our lunch!
As we sat together getting acquainted for a couple of hours, I got a chance to observe Don. But my real insight was when he spoke to our group on Saturday morning in an informal Q & A session. The moderator masterfully asked Don questions about his special moments of interviewing super famous sports athletes. From football legend, Walter Payton, to Basketball phenom Magic Johnson, what I observed was great compassion, sensitivity and an incredible amount of grace and respect.
While Don recounted living with Walter Payton and his family during the last few months before he passed, to having dinner with Magic Johnson and interviewing him about testing positive for HIV, he wasn’t braggadocios. He talked about each person with incredible respect and sensitivity, and a sense of responsibility for telling their individual stories.
When asked if there was a difference in dynamics between sports teams and individual sports athletes – the difference between how a football or basketball team functions vs an individual golfer or tennis player? Don shared that even individual sports athletes are surrounded by a team (including strength coaches, nutritionists, mental coaches, etc.).
Don said that no athlete (or businessperson, for that matter) can excel alone. We all have and need a support team. I already understood that intellectually, but hearing it from Don, after hundreds of interviews and stories written, was validating.
What did I learn from Don? I learned to not judge a book by its cover. I learned that even the most famous and infamous people are human, vulnerable and sensitive. Some may not willingly admit that – but by observing Don and listening to his stories, my respect and compassion for the challenges of being a professional athlete has grown immensely.
As we said goodbye at the end of the weekend, I sent Don a text to tell him how much I enjoyed his presentation. In true Don Yaeger fashion, he exuded humility and kindness, deferring to the moderator and other members of the audience.
It was refreshing to know that his kind and compassionate style is respected in the speaking and writing world. Isn’t that what we need more of?
Onward and upward,
Executive Coaching and Consulting for business CEOs, Owners and Presidents
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