Session 1

Walk-Ons Team MVP

Intro – what exactly is the intent? (10 minutes)

Today you begin a journey.  Over the course of this year, you have the opportunity to grow, learn and become more.  SlamDunk Foods believes that you are worth the investment.

We are Mike & Gabi Keenum.  Our company is called Designed2Lead and we believe each of you has a unique calling and skill set. Our desire is to walk with leaders and teams in order to help them grow in self-awareness, communication, relationships and purpose. We do this by listening to our clients’ needs, giving applicable teaching and providing insight for growth. Our approach is a unique combination of personal attention through coaching relationships and purposeful instruction through tailored training.

When SlamDunk Foods asked us to create a leadership program for Walk-On’s we were excited!  Walk-on’s has an incredible culture and great potential.  You are uniquely positioned in the market to stand out and excel!  In fact, ESPN has rated you the #1 Sports Bar in America!

So today, we will begin our journey.  We will spend time as a group, so you can get to know us, and we will guide you over the next twelve months.  This experience will be what you make it.  You have the opportunity to be different by December.  You can be a better leader, employee and example.  We hope to challenge you in order to create a climate of growth.  You are the pioneers of this program; Leadership Experience and we have developed some basic pillars for Walk-On’s called Team MVP.

This program is broken down into some basic components.

Quarterly: work on overall themes of Team MVP.

What does Team MVP stand for?

• • Team (Jan – March)
  • Mission (April – June) “Walk-Ons Way” (WOW)
  • Value (July – September) Valuing customers, each other, leadership
  • Purpose (October – December) Protect the “W”

We will break down each quarter into smaller sections that build on ideas of culture, family & accountability.  We will provide weekly topics to discuss and activities to do during staff meetings as a quick way to emphasize the points we are working on during each month of the quarter.

Our quarterly sessions involve opportunities to work together as groups, answer questions, give feedback and interact.  We aren’t standing up here as teachers, but rather as coaches or guides.  There aren’t any wrong answers and each member is important on this team.  Some of you may be more talkative and apt to be involved than others, but each one of you is valuable and we desire to have your involvement.

ACTIVITY: Introduce one by one and tell us something about ???? (must tie into what we are teaching today) Intuition game.

So, in order to lay a good foundation for growth and insight, let’s revisit the beginnings of Walk-Ons.

ACTIVITY: Walk-Ons story – video (9 min)

There is quite a bit of info in that video.  Let’s break it down and see how it directly applies to each one of you.

Branden Landry and Jack Warner, the founders were walk-ons for LSU basketball team.

• • What is a Walk-On? (10 -15 min)
    • Webster’s definition – “a college athlete who tries out for an athletic team without having been recruited or offered a scholarship”
    • They may not be the most talented, but they out work others with their drive and passion.
    • Walk-On’s pursue an opportunity due to a dream and determination. 
    • A walk-on decides where to invest in order to grow and become more.
    • Privilege (they worked hard to get their spot and must continue to work hard to keep their spot)
    • Typically, the happiest and most appreciative people on the team.  This is their opportunity

ACTIVITY: Have any of you been a walk-on? Any good stories?  Or played with a walk-on? Or been in a situation where you functioned in this way?  How does that experience help you in your position here?

• • What is a Walk-Ons role on a team? (10 -15 min)
    • Plato’s Republic – biggest challenge to an organization is going from “I” and “me” to “we” and “us”. Individualism is the downfall of a community
    • Dale Brown quote – “The best potential of me is we, not I, we.”
    • What does “we” look like at this Walk-On’s?
    • They know how to collaborate.  They ask for help and work with others toward a common goal.  (Example of business owner we know who comes in and does dishes, whatever is needed, no job is above or below someone who thinks as a “we”).
    • They desire to be part of a family, part of something bigger than themselves.
    • The crew of a Walk-On’s must be behind the mission, they must believe in the team.
    • Jacob Lemming wrote an article about being a walk-on and he described it this way, “they’re giving everything they’ve got to that team just like the biggest superstars, and no matter what the reason, they’re doing it because they love it. They’re the ones giving their all and not asking for anything in return. They’re the ones who make it all possible.

ACTIVITY:  Tower Building

• • What is a Walk-Ons Character? (10-15 min)
    • “Success in work and life is hard work and dedication and an undying commitment to achieve excellence” SVP (embodied by a walk-on).
    • Pioneering Spirit – to open or prepare for others to follow; to originate or take part in the development of something.

• • • Passion.  This is defined as “intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction” or “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept” (Webster).
    • Examples of passion could include: commitment to a cause, an incredible work ethic, deep desire to do the right thing, devotion to a team, belief in a mission statement or value

ACTIVITY:  As a group come up with one or two people who are examples of being committed to excellence, passion and pioneering.  Then add adjectives to describe them.  Identify two or three words listed that also describe yourself.  As a team, what of these do you see in your team.

• • What does a Walk-Ons value? (10-15 min)

ACTIVITY: Charles Schultz

Simple Quiz

• Name the 3 wealthiest people in the world?
• Name the last 3 Heisman trophy winners?
• Name the last 3 winners of the Miss America pageant.
• Name 3 people who have won the noble or Pulitzer Prize.
• Name the last 3 Academy Award winners for best actor or actress.

Quiz 2

• List 3 teachers who aided your journey through school.
• Name some friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
• Name 3 people who have taught you something worthwhile.
• Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
• Make a list of 3 people you enjoy spending time with.

• • • People
    • Team

Branden & Jack incorporated ideals of hard work, dedication and a commitment to excellence into their vision.  They wanted to “create a business environment built on culture and the idea that everyone on the team was needed and mattered as much as the next guy.”

• What is mission and vision of Walk-Ons?
  • Mission – (from the website) deliver a memorable gameday experience – (i.e., watching World Cup match in hotel with several others rooting for our team. Get drawn into atmosphere and excitement), or (watching the KC Chiefs as they recognized that the Patriots lost, and they got the #2 seed this past weekend – high five complete strangers)
  • Vision – “To win! Everywhere. Every way. Everyone. Every Day.”
  • How do we incorporate that into everything we do?

**UNDERCOVER BOSS ON CBS, Jan 8^th @ 7 pm**