Delaware Blue Coats’ Post

I want to recognize an incredible leader in honor of the post and video below! Robert Gerads ☁️, CEO of Fulton Analytics, is an incredible husband and father to 5 young boys. He coaches his kids and leads them to championships. He's an evangelist of Fulton's data capabilities. He worked hard to found Power BI Meetup in Minnesota and organizes events. Rob does all this while managing a dozen different aspects of business operations and CEO responsibilities (including business development, marketing, utilization targets, budgets, and a half a dozen other things). He does the best he can for Fulton's employees, and I know he loves them all. If you're an Executive in the data space, Fulton is building a true solutions-focused data analytics strategy and consulting company. They are an incredible partner, and they deliver. I highly suggest reaching out to Robert or Fulton Analytics if you have needs *now* or *later* in 2024. As an IT Director of a Minnesota-based manufacturer shared, "Fulton Analytics has been great to work with and I see a continued partnership where Fulton Analytics helps us architect the right foundation for our analytics strategy.” Rob is a man of faith and has become a good friend over the years. He once told me he values my mentorship, but it's quite the opposite. I only hope I can be as great of a leader and person as Rob someday. Cheers to you Rob! *** Pretty cool video at the bottom. *** Daron K. Roberts, J.D. Fulton Analytics Saint John's University #datastrategy #dataarchitecture #businessintelligence #advancedanalytics #powerbi #datamanagement #datascience #machinelearning #ai #dataintegration #dataconsulting #azuredatalake #azuresql #azuredatafactory #AzureAnalysisServices #PowerBIPremium #dataflows #powerplatform #snowflake #PowerBIManagedService #PowerBISupportRetainer #microsoftfabric #onelake #azuresynapse

I love to see great leadership in action in the world of sports – not only are they inspirational moments that can move us, but these moments are often caught on video, and their impact can be measured. One moment that I read about in the Washington Post was Trea Turner’s remarkable turnaround this season with the Philadelphia Phillies. What I love about this is that it is a story of how big impacts can come from unexpected places, and as a result of inspiring leadership. Turner, the Phillies shortstop, was in a deep rut late into the baseball season and fans were frustrated with his performance to the point they were openly booing their own team's player. In response to this, Jack Fritz, a radio announcer, orchestrated a standing ovation by posting on social media calling for Phillies fans to stand for Turner at the next game, so they could help get him out his rut. Fritz not only transformed the trajectory of Turner's career but also serves as a great lesson about the impact of empathetic and proactive leadership. He saw a need, acted on it, and compelled others to follow through the power of connection. He transformed the crowd’s response from boos to a standing ovation which was no small feat. Recently, I have been reading John C. Maxwell ‘s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, and you can see of a number of these laws in play in the actions Fritz took. Following this, Turner's batting average soared from .235 to .337 in subsequent games – which, for non-baseball fans out there, is a significant jump! This is a great example of the power of encouragement, empathy, and kindness. It shows that leadership is not about titles or ranks. And, more importantly, that great leaders care to make a difference. I encourage everyone to think about how you can make an impact by using your voice and influence. Challenge yourself to ask questions, identify the need and inspire others to act. It’s what I’ve asked my team to do, and together, we can drive positive change and lead by example. #Leadership #Positivity

The thing I hate most when it comes to sports (and society as a whole) is our inability to celebrate greatness in the moment as we are so quick to compare (and eventually tear down) the success of others. There has been a lot of attention this week surrounding Caitlin Clark, NCAA Women's superstar and all time scoring leader. There have been two very distinct sides in the discourse of Clark, with many supporting her efforts and accomplishments while others have taken a different route. The quote posted below comes from basketball legend, Diana Taurasi, with a very disappointing take. On the live commentary, Taurasi also takes slight with a noticeably sharp answer in her response of whether she would select Clark or UCONN star Paige Bueckers saying she would select Bueckers without a second thought. In a world of subjectivity, let's look at the objectivity for one minute: Clark scored 3,951 points over the course of her four year career, eclipsing the previous record by more than 400 points. To put into context, Universities celebrate when a player cracks the 1,000 point mark for a CAREER with a ceremony and presentation. Clark scored 1,234 points this season alone. If we think that the individual stats are inflated or unimportant, let's look at the impact on viewership. This years final where Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes faced off against undefeated South Carolina for the national title, 18.7 million viewers tuned into the game. That is an increase of 89% from the 2023 title game and a 285% increase from the 2022 title game. Caitlin Clark, along with Angel Reese, the entire women's team from South Carolina, Paige Bueckers and many others, have transcended women's basketball across the United States. I suppose I say all of that to leave a word of advice to many out there: tearing others down only makes your insecurities scream out to the world. Your time is meant to move the game forward for those that come after you. Records will always be broken and the next generation will always be better. Find comfort in building something bigger than yourself.

There are so many great life lessons we can learn from sports, and the Detroit Lions represent one of those stories this football season. As a lifelong fan, I'm used to disappointment, but this weekend, Detroit is in the conference championship! Looking back three years ago when the Detroit Lions hired head coach Dan Campbell, his press conference about biting kneecaps made many in the sports media dismiss him as a meathead. But after last year's 9-8 season and the HBO series "Hard Knocks," we learned that Dan Campbell is not only tough and gritty, but he's also incredibly smart and cerebral. He has turned the team into an image of him. They have a clear identity. Watching Dan Campbell, I learned a great lesson that I have to relearn from time to time: first impressions are often wrong. We have to keep an open mind and give people time to show us who they really are. The front office of the Lions did their homework and found the right guy in Dan Campbell, along with an outstanding general manager in Brad Holmes. Together, they've built a culture of all grit, where everyone is buying in and embracing the mentality. This is not just about sports, but rather a fantastic case study in developing the right organizational culture. The Lions have shown that success comes from finding the right people, not necessarily the most talented ones. As an example, sports media personalities, questioned the Lions grabbing Jamyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta in the first round of last year’s draft. They thought they were reaching. In the case of Gibbs, they didn’t even think he was the best running back. Fast forward to today, both of these guys are impact players. It is clear that the Lions have become a first rate organization. From ownership to the last player on the depth chart, everyone is in full alignment, and everyone in the organization is playing a role in this success. As a football fan, I'm excited for what's to come, and as a lifelong Lions fan, I'm proud to see the team succeed. Go Lions! #detroitlions #allgrit

If you know me personally, you know I am a massive UCONN basketball fan. Recently, UConn's head coach Dan Hurley was the target of the Los Angeles Lakers to become their next head coach. Danny faced a very real crossroads in his professional life that parallels what so many candidates we partner with experience every day. Matt Norlander of CBS conducted a fantastic interview with Danny where he reflected on his discernment to switch jobs. In the article I found myself reflecting on almost every bullet from the Q&A. Thought I'd share some of my favorite nuggets that are relevant to recruiting and career transition. 1) Take counsel from peers in the industry. 2) Don't be afraid to consult people who you trust that may be at an earlier stage of their career. 3) Understand who you are and why you are doing what you do. 4) If you are truly torn on leaving or staying, staying is probably for the best. 5) Find someone you trust who can give you the facts straight - no emotion, just simple pros and cons. (His brother)... Finally, and this one hits home for me from a professional standpoint - Danny had great perspective on his NEED to coach in the NBA "I don't HAVE to do that to fulfill myself. In the end, I love coaching and I also love control..... .... Once the money and the ego and all that stuff is out, I love coaching. I love to run a program. That's what's important to me."

In honor of Better Business Communication Day, I want to share something that happened to me recently.⁠ ⁠ A tequila company reached out to me, unsure of why their national radio interview wasn't helping them sell their booze. ⁠ ⁠ As soon as I listened, I knew.⁠ ⁠ The spokesperson, an NHL star (you all know), was talking on his phone while walking down one of the busiest streets in America.⁠ ⁠ With all the background noise and his phone notifications going off, no one heard his message.⁠ ⁠ Limit audio distractions. ⁠ ⁠ Don't let something like this be why your audience doesn't connect with you and your message, trust you... and buy from you. #publicspeaking #executivetraining #executivecoach

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU’RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR Now that my Phillies are in the midst of a winning season, and the Eagles are expected to also have one, some of my free time is spent watching sports – sometimes in the company of others who become instant fans when a season is going well.  The number of superstitions associated with watching a game are hard to avoid noticing.  Some people have to wear a special team jersey or sit in a special seat – becoming visually uncomfortable if some uninformed soul grabs that seat first. Think about it.  You are watching a team worth billions of dollars whose millionaire players and coaches have jobs and salaries dependent on devising winning strategies.  They have gone through a sometimes grueling preseason, followed by practices during the season, and there is game-planning for each game, and yet your superstition leads you to believe that the outcome of a game is more dependent upon whether you are wearing the right pair of underwear or whether you took a snack during the top or bottom half of an inning. While it is tempting to think that we have that kind of control, we all have to come to grips with a fundamental truth:  We’re not that important; not everything depends upon us! On the other hand, sports-related superstitions are usually pretty harmless unless they lead to self-loathing because of an exaggerated sense of responsibility, or if they intrude on another person’s rights (e.g., you’re disinvited to a watch party unless you show up in a team jersey; you will jinx the team if you don’t wait until the end of the quarter to go to the bathroom).  Don’t forget that, unless you own a piece of the team, watching a sporting event is something that you choose to do voluntarily for enjoyment.  It really can be fun if you don’t become a slave to a superstition or ritual.  And please recognize that the outcome of a game is much more dependent upon the coaching decisions and how the players perform than it is upon what you are wearing or the seat you are sitting in or what you are eating on the day of the game.

The Bill Belichick era is over and I think all observers have to look back on his tenure with awe. The team's run of success with BB at the helm was unprecedented in the NFL. Now, pundits are debating whether Bill or Tom Brady was the reason for that success. It makes for great social media and sports radio banter, but from afar the team's success appeared to be tied to more than BB & TB12. That duo was dynamic and they were clearly the leaders of the pack. But those who work in pro sports know it takes more than two people, no matter how talented they are, to do what that organization did. With that in mind, the sports and business worlds can benefit by turning to the Patriots Way (very similar to the NY Islanders Way in the 1980s) for inspiration... - Owner with a passion for excellence. - Hire the right people and stay out of their way...people who share the passion not those looking for a job. - Hold strong to your convictions and core beliefs...live them every minute of every day. - Bring passion and focus to work every day. - Lead by doing not instructing...and take it on the chin for your team when needed. - Make adjustments "at halftime" when required...if it's not working, fix it. - Analyze the competition...know what you're up against, it changes. - Don't make emotional decisions. - Ignore outside distractions and the "white noise." - Internally, agree to disagree and walk out of the room as one. Differing opinions are healthy, grudges are not. It's easier said than done...in business and in sports. Too often the 'me' overshadows the 'we' and that's when the cracks begin to widen. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady impressed me more as their tenure grew because they led by doing and failing. Great lessons for us all.

For those of ya'll that know me on a level beyond LinkedIn, you probably know that I'm a big University of Washington fan. To see such an amazing season come to an end in the way that it did, like any fan of any team, it was sad to see. One great takeaway from sports is the parrallel you can draw to other aspects of your life, including business. Here is a post-game quote from Michael Penix (Heisman runner-up and UW's QB): "They’re a good team. We just didn’t execute in the moments when we needed to. It’s just about executing. I don’t feel like they did anything; I feel like we beat ourselves. And there were times we definitely had opportunities to make big-time plays, to make the game a lot different. But it comes down to executing. They’re a good team, but we had a lot of opportunities." So, how is what he said relatable? 1. He doesn't blame anyone but themselves: Once you place blame on others, you're not the one who has the power to fix things and correct. You give that power up to someone else and the same things will happen again and again. 2. The importance of executing a plan is emphasized: If you don't plan your work and then work your plan, there is nothing you can really do. You can't say the plan was flawed and adjust to make the necessary changes. 3. Good sportsmanship is apparent: Just because you experience a loss or come out on the wrong side of things, you shouldn't start burning bridges or trashing the other individual(s) in the process. How you respond after a loss is just as important as how you respond after an outcome that favors you. #GoDawgs

🔥 When sports media drama escalates, it’s always a spectacle. Take the recent feud between Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy and Chicago radio host Dan Bernstein. Here’s a quick snapshot of the fireworks: 🎙️ **Incident Overview:** It all started when Bernstein criticized Barstool Eddie (a Barstool employee) for using his last name on air. Portnoy didn’t take this lightly and fired back, saying Bernstein had "created an enemy for life." The public reaction? Intense. 👥 **Leadership & Loyalty:** Portnoy’s defense of his team is a classic example of strong leadership. By standing up for Barstool Eddie, he underscored his unwavering commitment to his crew. Bernstein’s reaction came off as overly sensitive, sparking further backlash. ⚔️ **Conflict and Drama:** The media loves a good feud, especially when it involves longstanding tensions—Bernstein’s dislike for Barstool spans over a decade! This clash shows how personal and professional lines blur in sports media and turn into public brawls. 🧠 **Expert Insight:** Successful leaders protect their team fiercely, but how should personal vendettas be handled in the public eye? The digital age magnifies every move, encouraging both support and critique from all corners. What does it mean to you when leaders publicly stand up for their teams? Do you think Bernstein’s reaction was justified or just overly sensitive? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! For more scoops on #aiautomation and the fascinating dynamics of the media world, follow me. #Leadership #SportsMedia #BarstoolSports #DavePortnoy #DanBernstein #ConflictResolution