Mastering Emotional Regulation: The Key to Trustworthy Leadership

Former college athlete and strength coach David Kitchen, aka "Kitch," discusses his transition from being a college strength and conditioning coach to focusing on his leadership consulting business. Kitch shares his personal journey, his challenges, and the decision to step away from coaching. Kitch emphasizes the importance of building relationships with players, understanding their motivations, and balancing challenges with support in leadership. Kitch also discusses his approach to teaching leadership, the significance of emotional regulation, and the value of execution and continuous improvement. Show Outline 0:17 - Transition from College Athlete to Leadership Consultant4:26 - Decision to Walk Away from Coaching7:03 - Appreciation for the Process of a Game Week7:32 - The summer grind8:56 - Developing leadership skills14:28 - Adapting communication styles16:22 - Building Relationships and Understanding Motivation16:58 - The Influence of Family and Environment18:45 - Personal Drive and Work Ethic24:22 - The challenge of support25:19 - The value of empathy and support29:02 - Different styles of leadership32:17 - The Emotional Dump and Living in the Gap34:32 - Teaching Leadership and Changing the Norm37:10 - Busy Does Not Equal Productive Quotes from Kitch "People that can emotionally regulate are naturally more trustworthy." "I still get goosebumps, man. I still get fired up. If I could go back and strap it up one more time, I would. I'd probably get hurt, but I'd do it." "I want the first person that steps up to say something about me to walk up to that microphone and say, 'Coach left a legacy for his family to be proud of, you know? He inspired greatness and everybody that he came across. He was honest, he was caring, he was driven, and he was committed to growth.' And if somebody says that about me at my funeral, and I'm watching it from beyond the grave, I know that I became the man that I wanted to be. So that's what drives me every single day." Connect with Kitch Edge Leadership Academy@CoachDKitch on TikTok@CoachDKitch on Instagram@CoachDKitch on LinkedIn Presentated by Better Mentioned on the Show The Road Less Traveled (Amazon)Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't (Amazon)New Generation Leader (Amazon) Episode 54 - Full Transcript Coming soon! Show notes may contain affiliate links.