Visit Stephen’s Coaching Site

Stephen’s Linked IN

Host Your Podcast for Free with Buzz Sprout 

Our Show Sponsor Sutter and Nugent Real Estate – Real Estate Excellence 

Music Courtesy of: fight by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/58696 Ft: Stefan Kartenberg, Kara Square

Speech Transcript (very little editing so not exact)

Time To Shine Today podcast  varsity squad Scott Ferguson Underwood episode 293 with my good buddy the yacht racer, Stephen Morris, Steven designed race boats sailed a navigator on use a lot of that to parlay into helping people as an executive coach with ELS level up their teams he works with leadership teams help them level up the knowledge delegates he drops are absolutely fantastic. So I’d strongly strongly recommend you breaking out your notebooks. So without further ado, here’s my really good friend Stephen Morris. Let’s level up. Time to shine in a podcast versus squad this Scott was saying and I have a quote. Love Love push me as such. So much of a intriguing background to me because I love the water. I’m literally looking at the Atlantic Ocean and just enjoying this sunrise. It’s almost done, but it’s absolutely beautiful. My friend here has sailed the seas competitively. He also had a career of designing multimillion dollar racing yachts building and coaching high performing teams to help his clients win the world’s toughest races. Now, my good friend Steve Morris here as a coach and professional, EOS implemented implementer he helps people, teams and businesses get unstuck sail forward love that building fun and profitable businesses. And Steve, thank you so much for coming on. Please introduce yourself to time to shine today. Podcast varsity squad. But first, what’s your favorite color? And why?

My My favorite color is blue. Blue. Yeah. Yeah,

little ocean and you got the blue eyes rockin to man so and why shun YouTube? Or Vimeo? Or was the handsome cat right here. He told me his age and I’m blown away. So you obviously takes care of himself. So Steve, let’s let’s get into dig into a little bit of this of you getting out of college? Joining the I guess I’m just going to call like a racing circuit or Yaks certain or whatnot, and then kind of leveling up into the Eos family for coaching.

Yeah, well, it’s been quite a journey, you know, literally a voyage that I’ve gone on through my life. And everything I’m doing now is has a foundation and you know, where I started with my career. So, you know, I grew up in New Zealand, sailing with my my parents and my family, and went to college, studied engineering and got out of college, my first job was working on a professional sailing team. So, you know, went from studying with books, and you know, using a calculator to getting up at six o’clock in the morning, going to the gym and lifting a lot of iron off the floor to get ready to, you know, go out sailing for the day. And this was my first real introduction to the world of professional athletes and bringing together, you know, a really cool team. And a really, it’s sort of informed and then led to, you know, a lot of years in my life of working with high performing teams, and just seeing how magical it is, when we can get it right. And the whole team comes together. And just what a grind. It can be, you know, when you’ve got a project to go get done with a team that’s not coming together and not gelling and achieving what it needs to achieve. So long career working with high performing teams.

Yeah, they’re athletes, like people don’t understand it, like even a pit crew, right? And like NASCAR, whether they’re athletes that are going out there and working as a team. So what did you learn from cuz that was blessing and talk about this. But like, I was able to go out with a team when I was in the military out in San Diego and Coronado, they actually had the, what was Dennis? The guy had his his boat there when he won one of the stripes, right? Okay, started search. I didn’t get the right on that. But there was a team, a couple of guys from the team. Were out and I got to come back and observe on the ball, kind of like stay away the hell out of the way. What was the cohesion factor that made everybody work together was their actual coach that coached everybody, like how did that work?

Well, so that whole progression has changed over many years, right? So when I started in the sport, it was actually an amateur sport. So we were bringing together a group of people who had day jobs and they were putting those day jobs inside, right to come sail on the boat and to be able to like race around the world and that was their passion. The trainer we had was an incredible game, he was actually a Commonwealth weightlifter, a gold gold medalist in the Commonwealth Games, it was all about four foot 11 tall, and about four foot 11 wide, you know, he could lift, he was built to lift down off the floor, but he was our trainer from the athletic side, and then those also, you know, from the sailing side where bring people in, and then ultimately, and this is what I find so interesting. You know, it’s about the psychology to bring together teams, and but not a lot of that existed 30 years ago, right, and this is what I’ve really seen as this transition over time, in the sport of sailing, went from being amateur to professional over about a 20 year period. And that, you know, mental was very different when, as I started to interact with, with the teams, because it was going from people who had a day job and saving was a hobby to people that did this even seven days a week, right? And then just sort of seeing that people having to really up their game, how they bring together teams, and you’re talking about, you’re asking about, you know, so what’s the magic sauce there. And it’s really about being able to pull a group of people together and develop this trust, right, this deep, deep level of trust in the team, so that everybody kind of really knows why they’re there. what their job is, what their function in the team is, and where the team’s gonna go. And, you know, I think the the ultimate thing is sort of knowing when you come into the room that everybody else there has got your back. Sure. Right, right. And there

when you guys are family when you raced, like did you do stuff off the boat, and people kind of go their separate ways?

Well, so early on in my career, yeah, that was very much like that, you know, Friday nights when we were done sailing. It was off to the hills of Baron in Auckland. It was I think it was called the leopard was Its technical name, but we call it the spotty dog.

I love it. I love it. So you know, it’s funny when you talk about all you hear is evolution, evolution, you know, from, from what we had in I’ve been in the sport of mixed martial arts for such a long time. It used to go from people that would bounce at bars and go brawl in a basically a makeshift rink to now what it is. It’s just it’s amazing evolution because it takes that somebody that really spearhead that, to make it happen. I love that you’ve lived this journey. So then coaching, what’s what brought you into the world, especially EOS was EOS is very established, very reputable. But what brought you into the coaching?

So across my career, you know, did the sailboat work for for many years? You know, it was really seeing that and experiencing the high performing teams, right. And then I sort of got curious because I could see that managing like large groups of people leading large groups of people, there was something missing in that world. So I went, you know, this brief interlude, I went into government contracting in Washington, DC became a certified project manager, we’ll learn how to manage much larger groups of people, multi million dollar budgets, right. But then I wanted to sort of come back, I had this deep interest in business. So came back and started my own company, really around this mission and passion to help people teams and businesses get unstuck. I wanted to work with business leadership teams, help them be able to elevate their game. And along the way I came across, you know, EOS and traction, the book traction has now sold over a million copies. We’ve got a lot of things going on at the moment about promoting traction, in fact giving away 15,000 free copies of traction into the world. But what I see my passion in this is people creating businesses. Businesses are the lifeblood of our community, particularly small businesses, right? They provide wealth to people, they provide stability, they provide jobs, they create communities where we all want to live. Sure. But what I see is, not everybody has the tools. I didn’t have the tools 30 years ago, when I was raising to become a leader, the top yacht design company in the world. I didn’t have the tools to know how you bring a group of people together in a business and be able to take them forward. And that’s what I love about EOS is it’s a it’s a set of tools. It’s a framework that help a leadership team get three things you know get sorted out about their vision for the business where they go Ng and getting on the same page. That way the business is going and then traction, right? Like getting the discipline getting the accountability into the business. And then the important part is healthy, working together as a healthy, functional, cohesive leadership team, a group of people who love to come to work together. And that sort of brings me full circle back to, you know, the sailing world.

I was gonna say that brother. Yeah, yeah. I love that. I love that. So, do you work with mainly groups? Or do you have one on ones?

So our model is we work with the leadership team of a business beautiful. The owner, founder, and, you know, their sort of group of direct reports is probably usually a group of somewhere between four to six to seven individuals that are taking your business forward.

Thank you for opening in the store, because I have a question. I deal with it daily, when I when I coach companies and groups and whatnot. So it’s generally kind of a Human Resources says, Hey, man, we need to get coaching. So the CEO, the big dog says, Okay, let’s find out. Okay, we’re bringing in Steve Morris back us, he levels people up. How do you handle the person that’s right below that CEO that doesn’t think they need the coaching? And I’m asking this because I want to learn because I’m dealing with it. Well, you always had that one.

Sunday, yes, exactly. What’s this person doing here? And how are they going to help me? So there are different viewpoints right within the business, we have the visionary, the founder, the person is at the 30,000 foot level, they’re looking out figuring out where are we going next are not in the trenches, not much. Right? person down, we call the integrator, right in the integrator in our world is the person who beats the drum for the organization. They’re the glue that holds everything together, and they coordinate across the leadership team. Sure. So what I’m doing in coming in and working with that integrator is giving them a set of tools that makes their life easier. That gives them the things that they need to be able to get all of the trains running on time, and not have it be a house on fire every single day. And that’s what I see a lot of, you know, as people, particularly you know, that integrator role can be chaotic. Right, right, right. 136 issues happening every single day.

He’s getting hammered from both sides, the 30,000 foot view guy and his column underlings, but it’s the people that report to him. I love, love, love that you said that because you got the integrator involved in full force, because again, it’s it might be that visionary that oversees it. And they’re really not attending so much to where the, where the integrator is. And he’s got to answer to the CEO, whatnot. So I love that. And so, Steve, what do you think then makes a great coach.

I think what makes a great coach is somebody who’s able to come in and see the team where it is, right, to be able to understand how the team got there, all of the stuff that’s going on, but then to listen to where the team wants to go. And then to be able to figure out, you know, the coaching partners coming up with a path a journey, to be able to take their team to where they want to go. And that’s, you know, I love that in to sailing again, because I was a navigator on a boat and was a navigator. You’ve got a chart. I love it, Skipper says this is where we need to get to the navigator looks at the chart and plots the path, you know, the best, fastest safest path that we can get through to the destination,

the parallels of I mean, I’ve heard you say voyage, I’ve heard you say sail AB I love that you use the aquatic into it. And also you’re asking the super powerful questions that helps them reveal their blind spot I love I love your, the your technique, we’ll call it that you’re using. So when you’re starting to work with a team, and maybe it’s the it’s the integrator that you’re kind of sitting down with, because he’s again, we’ve we’ve covered that he has to answer to all sides. Is there any good question that you wish he or she would ask you but never do during the discovery period?

That’s a good question. Yeah. You know, the things that I sort of typically get is sort of like how long is this going to take?

I love it. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, that’s, you know that is, what’s your answer to that? So it’s typically two years going. I’m not there to wave a magic wand, I can cure things instantly. And oh, by the way, you know, and I’m just the coach. They’re the people that need to do the work. The athletes who need to do the training, get the reps and absolutely, absolutely the muscle.

Oh, my gosh, I wrote down reps on my table here. I’m not even like, it says reps right there. I love love that you said, Hey, go ahead. I’m sorry. Yeah,

no, I mean, it’s sort of, it’s really about, you know, putting the, the systems in place to be able to bring that team forward to the next level. And so, I think, you know, there’s, there are a lot of questions in people’s minds. I mean, they see where they want to get to, you know, the biggest thing is just wanting to get there quickly. But yet, everybody’s busy with their day jobs, like when I’m going into businesses, talking to people, I didn’t see people sitting around with nothing to do all day, right? In business these days, right? Everybody’s busy, everybody’s got a full plate, just trying to keep everything going, you know, everything balanced in the business. And so to come in and say, Well, I’ve got a set of tools, I’m gonna teach you these tools, and it’s gonna save you time, right. But first, I’ve got to teach you these tools, and you’re gonna have to learn them, you have to practice them, right. So we’ve got a little bump in the middle there. But ultimately, you get to something that we call the E. O ‘s life. And the US life has five parts to it is doing things that you love with people that you love, and making a huge impact in the world making a dent in the universe. The fourth component is getting compensated appropriately, right, we all need to get paid for the work we do. But the fifth and really important thing for me and for my clients is having time for other passions. Right? So what I see as people, you know, they’re working on the business, they’re working 60 hours a week, 70 hours a week, maybe if you’re Elon Musk, you’re working 120 hours a week. Absolutely. Right. But not everybody wants to do that. And that’s not always sustainable. Right. You’ve got a family you’ve got, you know, my kids are grown now. And, you know, I I wonder about the times when I was at work and missing things,

cats in the cradle things, right. Yeah. Okay, growing

up and stuff. So this is what I’m, I’m working with leadership teams to create the structure in the business that ultimately leads to them having more time, more time to follow their passions to go spend more time with the family. Sure. And things that I really care about, and I think are important to take care of your, your health and, you know, longevity and grandkids. And yeah, so.

So, Steve, if I’m at a networking event, that present flash meeting people and you know, I’m the guy that I don’t care about talking about myself, and I love I’m curious as hell, right? What am I hearing from them and a sidebar, one to one conversation? That would make them a great prospect referral or contact for your coaching?

Yes, so then the number one thing that we see out there is, you know, your entrepreneur, your business owner have built a business, they’ve had this passion, that’s why they started the business. And the business is growing. And they’ve been successful. Now, all of a sudden, they’re managing people. Right? Right. And they’re trying to hire people, or people are leaving, people aren’t doing the things that they are supposed to be doing. So what I hear is, you know, talking about just, you know, do we have the right people on the bus here, and people issues and how people issues are getting in the way of them being able to take their businesses for a while. That’s awesome. So that’s one thing, you know, the other one, which is also you know, can be a perennial issue is just spending too much time is what I’m talking about as somebody who’s just in the business, right, the hours a week, you know, they’re there seven days a week that they’re just tried to take the board and other things in their life, suffering as a result, right. So just listening for those things. Because it means when I hearing that it means that we can improve things we can take the company to the next level by putting an operating system in the business that allows the business to run more efficiently, more quickly, make more profit and have more fun with

it. Do you keep mentioning that, that commodity that we never get back and this time? And that and that also that kind of segues into a little bit of my next question if you seen the movie Back to the Future? Yeah, it was a while ago. Okay. Yeah, yeah, it was almost 40 years old. But let’s get that glory with Marty McFly. Okay, let’s go back to the double deuce, the 22 year old Steve, what kind of knowledge nuggets would you be dropping on him to maybe help net change anything so much? Because your journey is awesome. But maybe help them shorten his learning curve blast through it maybe just level up just maybe a little bit quicker.

It would be paying more attention to people and relationships along the way.

I love it.

I think you know, when I was a young engineer and you know, working on the sailing teams, and we were very sort of focused on results and getting things done from the outside. I don’t know if we were as necessarily sort of interpersonally focused, right. And that that’s the sort of the magic, I think that I saw and experienced in really high performing teams coming together as a group building that deep trust, and then being able to leverage that trust to really be able to take that team to the next level.

So good. So Steve, how do you want your dash? Remember that little line in between your incarnation date your expiration date? Hopefully, it’s a long ways down the road, your life date death date? How do you want that little dash remembered about you?

Oh, that’s a good question. So there’s something about, you know, this, there’s a making a difference. But there’s a wave of talking about this, that Seth Godin was interviewed by Tim Ferriss a couple of years ago. And he talks about this idea of being of service to people to switch on a light for people who need a light. And that’s struck with me as really something that you know, I love about the work that I do. I don’t necessarily know, you know, who needs to lay it or wherever they need it, or

you got to do the metaphor thing come out light house, you know, you’re towards it. No, I love I love it makes it you are legitly planting trees for companies that you’re probably never going to sit in the shade of because you, you get them there and like and they take off and run with you. I’d love to I love about coaching too. And that sounds to me, like, you’re not also a coach, but you’re also a mentor, in a sense, you know that my mentor always said that, you know, the more you mentor or teach, the more immortal you become. And I love it, because your delivery is awesome as well. So what do you think people misunderstand the most about Steve?

Besides the people Missmiss misunderstand about you? About me? Well, I listen a lot, right? And so sometimes in this world, it’s a noisy world. Yeah. People who sit and listen kinda can sometimes get bypassed in the conversation, whereas they’re actually picking your RV Lovings up in making the connections and that’s that’s one of the things I listened deeply to what’s going on and the main need to think about that and figure out like, what all it all means and what the patterns are and move shirts

before you respond. I love that because it seems to me like you listen with all your senses, not just your ears. Like we call it listening with your neck, like you’re like really into Listen, I love that. I love that about this, what makes you a great coach. So what if anything, keeps you up at night?

It’s really just knowing that there’s, there’s more businesses out there that that need my help, right? And now, it’s not just me from a selfish, you know, business perspective. It’s like, I really truly believe that businesses are the foundation of communities. And, you know, I’ve spent a long time living in Baltimore and you know, there’s a city there that needs businesses that badly I’ve seen the effect of what happens when a city doesn’t have businesses, you know, it’s it’s not good.

Love your passion, man. I love your passion. So, Steve, what what is your definition of a life well lived.

It’s to be able to go through a life and to be able to make a difference along the way, right to be able to treat people well. You know, I just, you know, pay attention to the journey.

Love that. Quickly. Did it does it go back to another John Hughes film with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off where he’s like, life goes by fast man, you know Back and absorb it just a little bit you know right by you. I love I love and love your technique man. It’s awesome. I’m just thinking accompanies right now for you. Time to shine today podcast varsity squad we are back with my awesome sauce, top notch leadership coach Steve Morris here and Steve, you and I can literally we might want them to come out to Colorado and get a couple of brain grenades and hang out and we could probably talk 1520 minutes off of each one of these questions but you have five seconds with no explanations and they can all be done that way. You ready to level up? Okay, let’s do this. Hey. All right. What is the best leveling up advice Steve’s ever received?

Take a breath.

Well, that sure one of your personal habits that contributes to success.

Exercise every morning I can eautiful

if you see me walking down the street, Fergie looks like using his doldrums a little bit. I’m going to help them What book are you handed me? Five seconds. Turn around and look at one of those if you want. Yeah.

There’s a book by tick not Han. Called reconciliation.

Okay. I will look into that. Danny put that in the show notes, please. Awesome. Thank you. What’s your most commonly used emoji when you text?

Smiley face.

Love it. Nicknames grown up.

My sister used to call me Bing Bing.

I love it. Love it. Love it. Chess checkers or monopoly chess. Love it. What’s your go to flavor for ice cream? Hokey Pokey. Nice. There’s a sandwich name. The Stephen Morris. What’s on that sandwich?

Bacon tomato. Mayonnaise.

Yeah, I heard bacon. I’m like man candy. Yeah. So you got a time machine? You can use for one day? Are you going 20 years in the future? 20 years in the past 20 years into the future. Love it. Love it. Any favorite charity? Charity organization like to give your time or money to?

Yes, there’s Health and Human Performance foundation. breath work and teaching it to kids.

Is there a website you can send us after to take my candidate? Yep, this do that after die. Please remind him. Awesome. Last question. You can elaborate a little bit on this one, Steven by what are Steve at Steve? What is the best decade of music? 6070s 80s or 90s 60s 60s? Really? Who was your jam? Ah,

I don’t know. I mean, I just I’ve gone through phases, right? It’s sort of like, you know, you start off listening to The Beatles, and then you end up with the Rolling Stones or something. But every once in a while something would come on the radio that kind of takes you back. And I

love that you say that? Because another question I sometimes ask is like, The Beatles stones. Beach Boys are four seasons. You know, I would say that a lot of people don’t know Frankie Valli, Frankie Valli, like I see him every year in concert, except for COVID year like guys like 86 years old. But when think about four seasons, is they’ve had a number one hit before the Beatles during the Beatles. And after the Beatles, you know, I just love them. But I love I love all John. I’m an 80s. Guy graduated in 1990. So I kind of like my big hair don’t care kind of thing. So, Steve, how can we find your brother?

So I’m available? Probably through LinkedIn is like a really easy way of finding meet Steven A Morris and look at EOS implemented. Otherwise, I’m Steve Dotto. Morris at EOS worldwide.com.

Love it. And all that will be in the show notes squad. And Steve, give me one last favor. Leave us with one last knowledge that I get we can take care. Take with us internalize and take action.

Alright, so the big thing is right, you’re turning up to work stuffs triggering you, right? So there’s something Professor Andrew Huberman talks about, it’s a physiological sign. Just take a breath, but no, take two. So you inhale, one and then top it up to and let it out. Do that three times and it triggers a hardwired circuit in your brain that gets you to calm down.

I love it. I love it. I’m a huge breath work. I’m a Wim Hof the cycle in the sense I don’t get into ice as well. Although I do do cryo once a week but not ice. And I go I walk into it. So squat. We literally I have pages upon pages of notes here. If you’re watching with a good friend here, Steve Morris, who’s living a voyage of life, he’s living he’s thriving, not just surviving, and he wants to help you and your company do that. You know, he wants to make sure that if you’re working with a leadership coach, hopefully it’s him. But if it’s anybody else that you You have to develop a deep level of trust. If you know something’s missing, you know, Steve will help your company, find that piece and build a team around it and put the reps in to make it happen. You know, he reminds us that business is the lifeblood of community, it creates jobs, it creates happiness, it puts money in your pocket allows you to kind of have what you really want in life, you know, that. He mentioned traction, being healthy. Also the integrator of the company, if you’re a coach, and you’re coaching people that are, you know, a big company, the visionaries really doesn’t see everything, like the integrator, he’s in the trenches, you know, so he’s going to work and Steve works with an integrator give him a set of tools to make his life his or her life easier. And also to pass those tools to the team. So they can put the reps in to level up themselves, he’ll tell us that a great coach sees where the team is and listens very intently to where it wants to go, and he will put you on that voyage. I love that of where you’re going to go. So it’s five, the five steps. I’m abbreviating this, so make sure you go back and listen. But it’s love. Do what you love with the people that love what you do that make an impact get compensated, get that money get paid, it’s okay. And then make sure you have the time for other passions so you’re not just locked at work or like we say here within time to shine today do what you love in the service of people that love what you do if you’re doing what you love. Other people will notice that that you love what they do and they will listen. So he would remind himself and also others that are coming up in life to pay attention to relationships they are very important you’re going to come across times when you don’t know something relationships can help you get there like we say you know time to shine today that I got from my good friend Leah Woodford get you’re asking here ask the questions to level up you know, he again Stephen will be remembered as somebody that plant planted trees he’s never going to sit in the shade off because his passion is so broad. It’s so but it’s so locked in as well for what he wants you to see. Okay, you know in life will live to him is making a difference to people and treating them well along the way and enjoying that voyage that journey while you’re doing it because so many people want to have a foot in the future, a foot and a pass and piss all over the president live. Now. Enjoy the journey in make sure you go back to his to breath. Exercise to kind of to level you up and kind of get rid of anxiety and get moving forward. And Steven you level up your health you level up your wealth. You’re just an amazing human being you earn your varsity squad letter here at time to shine today. You’re humble yet you’re hungry. I love your guts, man. I can’t wait to collaborate with you in the future brother.

All right. Well, Scott, thank you so much for having me. It’s been a great conversation this morning. Got me on my toes.

Yeah. All right. We’ll chat soon, brother. All right. Thank you. Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast, proudly brought to you by Southern New Jersey real estate real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com Flash guest if you liked this up, so please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating and tell your friends how to subscribe while you’re at it. I’m your host Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up it’s our time to shine.

DISCLOSURE: I may be an affiliate for products and resources  that I recommend. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. In fact, I often times am able to negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere.

Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff.  Thank you in advance for your support