Corporate learning refers to employees’ continuous education and development within a company. It is a crucial aspect of human resource development as it helps employees stay updated with the latest skills, knowledge and technology. With the fast-paced changes in the business environment, employees must receive regular training and development to keep up with the changes and enhance their skills.

In this podcast, we will explore how Lisa C. Willis, Analyst at Nike, has developed her resilience and used these skills to succeed in sports and work. Her experiences and insights will provide valuable guidance for anyone looking to become more resilient in their lives. Join us as we delve into sports and corporate learning and examine the notion of resilience with Lisa C Willis. Our in-house L&D specialist, Nolan Hout, Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning and the steadfast host of the podcast, will guide us through this exciting journey.

Listen to the Podcast to learn more:

Question:
Could you share the story of your journey and how it has led you to where you are now?

Question:
How did you come to develop a relationship between your experience in basketball and offering advice to companies and corporations in their transition and management processes? Was it a relationship you actively sought out, or did it develop due to your reputation in the basketball world?

Question:
What inspired your strong emphasis on resilience, and why do you think it is so important in today’s world? Can you trace it back to personal experiences, observations of loved ones or something else?

Question:
What lessons have you learned from giving your teachings to corporate and sports organizations, and what has been the biggest shock for you in this experience, especially considering your background as a basketball player?

Question:
What do you mean by high levels of resiliency distinguishing between one’s worth and value in one’s role and identity, and can you elaborate on that further?

Expert profile:

Mani Gopalakrishnan

Lisa C. Willis

Lisa C. Willis is a renowned expert in leadership development. She has a successful athletic career and teaches advanced business strategies to corporations globally. She is a former WNBA player and a sought-after speaker on women’s empowerment. Lisa is a 3-point leader in WNBA, a Latvian national champion, and the first female coach at the New York Knicks. She holds multiple records at UCLA, is a USA gold medalist, and is an Amazon bestselling author of “When the Buzzer Sounds.” She empowers athletes to become leaders and uses mental and emotional techniques to help corporations achieve their goals.

Nolan

Nolan Hout

Nolan Hout is the Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning. He has over a decade of experience in the L&D industry, helping global organizations unlock the potential of their workforce. Nolan is results-driven, investing most of his time in finding ways to identify and improve the performance of learning programs through the lens of return on investment. He is passionate about networking with people in the learning and training community. He is also an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, spending most of his free time on rivers across the Pacific Northwest.

An excerpt of the discussion follows:

Nolan:

Hello everyone. Welcome to the learning and development podcast sponsored by Infopro Learning.

As the host, Nolan Hout, I welcome you to today’s episode, where we will have the privilege of speaking with Lisa C Willis, a gold medal Olympian and former first-round WNBA player. Not only is Lisa a celebrated athlete, she also made history as the first female coach in the New York Knicks franchise and is a published author and motivational speaker. Although Lisa’s impressive athletic career is worth mentioning, this podcast is not solely focused on sports. Instead, our main topic is corporate learning.

We are thrilled to delve into the fascinating world of sports and explore the concept of resilience that both sports and work environments share. Our discussion will delve into the meaning of resilience and how we can learn from Lisa’s experiences as she shares insights from her book that focuses on resilience, comparing and contrasting the similarities between sports and the corporate world.

Well, let’s get this party started. Hi Lisa, welcome to the podcast. 

Lisa:

Hey, how’s it going?

Nolan:

I’m doing great, thank you for asking. I’m thrilled to be speaking with you today. As the first athlete to be featured on this podcast, I feel honored to have the opportunity to share my journey with you. Although I consider myself an athlete, I must admit that talking to someone like you, a gold medal winner, puts my athletic abilities to shame. Nevertheless, I’m eager to have this conversation.

Thanks for joining us. To start the podcast, we love getting to know our guests better by exploring their journeys. People often have such intriguing stories, and it’s not always easy to understand how they got to where they are today.

Could you share the story of your journey and how it has led you to where you are now?

Lisa:

That doesn’t make sense as a political science major to where I am now. So, I’m grateful for the question. I began playing basketball when I was eight and won’t go into a team-by-team analysis. However, I was enamored with many things about basketball from a very young age, one of which was winning. I could win in my region by playing basketball, which always motivated me. I had many opportunities, including going to UCLA on a scholarship, representing the US, winning a gold medal, and getting drafted into the WNBA, a dream come true.

However, this dream was short-lived, as it wasn’t my long-term goal. I started to pursue my dream of becoming a professional basketball player once I realized it was attainable. I was drafted 5th overall to the LA Sparks straight out of college and have had an incredible experience as a basketball player both on and off the court. However, this journey had its challenges. During my college years, I struggled with the emotional and mental aspects of being a star and not feeling completely fulfilled.

Mental health and well-being are a big topic of discussion right now, and I won’t say that I have mental health issues, but the mental part of sports can be difficult to make sense of. This was when I started to pay attention to how my coach treated other players and myself, which sparked my passion for leadership. I realized that I would do things differently if I were a coach. Sports, specifically basketball, is a microcosm of the world outside of sports, and it has allowed me to process things and make sense of them.

This has translated into my life outside of sports, as I’ve retired from basketball, started my own business, and become a speaker and an author. Basketball has been the catalyst for all of these accomplishments.

Lisa continued to speak about how basketball has been a source of success for her. She explains that she constantly thinks about basketball and how she would handle any situation, just like people used to wear bracelets with the phrase ” W.W.J.D,” but for her, it’s “What Would Lisa Willis #40 Do?”

She mentions how basketball has taught her to deal with disappointment, defeat, miscommunication, and resiliency, as they are all similar situations, just presented differently. Basketball is a place where she can tap into her skills and abilities.

How did you come to develop a relationship between your experience in basketball and offering advice to companies and corporations in their transition and management processes? Was it a relationship you actively sought out, or did it develop due to your reputation in the basketball world?

Lisa:

It’s a combination of both teaching basketball skills and personal development. After retiring from playing, I started a company called Need A Jumper to help others improve their shooting abilities. However, my approach also included addressing social and emotional issues while making my players feel valued and confident. This mindset makes me successful, and its what employers and managers want in their employees – a driven, self-motivated, high-performing individual with an athlete’s mindset. I can share my experiences and those of my former teammates and opponents to help others develop the same mindset.

Nolan:

What inspired your strong emphasis on resilience, and why do you think it is so important in today’s world? Can you trace it back to personal experiences, observations of loved ones or something else?

Lisa:

As a basketball player, there are countless opportunities to exhibit resilience. I call it the “get it back on defense mentality.” This means that even if you make a mistake on the offensive end, the most prominent place where embarrassment may be felt, you have to recover and get back in the game quickly. My definition of resiliency is quickly returning to a better state than before. Acting quickly is important, as slow recovery is not true resilience. Instead, it’s a wasted opportunity for growth.

When faced with adversities, such as losing your job, it’s crucial to keep moving forward by looking for opportunities. You have to keep your head up, be ready to reap the benefits of your efforts, and trust yourself, the process, and the growth you have achieved. By following this game plan, you can beat any adversity that comes your way.

Other questions asked during the podcast are:

  • What lessons have you learned from giving your teachings to corporate and sports organizations, and what has been the biggest shock for you in this experience, especially considering your background as a basketball player?
  • What do you mean by high levels of resiliency distinguishing between one’s worth and value in one’s role and identity, and can you elaborate on that further?

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