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The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

640: Tony Reno (Yale University Head Football Coach) - Writing a Team Creed, Leaving it Better Than You Found It, Going to Gettysburg, Leadership Retreats, & Winning Championships

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Ryan Hawk

Careers, Management, Business

4.81.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 June 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk

The Arena gives you direct access to some of the most respected coaching minds in the world. Led by HOFer Sherri Coale, Brook Cupps, Geron Stokes, and Eli Leiker. Leaders who have built winning programs, led at the highest levels, and shaped the next generation of elite performers. The Arena is a Learning Leader Circle for Coaches only. We are opening applications now for our first cohort. If you'd like to be part of it, CLICK HERE to apply. Once the cohort is full, we will be pausing applications.

This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver.

www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader

  • In Patient Pursuit of Greatness – In the spring of 2012, General McChrystal was teaching a leadership class at Yale. That’s when he met Tony Reno. He said about the meeting, “Not many things materially affect my trajectory. But this time was different. What was different? Coach Reno.”
  • The goal of the program: “Leave the jersey better than you found it.” 
  • The team creed, a pledge written by players on Team 142 (the 2014 squad), as they do at the start of every practice: “I vow to believe in the process, I am mentally and physically tough, I compete with passion and overcome any challenges. I stand tall alongside my family at all times, I challenge my brother, believe in him, hold him accountable. As I create my own path I always put team before myself, I strive for excellence on and off the field, I hold myself to a higher standard. I am a Yale football player.”
    • Standards - Every player must recite the creed. The younger players are coached by the older players.
  • The brick tradition - At each practice, one player presents his brick, then adds it to the others in the tunnel-- a visual reminder of the team’s solidarity. Reno instituted the tradition to build camaraderie through candid reflection.
    • Hero, Hometown, Hardship, Highlight. Someone who has impacted you. One word for the season.
  • His players went to bat for him. On December 28, Casey Gerald '09, a cornerback, and 63 other former players sent a letter endorsing Coach Reno's candidacy to athletic director Tom Beckett, and later to president Richard Levin and provost Peter Salovey. 12 days later, he earned the job.
  • Gettysburg Retreat: Yale's football team takes an annual retreat to Gettysburg with McChrystal to focus on leadership, bonding, and team culture.
  • Presidential Leadership - Lead people, but don’t do it for them.
  • When his players host recruits, they will tell Coach Reno if their character aligns with being a Yale football player. 
  • Coach Reno names a player of the day for each practice. The one who lives out their values and the Yale football player creed.
  • Life/Career advice - Help you become the best version of yourself in all you do. Make you an elite leader. Maximize you as a football player. Help you find your passion.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before we get to this episode, I am pumped to announce a new offering specifically for coaches.

0:06.8

If you are a coach, this could be for you.

0:10.9

We believe that big time coaches want to surround themselves with other high achievers.

0:16.0

Great coaches want to be in a group where high standards are the norm.

0:21.4

That's why our learning leader team of coaches have created the arena.

0:26.7

The arena is a private community of hungry, driven, growth-focused coaches.

0:32.5

This is led by the Goat Hall of Fame or Sherry Cole, Brooke Cups, Garen Stokes, and Eli Liker.

0:38.5

Now, Sherry, Brooke, Garen, and Eli are the people that I personally go to to become a better leader.

0:43.3

They've been working on the specific curriculum for the arena for the past year.

0:48.1

And they've been developing their approach to maximizing people for decades.

0:52.8

They will be sharing everything they've got if you are a member of the arena.

0:58.4

In addition to that, you'll be surrounding yourself with some of the other championship coaches

1:03.2

from around the world in all different sports.

1:06.2

The arena is an application-based community of the best coaches in the world.

1:11.4

Now, our initial cohort is being formed right now.

1:15.6

We just opened applications, and as soon as it's full, we will close applications.

1:20.6

Now, the arena might be for you if you're a high caliber, high character coach who is not afraid to be pushed, challenged, or work on yourself to be better for the people you're leading.

1:32.3

Now, if that's you, then go to learningleader.com slash arena to apply.

1:37.6

That's learning leader.com slash arena.

1:43.8

Welcome to the Learning Leader Show, presented by Insight Global.

1:49.9

I am your host, Ryan Hawk.

1:52.9

Thank you so much for being here.

...

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