Tag Archive for: leadership

Rally Mentality and Football

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Why Mindset is the Game-Changer

Rally Mentality: A Winning Playbook On and Off the Field

Football is back! According to Statista.com, The NFL is one of the most widely televised sporting leagues in the world. Whether you are a football fan or not, it’s likely that you know someone who is (including me!). While I personally am a fan (years of cheering on high school, college and professional sidelines), today’s blog post isn’t about joining a fantasy football league, Taylor Swift attending games or who is going to win the Super Bowl.  

Today’s blog post is simply asking a question: What do football and Rally Mentality have in common? 

Everything that matters when the pressure is on. After years of supporting leaders and teams through my Rally Mentality™ program, I’ve seen the same principles ignite championship moments in boardrooms and locker rooms alike. Whether you’re suiting up for a high stakes match or a game-changing meeting, knowing how to rally is the secret to resilience, unity, and victory. 

The Heart of Resilience

Rally Mentality is the ability to rise, especially when the odds are stacked against you. It means resilience isn’t built at the beginning; it’s forged in the comeback — when you choose to get up, regroup, and push forward despite setbacks. The Rally Mentality program inspires this mindset, helping individuals and corporate teams leverage their inner grit and become unstoppable at reaching life and career goals. 

The Foundation behind Rally Mentality

The Mental Game Is Essential

Football might be famous for tackles and touchdowns, but ask any elite player or coach, and they’ll say at least half of the game is mental. I would say the same is true for any venture (including cheerleading!). When the stakes are high and the pressure is tough, your ability to stay mentally strong is what separates champions from contenders.    

Bouncing Back from Setbacks

Just like having a Rally Mentality, athletic success is determined by how quickly you bounce back when you make a mistake or things go wrong. A resilient athlete or a resilient team doesn’t dwell on losses. Instead, they are mentally equipped to adapt, pivot and use setbacks as fuel for improvement. 

Example in Action

Consider a team down at halftime. In the locker room, a powerful rally speech can reawaken belief and inspire a turnaround. History is filled with comeback victories sparked by a unified, resilient mentality. The same is possible for corporate teams. With the right leadership and the right mindset, you can turn anything around for success. 

Power of Teamwork: Rallying Together

 
Strength in Numbers

One of my favorite parts about cheerleading and football is the lesson in building a strong team. One of the biggest misconceptions about cheering in the NFL, is that we aren’t united. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth! At least in Kansas City, we deeply respected and valued one another. The same is true in all team sports. It’s never just a solo act. The trick is, building a culture that rallies around each other. Just like what I teach about having a Rally Mentality in all aspects of life.  

Lessons for Leaders

If you have a leadership title, building a culture of encouragement and setting the foundation rooted in a shared mission is what’s going to help your organization thrive. 

Composure in the Clutch

Pressure packed moments define football. Think about all of the fourth quarter drives or turnovers. The same goes in life. When I lived on a canoe in the Florida Everglades for two weeks with a team of ten people, we were studying Situational Leadership. The purpose was simple: how did you react or respond when your back was against the wall? When you were at your most uncomfortable? When you had to think quickly on your feet and hope that you were making the right, split-second decision? 

The same goes for our careers. How composed we are for that big presentation or how we handled the deadline under stress or pressure. If you are able to adopt a Rally Mentality, you can master your mindset and perform, when it counts the most!   

Training Mental Strength

I’ll never forget when I first learned about mastering your mindset. I decided to run track in high school in my off-season of cheerleading. I wanted to stay active so that I could come back the following year as an even better cheerleader. Before my first big track meet, the track coach had us lay in the grass, eyes closed, and visualize our stride, coming around each bend, how we would strategically prioritize our movements. That first time of visualizing my race, coupled with strengthening my self-talk and mindset, helped boost my performance. 

These are the same strategies I talk about in Rally Mentality workshops! I strongly believe that everyone can learn to improve their courage and confidence.    

The Importance of Flexibility

Game Days can change in an instant. This is where great competitors thrive. Opponents adjust, new challenges emerge and market variables can change. However, teams with a Rally Mentality don’t panic; they adapt, trust, and innovate. Likewise, in organizations, teams need to regroup, find creative solutions, and conquer unexpected obstacles.

Celebrating Small Wins, Pursuing Big Goals

Motivation That Lasts

Football teams build momentum by celebrating every yard gained, not just the final result. Rally Mentality instills the same practice: cheer small victories, recognize progress, and use them as springboards to bigger achievements[2]. That celebration on the field or at work, fuels sustained motivation.

Rally Mentality in My Journey: From NFL Cheerleader to Keynote Speaker

Personal Lessons from the Field

My experience as an NFL cheerleader and peak performance architect taught me that spirit, unity, and grit are the seeds of success, particularly on any field. I created the Rally Mentality program to bring these lessons to business, sports, and everyday life; to show what’s possible when people rally together and refuse to let setbacks define them.

How You Can Build a Winning Mindset Today

Takeaways for Your Team

  • Embrace challenges: use setbacks as learning moments.
  • Support each other: celebrate small wins often.
  • Stay adaptable: change is part of every journey.
  • Lead by example: your attitude determines your team’s altitude.

Conclusion: Rally Mentality and Football — A Championship State of Mind

Whether you’re on the field or in the office, Rally Mentality and football both prove that it’s not what knocks you down that matters — it’s how you rally. The skills of resilience, teamwork, adaptability, and unshakeable belief are the true game-changers that drive victory in any arena.

Are you ready to rally?
📩 Get in touch: Shannon@ShannonMcKain.com 
🌐 Learn more: www.ShannonMcKain.com 
📱 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmckain/AI won't replace Human InteractionsABOUT THE AUTHOR Shannon McKain is a motivational keynote speaker and a business consultant based in Dallas. She has worked in nearly all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders. Looking for a keynote speaker or consultant who can speak on these issues with expertise? Let’s chat! 

Certified Speaking Professional – CSP

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Certified Speaking Professional – CSP:

 

A Heartfelt Milestone in My Speaking Career

 

Grateful Reflections on Achieving CSP

Becoming a Certified Speaking Professional – CSP is more than a professional title—it’s a profound achievement marking one of the proudest moments in my speaking career.

Since the day I learned that being a “professional speaker” was a career, I dreamed about earning my CSP. Last week, I finally got to stand on that stage, in front of 1,000 of my peers from across the world, as I was awarded the highest earned designation in the speaking industry. Less than 17% of professional speakers worldwide have achieved this honor, bestowed by the National Speakers Association.

This didn’t happen without years of blood, sweat and tears, This wasn’t accomplished overnight. And most importantly, this didn’t happen without commitment, grit, failure, hard work and support.

The Journey: From Passion to Pinnacle

Pursuing CSP demanded relentless effort, discipline, and resilience. Earning this distinction—a mark held by fewer than 17% of speakers globally—required:

  • Delivering 250+ paid presentations across five years.
  • Consistently exceeding expectations for more than 100 organizations and audiences.
  • Submitting rigorous peer reviews: not just on stage performance, but business ethics, client satisfaction, income, and ongoing professional growth.

Every single keynote, workshop, and virtual event asked me to rise higher: to prepare, practice, learn, adapt, and deliver value. The late nights, the cross-country flights, and even moments of self-doubt were real. But my passion for helping people shift their mindsets and lead their best lives gave me the energy to keep climbing.

The Heart of My Success: My Clients

None of this would be possible without the organizations, event planners, and audiences who welcomed me onto their stages and into their lives. Your trust, your feedback, and your willingness to partner with me fueled my pursuit of excellence.

To every client who chose me, offered a testimonial, or sent a note of thanks—you have shaped who I’ve become as a speaker. Your challenges inspired fresh solutions, Your stories brought new insights, Your encouragement provided the strength I needed to keep pushing forward.

To all my past clients: thank you for giving me your platform, your people, and your partnership. This achievement is as much yours as it is mine.

The Joy and Responsibility of Earning CSP

Holding the CSP designation fills me with extraordinary joy and deep gratitude. It’s the result of perseverance through setbacks, embracing feedback with courage, and striving to improve every single day.

But this milestone also carries new meaning: a commitment to maintain the highest standards, evolve with every experience, and offer unwavering enthusiasm to every engagement. As a CSP, I pledge to keep innovating, keep serving, and keep inspiring.

Looking Back and Ahead

Reflecting on my path—from my days as a student leader in 4-H, being an NFL cheerleader to now being recognized as a peak performance architect and leadership speaker recognized for my signature keynote: Rally Mentality™, CSP represents the summit of my efforts, but also a starting line for the next phase of giving back.

If you’re dreaming of this milestone, know the journey is challenging, rewarding, and worth every ounce of dedication.

From My Heart: Thank You

To my clients, mentors, friends, and family: your belief in me is the foundation of this achievement. Thank you for making it possible. I can’t wait to discover what we can accomplish together as I carry the Certified Speaking Professional – CSP badge into future events, keynotes, and transformative experiences. Let’s keep rallying, keep growing, and keep making an unforgettable impact—together!

🌟 Want more tools, talks, and high-vibe strategy?

📩 Get in touch: Shannon@ShannonMcKain.com
🌐 Learn more: www.ShannonMcKain.com
📱 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmckain/ 

AI won't replace Human Interactions

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shannon McKain is a motivational keynote speaker and a business consultant based in Dallas. She has worked in nearly all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders. Looking for a keynote speaker or consultant who can speak on these issues with expertise? Let’s chat!

Fake Job Posts: Have You Been Hacked?

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Employers, have you ever used a job board to recruit top talent? If so, keep reading about cyber criminals hacking job boards.

You might not be aware that cybercriminals are scamming companies and job seekers via job boards. These nefarious individuals are savvy in their approach, creating vulnerabilities from several angles. I’ve put together some safety tips and tricks for employers to know while creating job board listings.

Hackers are logging into your job board accounts and creating listings under your company profile.

Perhaps you created an account with a job board years ago and haven’t logged in since. Or maybe you are using an easy password so that multiple people inside your company can log in. Regardless, it’s important to note that you must keep all of your online accounts secure. Otherwise, they are vulnerable to hackers stealing your company data, posing as you, and stealing applicants’ information. Here are some tips to mitigate this issue:

  1. Make sure to monitor all of your accounts, whether you are actively using them or not. Do a periodic checkup of all of your accounts and make sure you know exactly who has access to them. Perhaps you need to change user permissions or access.
  2. Update your passwords. Make it a habit. While it’s frustrating to keep remembering new passwords, it will also safeguard you from unwanted drama. By periodically changing your login information, you can proactively get ahead of hackers.
  3. Always check your credit cards for bogus charges. Hackers are using the data in your account to create new job listings to attract candidates. These extra charges will show up on your credit card statements alerting you that your company profile on a job board might’ve been hacked.

Hackers are creating fake profiles on job boards posing as your company.

Seems like a lot of work, right? But, it’s the latest way hackers are trying to scam folks. Perhaps your job board accounts are secure. But, what you might not realize is that online scammers are creating fake profiles that appear as your company. While this may not directly impact your business, it can create confusion within your community, reduce confidence in your organization, and hurt potential employees.

  1. Take a few minutes today to cross-reference and check that everything on your job board listed is active and credible. This is a super easy step that can be done periodically and quickly.
  2. Do a quick google search and make sure nothing false or shady appears. Try searching different keywords and phrases to see what comes up. This is also great practice for brand awareness too!

If you DO have an active job opening, take these precautions while interacting with potential employees.

Hackers are incredibly savvy in gaining insights, data, and knowledge into your organization. They go at it from every angle.  Additionally, something as simple as a link on a resume can take down your entire computer system. Here are some best practices to mitigate any company-wide damage.

  1. Always double-check the email address you are receiving information from. Hackers can pose as individuals applying to your company, but if the email address seems fishy, it could very well be.
  2. Avoid receiving or opening word documents from any applicant. Encourage applicants to send you PDF copies of their materials. This will cut down on any unwanted malware or clickbait.
  3. Do not click any links that candidates send you without 100% confidence.

Have other tips or advice? Feel free to leave us a comment below. While we are busy helping organizations create world-class teams, we also stay on top of the latest news and data impacting our clients.

Fake job posts: have your company job postings been hacked by cyber criminals hacking job boards

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shannon McKain is a motivational keynote speaker and a business consultant based in Dallas. She has worked in nearly all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders. Looking for a keynote speaker or consultant who can speak on these issues with expertise? Let’s chat!

2020 Vision

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October 1st crept up on me.

Ahhhh, October. The leaves are changing. Pumpkin spice flavors appear on every menu. School is (usually) in full-swing. Football games consume our weekends, and annual trips to the pumpkin patch and apple orchards pepper our social media pages.  It’s also the beginning of the last quarter of the calendar year…a subtle reminder that we’re running out of time to cross things off our “goals to finish this year” list.  

I remember October 2019 like it was yesterday. My friends and I were enjoying pizza at Sixty Vines, a popular spot in Dallas. My event planner friend told the group how excited she was for her 2020 conference titled “Vision 2020.” It was going to be a huge conference with all the bells and whistles, and her company was planning an awesome celebration to culminate the event.

[Insert mic drop] If only we’d had 2020 vision a year ago.

Like you, I had audacious goals for 2020. This was going to be MY year. I was slated to speak at more conferences than ever before. I debuted a new keynote in December 2019 that was very well-received and I had to plans to expand my business.  

And then, March happened.  The virus and pandemic changed everything we knew about our ways of life.

The last seven months have been strange, and over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about my goals from January 1st. I had many New Year’s resolutions, hopes and dreams, and was determined to take my work ethic to a new level this year. I realized that even though October sneaked up on me, it’s not too late to make 2020 the year I had intended it to be.

Together, let’s vow to be intentional with the last three months of the year. Here’s my plan.

If you follow me on social media, you know I swear by the Best Self Journal. It categorizes three important goals into 13 weeks to divide and conquer. So, I just started a new journal and set some attainable goals:

Write 6-8 blog posts between now and December 31

Create 4-6 new YouTube videos between now and December 31

Start building an online course that goes along with my new keynote

If you had to sit down today and write out three major goals for yourself, what would they be? I’d love to hear yours. Send me an email or tag me in your post so I can see!

Let’s fight to finish this year strong! Work toward that career move you wanted prior to the pandemic. If you are a leader in your organization, find a way to build unity and strength with your team. But no matter what, let’s not waste these last three months. We still have an opportunity to show up for our careers, our spouses, our families and our friends in all the best ways. A new normal doesn’t mean giving 50%. Let’s give these next 180 days all we’ve got.

PS – if you want to buy a journal, I still have a code to get 15% off! Use “ShanDance” at checkout.

Four Journals

Looking for your next Keynote Motivational Speaker? Let’s chat!

Shannon is a motivational speaker and business consultant based in Dallas, TX. She has worked in almost all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders.

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Building Great Teams During a Pandemic

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Building great teams under normal circumstances can be challenging.  Building great teams during a pandemic can feel down right impossible. Many of us are struggling to find a work/life balance while operating with remote workforces, a myriad of distractions, added pressures and uncharted waters.

How can we use these (often uncomfortable) circumstances to make our teams better?

Let’s go back to the basics.

In cheerleading, I learned that “practice makes perfect.” We constantly honed in on the number of reps we could physically do over and over and over again. The simple thought was that by pushing the number of reps we completed, we could create muscle memory that would pull every team member through any difficult scenario we faced.  

On Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker proved that methodology applies to more than cheerleading.

Cliff Notes:

  • With four seconds remaining in the game, the Chiefs tied it up to take the game in to overtime.
  • During overtime, the Chiefs were forced to a fourth down, and Butker was thrust into a pressure cooker situation: a two-minute warning, a false-start penalty and a timeout from the Chargers, undoubtedly used as an additional means of distraction.
  • Butker was forced to kick THREE times in less than three minutes. Because of a penalty against his team, his third kick was from 58 yards out, the second longest field goal ever kicked, to win a game in overtime since 1974.

During a time of additional distractions and pressures, Butker went back to the basics. He relied on the long kicks he repeated over and over this summer. 

While few of us are professional athletes, we can use Butker’s “back to basics” approach to help build a better team.

  • Figure out the assignment, then do the homework. What does every team member need to do in order to be successful?
  • Push the reps. Does your team need more leadership drills? Communication exercises? Marketing knowledge?
  • Lead and support.  Lead with confidence that your team has the skills necessary to succeed. And don’t ask your team to do anything you aren’t willing to do yourself;  strong teams begin with strong leaders who are willing to walk alongside!

When your back is against the wall, the stakes are high and the team is counting on you – instill in your team that they have the skills to succeed.  Remind them of their past wins and acknowledge the work they’ve put in.  Encourage and reinforce the behavior that has helped them get this far. Be willing to call in reinforcements, perhaps in the form of extra training, to help your team succeed and to show that you’re willing to contribute to help them achieve progress over perfection.

Looking for your next Keynote Motivational Speaker? Let’s chat!

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Shannon is a motivational speaker and business consultant based in Dallas, TX. She has worked in almost all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders.

Do you have this one key attribute?

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I was recently leading a two-day workshop for the leaders of various divisions across a company. We were having a blast talking all things leadership, emotional intelligence, generational differences and personal development in the workplace.

I love having opportunities like this to spend so much time with corporate or student leadership teams, helping them grow and evolve!

As we started the self-awareness piece of the workshop, I asked all attendees to complete a personality test. Though I was certain everyone in the room had taken various tests throughout their careers, I wanted to focus on a different aspect for the purpose of our training. I handed each attendee a 40-question test and upon completion, we compiled the answers into four groupings of “personalities.”

As we looked at the attributes of the personality groups, nearly everyone nodded in agreement as they unveiled attributes that defined the group in which they felt like they belonged: “life of the party,” “analytical,” “inclusive,” “logical,” and so on.

Then, I changed the results from how the participant saw him or herself, to how others interpreted those personalities in the workplace. In one case, the HR Director saw herself as rational, firm on policy, and tough-minded. However, others in the office saw her as critical, ruthless, and lacking empathy. She was shocked to hear how she was perceived by her co-workers.

Being self-aware about our emotions isn’t just about knowing if we are happy or sad. It’s also about being aware of how our behaviors and emotions affect those with whom we interact. Understanding this could make all the difference in how successful our interactions are in the workplace.

It has been proven that people who are self-aware are able to achieve much more success because of this one key attribute.

If you are curious about ways to strengthen your self-awareness as it relates to personality and emotional intelligence, try this exercise:

Download your own worksheet:  SelfAwarenessActivity

On a piece of paper, create three columns: self awareness, perceived awareness, and other’s feedback. Write down all of the attributes you believe to be true about yourself in the first column. In the middle column, create a list of how you think others see you. Remember, it’s important for us to understand how we are perceived by others! The final column may take some time but is so worth it! Find a few people whom you trust to provide candid and constructive feedback.

Here’s a sample email you could send to these people:

Hi! I am working on my goals and self-awareness. Would you consider providing honest and constructive feedback about these four questions? I have intentionally left them open-ended so you can provide answers in your own words. Thanks, in advance, for helping me become a better {peer, coworker, student, boss, etc.}.

In the workplace, please describe how you view me in these areas:

  • Personality: Do others see me as funny? Inclusive? Kind? Hard to work with? Easy going? Strict on deadlines? Overly emotional?
  • Work Product: How can I improve my work as part of the overall team/company success?
  • Strengths: What are my strengths and how can I better use them to contribute to our team?
  • Weaknesses: Are there things I do that may be perceived as a weakness or that may prevent me from being seen as a leader in the office?

I hope this exercise helps you become more self-aware and emotionally intelligent in all areas of your life. My goal is to create more cohesive teams and develop better leaders, and I believe that being emotionally intelligent about ourselves and those around us is key for optimal success!

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Shannon is a motivational speaker based in Dallas, TX. She has worked in almost all 50 states with audiences ranging from corporate executives to student leaders.