We’re speaking with Kristin Ihle Molinaroli, formerly Kristin Ihle Helledy. Kristin Ihle Molinaroli, Ph.D., is a seven-time All-American athlete who competed professionally for Nike and was on seven
We’re speaking with Kristin Ihle Molinaroli, formerly Kristin Ihle Helledy. Kristin Ihle Molinaroli, Ph.D., is a seven-time All-American athlete who competed professionally for Nike and was on seven U.S.A. teams.
She’s worked with NCAA teams and athletes, applying sport psychology and enabling positive team functioning. She, of course, has her own personal experiences being a teammate in what she calls “a past life.” For those who are curious, she ran as Kris Ihle and Kris Ihle Helledy for Nike. Additionally, she has two sons pursuing collegiate hockey and is working with a family advisor to guide their journey.
When you’re looking for talent in the business world, what exactly should you be looking for? We’ve all seen successful athletes, as well as business leaders and innovators — what makes them tick? When assessing talent for your organization, we all hope to find that gem in the rough and perhaps discover the next Tom Brady or Mary Barra. But what’s at the core of such individuals?
We’re here to discuss Molinaroli’s expertise in talent both on and off the field. “I’d begin by sharing that while I have rich experiences in the world of athletics and the business world, I’m an expert on nothing,” says Ihle Molinaroli, “but I have professional training and experiences, and personal experiences that provide insight. My insights may work for some, but not for others. I try not to be prescriptive, but rather allow folks to adopt what’s relevant to them.
“I’ve had many discussions with college coaches, business leaders, and family advisers. We talk about talent differentiators — the intangibles. What I’m about to share is combined wisdom from many. Keep in mind this is not a formal research article or study. This is simply decades of experiences and input from people along the way,” says Molinaroli.
There are table stakes for entry, such as self-initiative, being smart and a student of the game, having the discipline to hone your craft, skill and drive, and a little luck on your side. So what differentiates talent in both sports and business? There are three key ingredients.
Coachability. Molinaroli suggests there are so many talented athletes we never hear about because their talent goes to the wayside. “They may have had raw skill, but their inability to take corrective reinstruction blocked their learning. This is no different than an employee or manager who rejects or dismisses others’ perceptions,” says Molinaroli, who calls it “mental agility.” Molinaroli states, “Your top talent, on or off the field, doesn’t only accept feedback and course correction. Your top talent proactively seeks information and data to hone their game. Self-awareness is an essential ingredient. It’s necessary, but not sufficient.” What Molinaroli means is a person needs to actively seek feedback, understand their impact on others (and the game/business), and make personal changes to enhance their game and the team around them. Coachability tip: Kristin Molinaroli says not to wait for someone to coach and develop you. Instead, she says, “Find a way to get feedback from others. You don’t need a formal process; just find people in your network who are willing to give meaningful feedback rather than accolades.”
Herb Brooks, coach of the 1980 Olympics men’s U.S.A. hockey team, could speak to coachability. That team had no “right” beating the hockey dynasty of the Soviet Union, but it did. What was the difference? Every athlete was “coachable” and Brooks had unique methods for incentivizing coachability.
Team First. This can be tricky in the sports world. Molinaroli tells us, “A lot of our rewards in sports focus on individual stats. This can make it difficult to put the team first.” She adds, “Imagine a top recruited point guard whose top forward gets injured midseason. Now that same point guard may be called upon to be a small forward. You’d likely change the team strategy as well.” What happens to the guard’s stats? How will it affect her recruitment? Will it affect a signing bonus if she’s destined for the WNBA? Molinaroli indicates, “It might be easy for us lay people to say, ‘No question I’d make that sacrifice for my basketball team,’ but such things can have a very real, tangible impact. It’s the mature player who can see beyond and put the team first.” In the business world, this means being willing to put the enterprise ahead of your department. “It’s natural to advocate for the resources you need for your team and it is not inherently a bad thing,” Molinaroli says. “The real test comes when times are tough — can you make a sacrifice that impacts your team, but helps your service line or enterprise?” Team First Tip: Molinaroli suggests employees and teammates take the time to understand the priorities and obstacles of other departments. “You’ll be able to speak to their needs, recognize why your priorities are not theirs, and it could even help you build out better cross-functional solutions.” While perhaps an extreme example, gymnast Kerri Strug competed in the vault in the 1996 Olympics in obvious pain. She landed on both feet and then collapsed to the mat with two torn ligaments. When asked, she said the team gold medal was on the line. Her performance secured a U.S. gold and cost her surgery.
Play Any Position. Molinaroli tells us the willingness to play any position isn’t about being able to play every position but more of a mindset and commitment that sets talent apart. It’s important to understand how each position on a sports team contributes to executing a play. Molinaroli says, “The desire to do this can be taught to athletes and yet there’s an internal drive in some athletes to review film beyond the scheduled team session. You know it’s innate because it comes across as an insatiable desire to absorb all aspects of the game.” This allows the athlete to anticipate the actions of others and do things like throw a no-look pass with absolute confidence that a teammate will be there to catch it. In business, a manager with broad experiences can more effectively guide and coach others across many functions. Having a breadth of experiences — including business conditions — gives the manager a sense of appreciation and understanding for all that goes into creating a product. Managers also develop instincts that help them know what to look for when a project is on track or at risk of derailing. Play Any Position Tip: Molinaroli offers the following tip for those looking to hone “play the position.” She says, “Look for special projects that give you exposure to different sides of the business or a functional area. If conditions are right, consider lateral roles. Thinking of it as a career lattice, rather than ladder, can help people see the value of new opportunities that may not be hierarchically different.”
We see examples daily of people playing any position in the COVID-19 era. Principals teach classes. Managers work on the factory floor. Replacement players go in for first-team athletes. Business owners are doing jobs they weren’t likely doing three years ago.
Molinaroli says once you get past the basics — self-starter, drive and discipline to one’s craft, etc. — the top differentiators for top talent are often attitudinal and intangible. That said, you know the “it” factor when you see it. Molinaroli shared examples of how you can work on gaining mental agility, focus on the greater good (“we” versus “me”), and broaden your exposure — you just have to be looking. When looking for top talent she suggests interview questions that explore areas such as coachability, team first, and play any position.
