<p dir="ltr">Then he got put in charge of a losing team, and he turned them into winners.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dan Quinn is Head Coach of the Washington Commanders. He was fired from the Atlanta Falcons back in 2020, then signed up for a "360 review" where he solicited feedback from former players, peers, and bosses. He then brought all those learnings to his new job at the Commanders, where last year (his first year with the team), he created a very interesting culture. They had a surprisingly great, headline-making season last year, and their opening game of this season is today, September 7. </p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode we talk about:</p> <ul> <li>How to solicit and handle tough feedback</li> <li>How to give clear feedback without being a jerk</li> <li>Secrets for getting the best out of people</li> <li>Strategies for recovering from defeat and other varieties of setbacks</li> </ul> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Related Episodes:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.danharris.com/p/how-to-stop-worrying-about-what-people-79f?r=4o5o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false"> How To Stop Worrying About What People Think Of You | Michael Gervais</a></p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.danharris.com/p/dr-michael-gervais-sports-psychologist-250?r=4o5o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false"> Dr. Michael Gervais, Sports Psychologist</a></p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.danharris.com/p/the-performance-whisperer-george-afb?r=4o5o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false"> The "Performance Whisperer" George Mumford Has Deep Strategies for Flow and Success</a></p> </li> </ul> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Join Dan's online community <a href="http://www.danharris.com/">here</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Follow Dan on social: <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J">TikTok</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Subscribe to our <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD">YouTube Channel</a></p> <p dir="ltr">On Sunday, September 21st from 1-5pm ET, join Dan and Leslie Booker at the New York Insight Meditation Center in NYC as they lead a workshop titled, "Heavily Meditated – The Dharma of Depression + Anxiety." This event is both in-person and online. Sign up <a href="https://www.nyimc.org/event/heavily-meditated/">here</a>!</p> <p dir="ltr">Get ready for another Meditation Party at Omega Institute! This in-person workshop brings together Dan with his friends and meditation teachers, Sebene Selassie, Jeff Warren, and for the first time, Ofosu Jones-Quartey. The event runs October 24th-26th. Sign up and learn more <a href="http://eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party-2025">here</a>!</p> <p dir="ltr">To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit <a href="https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris">https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris</a></p> <p> </p>
Actionable Insights
1. Solicit 360 Feedback Proactively
Proactively seek 360-degree feedback from bosses, peers, and direct reports, whether things are going well or not, to uncover blind spots and areas for improvement.
After receiving feedback, identify the specific lessons and immediately strategize how to apply them to your current or next role to drive real change.
3. Avoid Spreading Yourself Thin
Recognize when you are taking on too many tasks or helping too many people, as this can dilute your focus and effectiveness on your primary responsibilities.
4. Cultivate Presence in Interactions
Create specific time slots in your schedule to ensure you are fully present when interacting with people, rather than being scattered, to build stronger relationships and maximize your effectiveness.
5. Build Foundational Relationships
Prioritize establishing strong, authentic relationships with people before needing to deliver critical feedback, as superficial relationships lead to superficial coaching.
6. Deliver Feedback Respectfully
Give direct feedback supported by evidence, ensuring it’s not demeaning, and confirm understanding by asking the recipient to repeat back what they heard.
7. Leaders: Solicit Your Own Feedback
As a leader, actively ask those you lead for feedback on your own performance, making it comfortable for others to offer constructive input and fostering collaboration.
8. Understand Others’ Core Motivations
Invest time in learning an individual’s ‘why’ – their background, values, and what drives them – to better connect with them and understand what they are fighting for.
9. Anticipate and Embrace Adversity
Expect challenges and setbacks in life and competition, viewing them as opportunities to adjust, demonstrate resilience, and leverage ‘prove it moments’ for growth.
After a loss or setback, immediately ask what lessons can be learned and how to handle similar scenarios differently in the future, making the experience count.
11. Collaborate on Setback Solutions
Discuss losses and challenges openly with your team or group to collectively identify what could have been done differently and develop new processes together.
12. Uphold Internal Standards
Define and adhere to your own team’s internal standards for behavior and performance, rather than being driven by external expectations or public opinion.
13. Daily Practice of Critical Scenarios
Integrate the regular practice of high-stakes, critical moments into your daily routine, building confidence and readiness for when they occur in real competition.
Balance critical feedback by regularly acknowledging and explaining when standards are met or exceeded, reinforcing desired behaviors and exceptional work.
15. Prioritize Critical Feedback Review
When reviewing feedback, intentionally focus on the critical areas for improvement rather than getting sidetracked by positive comments, to address issues effectively.