Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. In this episode, we sit down with Kirk McCarley, The Seed Sower Coach, author, executive leadership coach, and ESPN production assistant, for an inspiring conversation about leadership, personal growth, faith, communication, confidence, and discovering your God-given potential. With more than 30 years of executive leadership experience across both public and private-sector organizations, Kirk has built a reputation for helping individuals grow beyond what they thought was possible. His coaching philosophy combines enthusiasm with reflection, determination with calm, and practical leadership experience with a deep belief in the potential within every person. As The Seed Sower Coach, Kirk works with clients to help them develop self-confidence, strengthen their leadership abilities, improve communication, and pursue meaningful personal and professional growth. But Kirk's story extends well beyond executive coaching. He also works as a Production Assistant for ESPN, supporting college football and basketball broadcasts, and stays active as a Certified Spinning Instructor, leading group cycling classes. Kirk is also the author of Thoughts for My Kids...and Other People's Kids, a collection of thoughtful vignettes exploring leadership, communication, relationships, life lessons, personal success, and the principles that can help people navigate life's journey. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore executive leadership, coaching, faith, confidence, communication, personal development, purpose, sports, ESPN, cycling, fatherhood, mentoring, and the lessons that can help us become better leaders and better human beings. Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, coach, parent, young professional, sports fan, or simply someone looking for inspiration and practical wisdom, Kirk's story offers plenty to take away. More Kirk McCarley The Seed Sower Coach For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991 Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

#hrleadership #careerchange #lifecoaching Most people who quit a job don't leave because of money — they leave because nobody told them what their job actually was. In this episode, Matthew sits down with Kirk McCarley, a 35-year HR veteran turned certified life and career coach (and longtime ESPN college sports statistician), to unpack how coaching really works, why advice-giving is the opposite of good coaching, and the metaphors — hiking, golf, Nick Saban's coaching tree — that help clients actually change behavior instead of just talking about it. Kirk also opens up about a near-fatal cycling accident, the forgiveness that followed, 46 years of marriage, and the two words he's using to guide his year: Move and Connect. Key takeaways • People quit jobs for two reasons more than money: they don't know what the job is, or they don't know how well they're doing it. • Coaching isn't advice-giving — it's asking deep questions until the client's own answer surfaces, then holding them accountable to it. • Behavior change feels worse before it feels better (the golf grip metaphor) — don't confuse short-term discomfort with the wrong path. • You can always ask forgiveness for doing something in the wrong direction; you can't ask forgiveness for doing nothing. • Ask permission before giving unsolicited feedback — it turns criticism into something the other person actually wants to hear. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - Kirk's Texas roots, sports stats, and how a fraternity gig led to broadcasting 02:20 - Falling into HR by accident and a 36-year career (1981–2017) 02:48 - Becoming a college football/basketball statistician for ESPN (38 years and counting) 04:42 - Why he left HR at 2013 to become a life, career, and executive coach 05:09 - HR vs. coaching: why advice-giving is the biggest difference 07:31 - The delegation parallel between leading at work and at home 09:14 - The real reason 85% of people leave a job (hint: it's not pay) 10:31 - Balancing clear direction with trusting people to do it their own way 12:33 - The hiking metaphor: how coaches help clients rediscover buried dreams 13:56 - The golf grip metaphor: why change feels worse before it feels better 16:59 - Knowing when to push through vs. when to walk away 19:23 - 46 years of marriage: laughter, shared faith, and celebrating each other's gifts 21:47 - Writing his book on the "top 3%" statistic that motivated him to finally do it 23:59 - The communication lesson: asking permission before giving feedback 26:51 - Life as a spinning instructor and lifelong cyclist 28:14 - A 7-day, 1,200-rider bike ride across Georgia 29:04 - The accident: broken ribs, a concussion, and 16 stitches 30:22 - Choosing forgiveness — and building a friendship with the driver who hit him 32:45 - His favorite sports stat: Dock Ellis's LSD-fueled no-hitter 34:40 - His words for the year: Move and Connect 35:49 - Where to find and connect with Kirk About the guest Kirk McCarley spent 35 years in Human Resources before retraining as a certified life, career, and executive coach in 2013. Alongside his HR career, he spent nearly three decades as a college football, basketball, baseball, and softball statistician for ESPN. He's also a spinning instructor, competitive cyclist, and author. Connect • Instagram: Kirk McCarley • https://theseedsowercoach.com/ • https://kirkmccarleyauthor.com/ • LinkedIn / Facebook: Kirk McCarley • Book: Thoughts for My Kids (and Other People's Kids, Too) by Kirk McCarley - https://amzn.to/4pgdCrh #hrleadership #careerchange #lifecoaching #stayhungrypodcast #executivecoaching

Kirk McCarley is welcomed to the show, where the conversation begins with the importance and benefits of community connections. The episode celebrates the spirit of small towns and highlights the role of local businesses in fostering a sense of unity. Kirk discusses his career journey, reflecting on his experience at ESPN and the transition that followed. He shares insights into his book, offering listeners a glimpse into his expertise and perspective. The episode concludes with information on where to find more about Kirk's work and contributions. #communityconnections #smalltownspirit #localbusinesses #espn #experience #careertransition #KirkMcCarley #sportsnetwork #bookdiscussions #sportsanalysis #interviews Powered by Dynamic AI Hub https://dynamicaihub.com/ Super charge your podcast production with Podcast AI - book your onboarding call and mention The Scene Projects https://calendly.com/podcastai Help Operation Combating Veteran Suicide #ReduceThe22 by donating any amount at https://oc-vs.com Fueled by 1st Phorm Energy and Nutrition - The Best Energy drink in the history of Earth - https://1stphorm.com/?a_aid=bubbastartz Get more energy and Biblical inspiration daily with Exodus Strong - buy it here https://exodusstrong.com/pages/fatigue-to-fire?a_aid=BubbaStartz Support the show and look your best with Cufflinks.com Use the link to shop today https://tidd.ly/3Jsd2pv Book more guests on your podcast with Podmatch https://www.joinpodmatch.com/thesceneprojects Ready to use AI to supercharge your business? Get ahold of M2AI and use code BUBBA in the refferal to take your business into the future https://m2aiagency.com/biz_deep_dive Learn about affiliate marketing on your own podcast/channel https://masteraffiliateprofits.com/tdf/JM6x4N Need to upgrade the quality of your content but don't have the $$$ Use Lensrentals.com and this link to save $25 https://share.lensrentals.com/x/JWdIQk Welcome to the Scene Projects Sports Network – your ultimate destination for all things sports! From high school athletes to professional leagues, we cover it all. Catch in-depth coverage of the St. Paul Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Midwest Premier Football League, United Indoor Football Association, NCAA Division 1 sports, and more. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, we bring you highlights, analysis, interviews, and exclusive content from the world of sports. Subscribe now and never miss a moment of the action! #SceneProjectsSportsNetwork #AllSportsCovered #MidwestSportscasters

Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2312159/open_sms) What do a sports statistician, a leadership coach, and a master storyteller have in common? A powerful understanding of what truly makes communication effective. In this episode of Speaking With Confidence, I welcome Kirk McCarley, executive career coach, ESPN talent statistician, and self-proclaimed "wealthy man" (thanks to his relationships, not his bank account). Kirk shares how his behind-the-scenes role in live broadcasting taught him lessons that apply far beyond the sports world, especially about presence, preparation, and the power of listening. From stories of maraschino cherry theft to lessons from a beloved neighbor, this episode dives deep into what it really means to be a powerful communicator. It’s not about saying more—it’s about listening better, slowing down, and connecting with intention. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why active listening skills are your #1 communication tool • How technology is killing connection, and how to fight back • What leadership communication looks like in daily life • Why “being present” is more powerful than being polished • How overcoming imposter syndrome starts with preparation, not perfection Kirk’s take on communication is both grounding and inspiring, reminding us that our greatest influence doesn’t come from speaking louder, but from listening more deeply. Connect with Kirk: theseedsowercoach.com (http://theseedsowercoach.com/) kirkmccarleyauthor.com (http://kirkmccarleyauthor.com/) https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mccarley-1bbba950/ https://www.instagram.com/kirkmccarley/ https://www.facebook.com/KirkMcCarleyTheSeedSowerCoach/ Visit TimNewmanSpeaks.com (https://timnewmanspeaks.com/) to grab your free resource, The Top 21 Challenges for Public Speakers and How to Overcome Them, and start building the confidence you deserve. Support the show (https://cash.app/$TimNATC) Want to be a guest on Speaking With Confidence? Send Tim Newman a message on PodMatch (https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/timnewman) Speaking With Confidence (https://timnewmanspeaks.com) Formula for Public Speaking (https://speakingwithconfidencecourse.com) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TimNewmanSpeakingWithConfidence) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices)