069: "How Parental Presence Intersect Across Sports And Leadership" (lessons from Sandy Cohan) Artwork

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I Have Some Questions...

069: "How Parental Presence Intersect Across Sports And Leadership" (lessons from Sandy Cohan)

October 31, 2025 • Erik Berglund

🧠 Erik’s Take

In this follow-up to his powerful interview with Sandy Cohan, Erik reflects on how grit, standards, and parental presence intersect across sports and leadership. With stories from the soccer field and frameworks from the professional world, he distills the conversation down into three big insights that matter just as much at home as they do in the office.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

Grit is built by winning today. It’s not about toughness—it’s about consistent action in the face of resistance.
Competition teaches standards. It reveals that there are better performers, which is essential to understanding direction, humility, and growth.
Clear expectations define strong cultures. Whether in youth sports or corporate teams, the best organizations articulate and live their standards from the start.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik shares how this episode hit close to home as a father coaching his daughter's soccer team. He reflects on the tension between supporting your kids and pushing them, and how easy it is to forget your role as a parent, not a coach. The line “Be the constant, not the coach” struck a chord, reaffirming the power of simply being present and loving, especially after loss or failure.

🧰 From Insight to Action

🧭 Clarify your team’s (or family’s) North Star. Whether in business or parenting, define what you’re about—and follow through.
🏆 Use competition as a feedback loop. Let it help you or your team learn how to improve, not just win.
💬 Adopt the phrase “I love watching you play.” It’s the most powerful, non-coaching affirmation a parent can give.
🔄 Practice being consistent. Your presence matters more than your advice—especially when emotions are high.
📚 Get curious about standards. Where in your life are expectations clear? Where are they missing?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“Grit is the muscle of ‘I can do hard things.’ And that muscle gets built one day at a time.”

“Competition is the feedback loop that reveals standards. That’s why it matters.”

“You don’t get to complain about playing time on a rec team—or a club team—if you don’t understand what you signed up for.”

“The best organizations make their intentions known and follow through on them.”
“Your job is to be the constant, not the coach.”