What can endurance athletes teach us about staying calm under pressure in leadership? In this episode of The Chief Endurance Officer, host Greg McDonough sits down with Kris Swarthout, a competitive athlete, coach, business owner, mentor, and retired police officer whose diverse career path offers powerful lessons in mindset, preparation, and adaptability. From high-stakes moments in law enforcement to training athletes for race day, Kris shares how endurance principles shape his leadership approach. He also dives into his entrepreneurial ventures, including Final K Sports Services and Minnesota Hockey Lockers, highlighting how combining passion and purpose can fuel sustainable success.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
Visualize and prepare. Coaching athletes with scenario planning and visualization mirrors how effective leaders prep teams for the unexpected.
Lead with purpose. Knowing your “why” creates focus and clarity, whether you're coaching athletes or guiding a business.
Support your team by offloading burdens. Final K enables coaches to focus on their strengths by removing administrative friction. Leaders should do the same for their people.
Explore passion projects. Kris’s custom hockey locker business started as therapy but became a creative, revenue-generating outlet. Leaders benefit from fulfilling side ventures.
Don’t obsess over the data. Execution matters more than perfection. Leaders should focus on the big picture and not get derailed by minor deviations.
Quote of the Show:
" Don't try to be everything to everybody." - Kris Swarthout
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-swarthout-5914035/
Company website: https://finalk.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kris.swarthout/
Ways to Tune In:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/580aLDKac1ld031W4nWDtp
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-endurance-officer/id1680214218?uo=4
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NoaWVmLWVuZHVyYW5jZS1vZmZpY2Vy
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c96880f-8dcd-4a6e-b1c8-fda816f872a9
Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/chief-endurance-officer-5250102
Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/chief-endurance-officer-ringmaster-KMdv2I8XwkN/
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Chief Endurance Officer is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/
