From NFL Glory to Leadership: Tim Hightower on Resilience & Trust
Former NFL running back Tim Hightower joins Bridget Johnson for a powerful conversation about resilience, leadership transitions, and building trust in high-performance environments. Tim shares his journey from scoring the game-winning touchdown that sent the Arizona Cardinals to their first Super Bowl to leading cultural transformation as Senior Director of Alumni Relations for the Washington Commanders.
This episode explores the critical skills needed when transitioning from one high-stakes environment to another, offering valuable insights for educators and student life professionals navigating their own career changes and organizational challenges. Tim's perspective on psychological safety, healthy confrontation, and creating structures that support both individual and team success provides actionable strategies for building stronger school communities.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How to maintain consistency while adapting to major life and career transitions
The importance of psychological safety in creating environments where people can speak truthfully
Strategies for leading through crisis and building trust during organizational change
How to let go of perfectionism while maintaining high standards in new roles
The value of mentorship and peer relationships in professional development
Featured Guest: Tim Hightower combines his experience as a professional athlete who overcame career-threatening injury with his current leadership role in one of sports' most dramatic organizational turnarounds. As author of "A Dream Worth Fighting For," he brings unique insights into resilience, purpose, and the kind of leadership that creates lasting change.
Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/
Email: bridget@deansroundtable.org
Student Life Assessment Program: https://deansroundtable.org/k-12-student-life-assessment-program-independent-school-evaluation/
Student Life Community of Practice: https://www.treyeducation.com/event/student-life-professionals/
The Table: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.
