The Sideline Seat

1 Mindset Shift. 1 Sideline Story. 3 Actionable Takeaways.

Sent every Tuesday to help you build a better team.

The Mindset Shift:

Work Hard, Play Hard, Have Fun

Most leaders treat hard work and fun as inversely related. That having one means sacrificing the other. We assume that if a team is laughing, joking, and just having an absolute blast, then they aren’t giving their best. In the same way, we think that if we want to be elite, then we have to submit to the grind, a lonely and grueling journey.

In reality, finding and having joy in the midst of your grind isn’t an alternative to hard work—it is actually the result of it.

Sideline Story: Jess McClain’s Runcation

In the world of elite marathon running, the standard lifestyle involves obsessing over splits and napping in recovery boots. Jess McClain, the top American female finisher at the 2026 Boston Marathon, is proving the fastest way to the finish line might be to actually enjoy the ride.

Earlier in her career, Jess was all about the hustle, finding glory in the grind while sitting in dark hotel rooms obsessing over training details. The results were injuries, burnout, and plateaus. After a break to pursue a career in marketing, she returned to running as an "amateur" on her own terms.

Since returning with a mission to keep it fun, she has hit her stride, running career-best times. She credits her success to a “runcation” mentality. Even after a devastating pacer error cost her a national title in Atlanta earlier this year, she didn’t spiral. She felt the frustration, pursued the actions she could control, and went back to the other parts of her life. Her dog rescue work, her husband, and her community. By building a life that exists in addition to her sport rather than instead of it, she has found that the harder she works, the more fun she has. And the faster she runs.

3 Actionable Takeaways:

1. Fun isn't just a reward; it's part of the process

High-performance cultures recognize that joy and intensity are not mutually exclusive; excellence is more sustainable when the environment allows for engagement and authenticity during the work.

2. Control the controllables in a setback

To prevent burnout after a failure, leaders must allow teams to acknowledge frustrations briefly before pivoting focus entirely to the variables within their direct influence.

3. Leading doesn't always mean you push, sometimes you pull

When a team hits a wall, doubling down on pressure often backfires; the most strategic move is often to loosen the grip and prioritize energy recovery over increased process.