Derrick Hall on the @FastLeaderShow

Derrick Hall Show Notes

This episode was recorded on location at the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) Member Insight Exchange.

Derrick’s doctor made a mistake. That mistake ultimately saved Derrick’s life. In September 2011, he faced his greatest personal hump when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As the President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Derrick is considered by many to be among the leaders of the game. He showed his leadership strength by immediately going public with the diagnosis in order to encourage other men to get tested after age 40. Hall is now cancer free and has become a tireless advocate of cancer-fighting charities while continuing to speak publicly about the health challenge he faces.

In 2014, he launched the Derrick Hall Pro-State Foundation, which is dedicated to serving as a comprehensive tool for those who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families to help them understand the challenges and choices they face and how they can maintain a “pro” state of mind.

Listen to Derrick share his story of battling prostate cancer, perseverance, passions and leadership behaviors that can help you move onward and upward faster.

Derrick Hall has turned the D-backs into a model franchise within the sports industry and throughout the business world during his helm of the club. Hall focuses the organization’s efforts in five areas he has called the “Circle of Success” – fan experience, performance, community, culture and financial efficiency – each of which has seen tremendous growth during his tenure.

With a focus on creating the best fan experience in all of sports, Hall has succeeded in accomplishing that goal at both Chase Field and at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the D-backs’ Spring Training home near Scottsdale. Hall installed, named and created a FAWTSY (Find A Way To Say Yes) customer service policy throughout the organization to further improve upon the extraordinary fan experience.

In the community, Hall has positioned the D-backs as one of the largest philanthropic entities in the Valley. In 2014, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the D-backs’ organization surpassed the $41 million mark in charitable giving since their inception in 1998, including nearly than $30 million in the past nine years under Hall’s direction. In 2014, the team launched the D-backs Give Back Jersey program which will outfit more than 35,000 youth players across 60 leagues this season. During the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire, the D-backs were able to give back more than $700,000 on behalf of their fans to the families of the 19 firefighters who lost their lives. In 2008, Hall established the Michael Wogan Season Ticket Scholarship Program, a first-of-its-kind program for fans or existing season ticket holders who may have experienced a change in circumstances, providing families with more than 362 full-season tickets for a value of more than $635,000 since its inception.

The unique corporate culture of the D-backs, which was created by Hall, led Yahoo! to deem the club as “the best workplace in sports.” In 2013, the sports industry’s highly-regarded recruiting network TeamWork Online tabbed him as the “Best Boss” in sports and the organization was named the “Most Admired Company for Workplace Culture” by AzBusiness magazine and BestCompaniesAZ. Fittingly, the D-backs’ physical front office was rebranded the D-backs Culture & Innovation Center in 2013. In 2015, the D-backs were rated No. 1 on Ranking Arizona’s list of Best Places to Work among small businesses.

Hall routinely communicates with D-backs fans as part of his “one fan at a time” concept by answering every letter, email or phone call. He also conducts monthly chats on dbacks.com and is among just a handful of club presidents on Twitter and Instagram (@DHallDbacks), where he interacts regularly with fans. Hall spends most of his time at home games communicating with the fans in the stands to ensure their experience at Chase Field is exceptional.

Hall and his wife, Amy, reside in Paradise Valley with two of their three children, Hayden and Kylie. Their oldest son, Logan, attends Pepperdine University where he is a member of the tennis team.

Tweetable Quotes and Mentions

Check out @DHallDbacks getting over the hump on @FastLeaderShow Click to Tweet

“Passion for me is watching employees grow.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“We have to find a way to win off the field just as importantly.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“A life is not important except for the impact it has on others.” -Jackie Robinson Click to Tweet

“A season like we just had last year, it was a hump all year long.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“You become a stronger person for having gone through it.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“Being a cancer survivor…that’s about as large of a hump as anybody can have.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“We may compete on the field, but we don’t off the field, and we have to share best practices.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“Let’s get out notepads and let’s tell each other what we are doing right.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“We all care about the future deeply of our sport and how to treat fans.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“My father told me, I should know every employee’s name regardless of what their stature is.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“It’s very important for everyone to have a balanced life.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“At the end of the day, it really comes back to family.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“It’s so much more important to allow your employees to grow.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“Go do your thing and go be a star.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“Every leader must fail.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

“It’s tuff to get people to buy-in but we have to.” -Derrick Hall Click to Tweet

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Hump to Get Over

As the President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Derrick is considered by many to be among the leaders of the game. He showed his leadership strength by immediately going public with the diagnosis of his prostate cancer in order to encourage other men to get tested after age 40. Hall is now cancer free and has become a tireless advocate of cancer-fighting charities while continuing to speak publicly about the health challenge he faces. Listen in to who TeamWork Online calls the “Best Boss” in sports.

Leadership Epiphany

It’s important to allow your employees to grow.

Holding him back from being an even better leader

Money. We could do so much more if we had the resources. If we win we know those resources will be there and we can do more for our fans.

Best Leadership Advice Received

From his father. I should know every employees name regardless of what their stature is and what their position is.

Secret to Success

Make sure to spend as much quality time with family as possible. And to have a partner in life who understand how busy and committed you are.

Contacting Derrick

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DHallDbacks

Email: dhall [at] dbacks.com

More Resources

54 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Competencies List: Emotional Intelligence has proven to be the right kind of intelligence to have if you want to move onward and upward faster. Get your free list today.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

016: Derrick Hall: I looked at it as an opportunity