When I first became an athletic director, I had no idea how to read a budget. It was like a foreign language to me: actuals, variances…delta? I remember thinking, “Do brackets mean you have money, or you don’t have money?”  Ay, Caramba!  I was overwhelmed, unsure of where to begin, and my imposter syndrome certainly did not permit me to ask other people for help. Fear and doubt ran rampant in me.

That’s when I reached back to Doug Shields, the retired CFO of Scott’s Hospitality (a powerhouse Canadian conglomerate of Black’s Camera, Holiday Inn, KFC, and Taco Bell). I knew Doug as the father of one of my closest high school friends. Doug is a numbers savant. I remember going grocery shopping with him, and before the cashier finished ringing things through, he’d already calculated the exact change down to the penny. I knew I needed wise financial counsel, and I trusted Doug to be my mentor.

Doug agreed to share his valuable time and insight with me during those first years at the helm of a big budget and a huge renovation project. During our time as fellow adults and colleagues, what impressed me most wasn’t his mathematical brilliance. It was his humility. Doug could have stayed in the ivory tower of strategy and financial oversight, but he never thought any job was beneath him.

One night, when the line at the ticket booth stretched endlessly, Doug quietly slipped behind the counter to sell tickets. Another day, when concessions were backed up, he was scooping popcorn. Here was a CFO—a man who once managed billion-dollar budgets—making popcorn for fans. Those moments reinforced powerful lessons on leadership that I carry with me to this day.

Lesson 1: No Job Is Too Small

High-performing organizations aren’t about titles—they’re about culture. When leaders model humility, they build trust, loyalty and attention to detail across the entire team. The New Zealand All Blacks rugby team calls this ‘Sweeping the Sheds’—the idea that even the most elite athletes clean their own locker room. If you think you’re too important to pick up trash, you’ll miss other small details that add up to excellence.

Takeaway: As a leader, you don’t just set strategy. You show up in the trenches. If you walk by a piece of garbage in your building, pick it up. If a customer looks lost, guide them. Culture is built not in the boardroom, but in the little things you choose to do—or not to do—every day.

Lesson 2: Build Your Knowledge Bank

Doug didn’t just lend a hand; he shared wisdom. He walked me through budgets, translated financial jargon, and mentored me until I grew confident. That ‘knowledge bank’ has been priceless throughout my leadership career.

We often think expertise leaves the building when someone retires. What if we treated retired leaders not as done, but as untapped resources? Doug consulted with us for pennies on the dollar, sometimes for free, and in return, we got decades of strategic insight.

Lesson 3: Process Improvement Starts with Participation

Because Doug sometimes worked the ticket booth or sold concessions, he saw bottlenecks we were blind to. He didn’t just critique from the outside—he lived the experience. His feedback wasn’t abstract. It was actionable.

When leaders step into frontline roles, they see problems firsthand and unlock opportunities for process improvement. That’s why Toyota executives famously spend time on the factory floor. They understand that great solutions come from lived experience at the point of impact.

Final Word: Clean the Toilets

I’ve often said that leadership means you ‘Clean the Toilets;’ literally and symbolically. You do the things no one else wants to do. You model behavior that inspires others to take ownership. In doing so, you create an organization where trust, loyalty and excellence thrive.

Doug taught me that financial acumen, mentorship and strategic guidance matter—but so do fresh popcorn and efficient ticket lines. Great leaders know that no job is too small.