Jen Welter on Breaking Glass Ceilings in the NFL

The first female coach in NFL history, Dr. Jen Welter reminds us all that barriers are meant to be broken. Welter coached the Arizona Cardinals’ linebackers during 2015 training camp under head coach Bruce Arians and was the first female to play running back for a men’s professional football team as a player for the Texas Revolution. Named one of the 25 most influential women in sport by espnW, Welter’s inspiring story has been shared in the New York Times, Vogue, The Huffington Post and Fortune. On today’s episode, Welter talks about the importance of authentic leadership, the value of diverse teams, and how she got comfortable taking career risks. Her new book, Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL, is available for pre-order now.

Show Notes

Why breaking barriers matters (5:00) “No risk it, no biscuit.” What Jen learned from Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians (7:14) Overcoming the fear of rejection (9:10) Own your strengths and your weaknesses (11:18) Getting “punted” into coaching (14:55) How she built connection and trust with pro players (18:10) The value of diverse leadership teams (22:00) What it takes to compete at the highest level (28:32) Her new book Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL (32:27) Defining authentic leadership (34:40)