Lessons from Derin McMains on athletes, leaders, and the 9-to-5 job

I spoke with Derin McMains about a problem that’s as pressing in corporate boardrooms as it is on the playing field: how to measure and sell performance to people who work nine to five? For athletes, performance is tangible: you get hits, score runs, or win games. But for employees and managers in the corporate world, performance is often more difficult to define.

Derin, who has developed mental performance programs for professional athletes and leading organizations, shared his experiences transitioning from sports to the corporate world. His ideas show how different ways of thinking can be and what it takes to bridge that gap.

When Derin first began working with CEOs and corporate teams, he expected to find the same level of enthusiasm that he saw in elite athletes. One of his first experiences was working with a founder and CEO who grew his company over the course of seven years into a multi-billion dollar business. This leader’s intensity and determination reflected what Derin saw in the great athletes of professional sports.

Based on this experience, Derin assumed that the corporate culture as a whole would follow suit. But as he delved deeper into the corporate world, the reality was completely different. “The first two people I met were after that,” Derin explained. “Then I intervened and made a very big mistake. People were leaving the company and I thought, “Wait, what do you mean when they left for another job?” Can you just do it?”

This contrast between professional athletes and corporate employees highlights a key challenge: How do you sell performance when the stakes and metrics are so different? Athletes live in a world of responsibility. A miss, a bad play, or a bad play is visible to everyone. There is no hiding from the scoreboard.

In the corporate world, performance is often more subjective. Goals can be tied to quarterly results, team collaboration, or intangible leadership skills. Unlike athletes, corporate employees do not always receive immediate feedback on whether they are “winning.” The lack of a visible scoreboard makes it difficult to stay motivated and focused on improvement.

Derin’s approach to bridging this gap begins with redefining what success looks like. Instead of focusing on immediate results such as income or promotion, he emphasizes the importance of small, consistent wins. He’s seen this process-oriented mentality transform athletes, and it’s just as relevant in the business world.

For managers, Derin suggests creating a clear performance measurement system. Transparency of goals and expectations gives employees a concrete goal to work towards. Just as an athlete knows his stats, employees need to know how their contributions are measured and valued.

Beyond metrics, Derin also believes that performance is driven by purpose. Elite athletes, founders, and successful executives don’t just work hard—they work with purpose. They know why they pursue their goals, and that “why” fuels their drive.

For employees, connecting daily tasks to a broader purpose can have the same effect. Leaders who can articulate the team’s mission and show how each person contributes to that mission will have an easier time inspiring their people to perform at their best.

Derin’s journey from the field to the boardroom shows how important it is to adapt strategies to different environments. To sell results to the nine-to-five audience, leaders must understand their people, create clear systems for measuring success, and connect tasks to a meaningful purpose.

Whether you’re coaching athletes or running a business, the principles remain the same: performance increases when it’s linked to clarity, accountability and an inspiring vision.

Tune in to Power Athlete Radio to hear more from Derin McMains about the performance, leadership and mindset needed to succeed in any field.