Morning with Buffalo Bills Assistant General Manager, Brian Gaine.

I had an interview this morning with Buffalo Bills Assistant General Manager, Brian Gaine. The Culture Code remains the same, and today reinforced exactly why.

A few takeaways from the conversation:

• He arrived early—always a tell.

• His curiosity is off the charts. Even though he was technically the one being interviewed, he asked just as many thoughtful questions as I did.

• He’s highly reflective. Several times I could see him working through answers in real time—thinking, refining, adjusting. That level of presence stood out.

• We’re hard-wired for connection. This conversation would have been exponentially better in person than over Zoom. I’m committing to more face-to-face conversations in 2026.

One moment that stood out: Brian asked me how I approach deloads—mentally and physically—when things feel heavy or performance dips.

My answer was simple: I zoom out, reduce the noise, and use the deload to restore clarity, discipline, and intent. It’s not about backing off—it’s about reloading so you can keep showing up at a high level.

Great interview. Always grateful for meaningful conversations and real connections.

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