The Power of Relationships: Olympic Medalist Bob Molly on Building Success Through Meaningful Connections

Introduction

In a world fixated on individual achievement and talent, Olympic silver medalist and two-time Grey Cup champion Bob Molle offers a refreshing perspective: relationships are the true foundation of lasting success. Through his remarkable journey from competitive wrestler to sought-after consultant and team builder, Bob has discovered that the connections we form with others are often more valuable than the skills we develop individually.

In this enlightening conversation, Bob shares how his ability to forge and maintain strong relationships has opened doors throughout his career—from receiving critical training opportunities with his Olympic rival to building high-performing teams for major corporations. With nearly four decades of marriage, five grandchildren on the way, and friendships that have lasted 50+ years, Bob's approach to relationships offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to achieve sustainable success in business and life.

Whether you're an entrepreneur struggling to build the right team, an athlete seeking to elevate your performance, or simply someone looking to create more meaningful connections, Bob's insights demonstrate how relationship-building can become your greatest competitive advantage in any field.

The Competitive Edge of Meaningful Connections

From Rival to Training Partner: The Olympic Journey

Bob's philosophy on relationships was forged through his experiences as an elite athlete, particularly during his preparation for the Olympics. After placing fifth in the world championships at just 20 years old, Bob received an unexpected call from his American rival, Bruce Baumgartner—the number one wrestler in the world:

"I get a phone call... he's the number one ranked guy in the world. He goes, 'Bob, I get all this money from Wrestling USA... I got to use it for training dollars. Do you want to fly down? I'm the assistant coach at Oklahoma State University. How about if I fly you down? I'll rent your house. I got all the food. My wife's the athletic trainer. We got access to all that. Let's pick a couple other guys. How about you and I get ready for the Olympics together?'"

This opportunity came about not because of Bob's talent alone, but because of a relationship he had cultivated with his competitor:

"I'd actually helped them out one time... I just looked, walked over to him and... said, 'Hey, you got Soviet Union. Would it help if I could help you warm up because it's tough to get a good body to do the stuff so you can get good and warm?' And he goes, 'That'd be great.'"

This gesture of goodwill was later reciprocated and ultimately led to Bob training with the number one wrestler in the world before they faced each other in the Olympic final. While Bob would go on to earn a silver medal (losing to Baumgartner in the final), the relationship formed during that time continues to this day.

The 80/20 Rule of Success

Bob is clear about what has driven his achievements throughout his career:

"Eighty percent of my success is all through relationships. Like 100% referrals, everything."

This extraordinary claim challenges conventional wisdom that focuses primarily on skill development and individual talent. For Bob, the ability to connect with others has consistently been the differentiating factor:

"If I had one thing that separated me from everybody else, [it] was I had good relationships right across the board."

He demonstrates this through the longevity of his personal and professional relationships:

"My wife, we've been together for 38 years, three kids, now we'll have five grandkids pretty soon here... It doesn't matter if it's my wife like I told you about, who recruited me to Simon Fraser—Nick Kiss is still my best buddy, phoned me this morning again."

Cultivating Relationship-Building as a Skill

The Energy Transfer Principle

Bob approaches relationships with an understanding drawn from Eastern philosophy:

"Energy is never lost, it's only transferred. And I remember one of my mentors taught me about energy. He says, 'Are you bringing good energy to the situation or taking it away? What are you doing to energize?'"

This perspective informs how he interacts with everyone from business associates to strangers at the gym:

"I just go on to go to the gym every day... know everybody, and I can circle the whole thing and Tom, Frank, Susan, 'How you doing today?' You know what I mean? And just good energy."

The idea that your energy affects others becomes a guiding principle in how Bob approaches every interaction. Rather than seeing relationships as transactional, he views them as energy exchanges where his role is to contribute positively.

Prioritizing Relationships Intentionally

In our digital age where surface-level connections are the norm, Bob takes a deliberate approach to maintaining meaningful relationships:

"I prioritize it. People, they say prioritize things in their life, and... you do what you prioritize. What are your goals? And, you know, what you think, you become, right? And my number one goal is... I lay it out... I can't have four because I can't remember that many. I'm too old, so I only have three, right? But number one's my health first because I can't do anything if I don't have my health."

After health, Bob places relationships second in his hierarchy of priorities:

"My number two is actually relationships, right, in my goals... I go, 'Who do I need to prioritize?' So it's always been a priority for me because all my growth has been through good relationships, all my referrals for companies."

This intentional prioritization stands in stark contrast to how many people approach networking, where quantity often trumps quality, and relationships are pursued primarily for what can be gained from them.

Building High-Performance Teams Through Relationships

Recruiting Talent Through Relationship-Building

Bob's approach to team building has been informed by his background in athletics and his understanding of human connections. When tasked with improving the University of Manitoba's struggling wrestling program, his strategy wasn't focused on training techniques:

"I knew we didn't have very good talent... Every time I'd fly to a professional football game, could be in Toronto, could be in Hamilton, could be in Ottawa... I'd go take the night before, I'd get free tickets from our PR guy, had a great relationship with them... who their top wrestler was in that city, you know, take them out the night before for a dinner, meet the mom and dad, say, 'Hey, I'm revamping the University of Manitoba, and we're looking at this, we're going to do a new team.'"

The results spoke for themselves:

"Next year we came fifth, next year we came third. After that, then we won the national championship. And people go, 'Oh, you're the best coach in the world.' I'm an okay coach... I'm not the best coach in the world, but I'm okay. But guess what I did? I recruited good talent."

Evaluating Character, Not Just Skill

When assessing talent, Bob looks beyond surface-level skills to indicators of character and work ethic:

"My biggest indicator in wrestling... I said, what happens when he's in overtime? Who wins? Because you're both dead tired... I want to see what your will is now to fight because both guys are dead tired."

His evaluation extends to how people treat others, especially those in service positions:

"The simplest thing, I'll take a person out for lunch and see how they treat the waiter or waitress. If they're subordinate, they treat them like, 'Hey, I need this. I need another drink'... I'm just going, 'Wow.' Just little indicators that tell me... do they treat the person with respect?"

These insights into character offer clues about how someone will perform in a team environment and whether they align with the values needed for collective success.

Finding Happiness Through Connection

The Research on Relationships and Happiness

Drawing on Harvard's longitudinal study on happiness, Bob emphasizes the fundamental importance of relationships to our overall well-being:

"I think it's the oldest study in human happiness... Research shows it comes down to one thing—why are people happy and unhappy? It doesn't matter how much money you make, this and that. If you got good relationships, you're happy. You got terrible relationships, you're not happy."

This research-backed perspective has guided Bob's approach to life, helping him maintain perspective on what truly matters:

"People are always after the dollar, but really, research shows—come on, who's kidding who—after you got food, you know, a house over your head, you got some food in the fridge... it's the last thing I focus on."

The Secret to a 38-Year Marriage

Bob's philosophy on relationships extends to his nearly four-decade marriage, where he attributes their success to two key factors:

First, there's enjoyment:

"We enjoy each other's company. We have fun, right? And we giggle all the time... I'd say laughter, number one thing. We giggle about all kinds of stuff. We don't spend any time fighting."

Second, there's a focus on giving rather than taking:

"Having a relationship is more giving than... a lot of people want to take. And I'm kind of flip it on its head... I always ask my wife, first thing she knows it, I've been doing it for how many years, 'Hey, what are the top three things you want this morning? Can you get my coffee for me, sweetie? And can we go for a walk today? And can we go grocery shop?'"

This approach reflects Bob's broader service mindset:

"I kind of see the world black and white. A lot of people don't see it that way. They always want, 'Oh, serve me this, that.' No, you're the servant, right? Really, you're there to help."

Conclusion: Success Through Service and Connection

Bob Molle's journey from Olympic athlete to successful consultant and team builder offers a powerful counterpoint to conventional wisdom on achievement. While talent and hard work remain important, his experiences demonstrate that meaningful relationships can be the true differentiator in achieving lasting success.

The principles that have guided Bob's approach are refreshingly simple:

• Prioritize health first, then relationships
• Bring positive energy to every interaction
• Evaluate people based on character, not just skills
• Focus on giving rather than taking
• Find joy in the company of others

As Bob summarizes his philosophy on success: "A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how lucky I am."

This perspective—coupled with his emphasis on service—offers a blueprint for not just achievement, but fulfillment. By approaching relationships with generosity and genuine interest, we create a network of support that can sustain us through challenges and amplify our successes.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or simply seeking greater satisfaction in life, Bob's insights remind us that our connections with others may ultimately be our most valuable asset.