Mason Duchatschek and Bryant Wright are the authors of “Built Wright” that was published in paperback in February and then released on Kindle in March.
Duchatschek and Wright have known each other since they attended the Festus R-6 School District in the 1980s. Duchatschek has written 11 books; hosts a podcast, “The Mason Duchatschek Show;” has a YouTube channel, “Workforce Alchemist;” and for more than 30 years he’s worked with business owners, executives and leadership teams across a wide range of industries to help them with hiring, culture and employee engagement.
Wright, 57, recently retired as the boys cross country coach at Festus High where he won 13 total state championships – two with the girls – and eight in a row (2014-2021) with the boys. He was on Duchatschek’s podcast in December, and a month later, the book had been written.
I interviewed Duchatschek, 57, Sunday night. I had interviewed Wright in February after he brought me a signed copy of his book, which is 113 pages, not including the part, “About the authors.”
“What he was doing is legendary,” Duchatschek said. “In what world can you say it’s been 17 years since you were anything but second place? When I was a senior, our goal was to make it to state as a team. To us, that was winning. The thing that amazes me about the culture Bryant built, a lot of folks, whether business or sports, have a win-now mentality. Everything Bryant did was win now and later. What he understood is a chubby freshman that’s never run before might be the best, he just doesn’t know it yet. It could be the greatest waste in the program to give up on a kid and Bryant understands that.
“Business is the same way … I learned a lot while writing this book about him. He’s one of the most humble, centered people I’ve ever met and he walks his talk.”
Wright was a year behind Duchatschek at Festus. He said they were on the first high school team to make it to state on the boys side. Wright’s retirement from a program that he raised to legendary status didn’t surprise anyone, but to those who know and love the running culture in Festus, Crystal City and Herculaneum, it was a definite departure to a new era. Wes Armbruster was hired to replace Wright as the boys and girls head coach for the Tiger cross country teams. Armbruster is in the midst of a state championship run with the school’s girls cross country and track teams that’s beginning to rival his friend, mentor and predecessor.
“I was driving home from church, and I called Mason and I had waited to call him awhile, and I thought he’d tell me to keep coaching,” Wright said. “But he said, ‘OK. Now what are you going to do?’ People were telling me to write a book, but I wasn’t enthusiastic. On Dec. 21, we started talking. He said, ‘You could coach and help a few people, but with what you did, there’s something there to help more people.’ And that’s where I thought God was sending me.”
Wright said after being on Duchatschek’s podcast something opened up.
“I was working on another book, but he said, ‘Put that aside, and let’s work on this.’”
If you read “Built Wright” you won’t find a replay of Wright’s state titles or lists of the best runners in the program. Duchatschek said the message about how Wright established the culture that led to that unparalleled success can be applied to the business world. These days, who doesn’t need help sharpening those skills?
“I saw an application for everyone that leads a company because those skills and instincts are servable,” Duchatschek said. “Fifty-two percent of employees are disengaged, sleepwalking through the day. If you run a team and your payroll’s $10 million a year, and you’re getting half speed from your employees, that’s a $5 million profit leak. Bryant knows how to get the best out of each individual. He said whether it’s a freshman or a senior, the one currency each kid can spend is on effort.
“He figured out how to tap into a sense of personal responsibility and family. The kids will suffer for each other, not just for themselves. He talks about correction is care. A lot of times people won’t say anything if something is going wrong, and that’s not a way to run a business. He wants his feedback grounded in observation. I love his approach to accountability that is side to side, then top down.”
Wright made his athletes accountable to each other, and his leaders set the examples by doing the most mundane tasks usually assigned to underclassmen.
“There’s a place for top-down leadership, but most businesses will do better without that,” Wright said. “Every person has value regardless of how fast you run. Every person can add something to our program.”
Knowing each other for as long as Duchatschek and Wright have made it easier to get the book published as quickly as they did.
“I said, ‘Bryant, you just didn’t get lucky. There’s not something special in the water that makes the kids in Festus run faster than anyone else in the state. Maybe your workouts are just that much better.’ He’d already spoken and gave away his workouts. Bryant built a special culture. When he told me the story of how he did it, it was easier to see how any business could adopt that and turn it into a successful company.”
After leading top athletes for decades, public speaking should come naturally to Wright, who was in attendance at the McCullough-Douglass Invitational, held at Festus High in March, when who I think is the most talented runner he ever coached, senior Carson Driemeier, was one of three runners to complete the 3,200-meter run in under 9:00. That’s the first time that had been done in Missouri.
“I’ve shifted the way I work,” Wright said. “I feel like, and maybe other retirees don’t feel this way, but I need a sense of purpose. Maybe in 10 years, my sense of purpose will be my family, and that’s it. But I feel God has given me this blueprint, and it can benefit other people.”