5 practical lessons from elite basketball coaches that will transform your team
March Madness is here! And as much as we all love the buzzer-beaters and Cinderella stories, there’s something else worth paying attention to: the coaches and their leadership.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing several top college basketball coaches on my podcast, How Leaders Lead. And it’s clear to me: they understand things about teamwork, culture, and performance that often go unnoticed by business leaders.
Today, I’ve hand-picked a few of my favorite insights from these top coaches – like Dan Hurley, Roy Williams, and more – to help you bring some of their mentality to your leadership game.
1. Adjust your leadership style to suit the situation Dan Hurley, UConn
Dan Hurley led UConn to back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.
And I believe a big part of his success comes down to how he coaches his team.
In practice, Dan is relentless—pushing his players hard and holding them accountable. But on game night, he’s their biggest cheerleader, convincing them they can do anything.
He knows when to push and when to support. And he adjusts his approach based on what the moment requires.
The business lesson: Great leaders understand that different people and different situations call for different styles of leadership.
Sometimes, you’ve got to demand excellence and push your team. Other times, you’ve got to offer support and belief. Stay dialed into your team’s needs, and pull from multiple styles as each situation calls for it.
More insights from Dan Hurley >>
2. Be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems Roy Williams, North Carolina/Kansas
Roy Williams is a legendary coach with three national titles to his name. And in 2005, when he led the Tar Heels to the men’s championship, his team motto was: “Be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems.”
He didn’t want his team to get caught up in “woe is me” thinking, comparing themselves to competitors with better resources or dwelling on what’s not working. So instead of focusing on what was holding them back, he helped them focus on what they wanted to do—namely, lift a trophy at the end of the NCAA Tournament.
The business lesson: It’s easy to get consumed by problems—budget constraints, difficult competitors, resource gaps. And you can’t ignore those things. But when you lead from that place, it’s hard to motivate your team.
Instead, lead with vision. People want to be inspired! What are you building toward? What’s the dream that gets your team fired up?
Set that dream in front of your team and talk about it constantly. Make your mission so clear and compelling that problems become obstacles to navigate, not reasons to quit.
Watch my whole conversation with Coach Roy Williams, NEW this week >>
3. Your mood creates the “weather” for everyone around you Shea Ralph, Vanderbilt
Shea Ralph, head coach of Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, has a saying I love. She says, “I am the weather.”
In other words, her mood affects everyone around her. Her team is constantly watching her for cues, and they feed off her energy—for better or worse.
The business lesson: A leader’s mood is contagious. Whether you realize it or not, you set the emotional temperature for everyone around you.
When you walk into the office stressed or irritable, your team picks up on it. They start walking on eggshells, and the energy leaves the room.
But when you show up calm, present, and steady—even on tough days—you create an environment where your team can do their best work.
By the way, my full conversation with Shea Ralph drops Thursday this week, so make sure you’re subscribed to How Leaders Lead.
4. Be the Chief Reminder Officer Pat Kelsey, Louisville
Pat Kelsey has a simple way of describing his role as head coach of the men’s team at the University of Louisville: “I’m not the CEO. I’m the CRO—Chief Reminder Officer.”
His job, as he sees it, is to remind everybody of the standard every single day. Whether it’s in practice, recruiting, or community relationships, he’s constantly bringing people back to what excellence looks like.
The business lesson: Your team doesn’t need you to come up with a new strategy every week. They need you to remind them of what matters.
What does great work look like? What are the non-negotiables? What are you working towards?
Remind people over and over. In meetings. In one-on-ones. In emails. Don’t assume people remember.
As a leader, you’ve got to relentlessly beat the drum about your standards and goals—not because people are forgetful, but because the urgent and immediate will always try to crowd out what’s truly important.
5. Take care of your people first John Calipari, Arkansas
First at Kentucky and now at Arkansas, John Calipari has coached some of the best basketball players in the world—guys who went on to become NBA superstars. And here’s his philosophy on leadership:
“If you care about your people, you always have a job. If they know you’re about them, and you truly care, and you’re about their growth, you always have a job.”
Coach Cal makes sure his players know that he genuinely cares about them and their future, and he wants to help them become both a better player and a better person.
That’s it. That’s the foundation of everything he does.
The business lesson: When your team believes you’re genuinely invested in their growth and their future—not just what they can produce for you—they’ll run through walls for you.
So ask yourself: Do the people on my team know I care about them? Am I helping them grow, or just using them to hit my numbers?
People want to work for leaders who invest in them, not just extract from them. Do that, and just like Coach Cal said, you’ll always have a job.
Keep learning from Coach Cal >>
Final thoughts
I love learning from coaches. They know how to build a team that accomplishes big things together—and that’s what we’re all trying to do as business leaders.
That’s why I would encourage any business leader to approach their job as a coach, not a boss.
When you adopt a coaching mindset, every interaction becomes an opportunity to help someone grow. You coach someone on the presentation they just gave. You coach them on how to handle a difficult situation more tactfully. You coach them on their growth areas.
You use your experience and know-how—not to bark orders, but to help people get better.
That’s what great coaches do. And that’s what great leaders do, too.
Which of these coaching insights resonates most with you? Drop a comment and let me know, or tag a coach (in business or sports) who’s made a difference in your life.
Your next step
Inside the How Leaders Lead app, you’ll find a handy playlist featuring our favorite insights from college basketball’s greatest coaches. Download it now for free!
