The Foundations of Leadership

There’s a new "go-to" excuse in the business world, and it drives me crazy. It’s the sophisticated, reasonable-sounding explanation for why a team is underperforming or why customer service is a disaster. It’s the first thing a leader says when they're cornered.

"The environment is just too challenging right now."

Can you imagine your favorite coach after a blown fourth-quarter lead saying, “Sorry, but the modern game is just so complex”? You'd see it for what it is: a well-dressed excuse. You'd know the coach was trying to defer responsibility for getting out-coached. In sports, we still demand accountability. But in business, we've started treating the environment as a permanent hall pass for mediocrity.

If you strip away all the buzzwords, leadership comes down to the same fundamentals it always has. The best teams, coaches, and organizations I’ve seen all build on these six principles:

1. Person First

Every person on your team is carrying more than just their job description. Coach Patrick Murphy of Alabama Softball has a sign in his locker room that says Person First / Player Second. If you carve out even 15 minutes a week to genuinely connect with your people, you will know when they need space, when they need a push, and how to help them reach their goals within your organization.

2. No Transferral of Blame

Every player under Coach Skip Bertman at LSU knew the blame game was a losing one. No one cares about your excuses. Your job is to manage the team you have, invest in them, and make the most of it. If the roster isn't good enough, you improve it. But do not allow your team to get comfortable blaming others, because that disease spreads like wildfire.

3. Establish Excellence

I spent over a decade around Coach Nick Saban, and his PROCESS was a non-negotiable commitment to a championship standard in every single detail. Your job as a leader is to drive that standard everywhere. Look at your offices, your workspaces, even the bathrooms. Do they reflect excellence? Your customers notice. Your team notices. Excellence is a daily habit, not a mission statement. 

4. Consistent, Time-Sensitive Accountability

Bob Starkey, a legendary championship assistant coach in women's basketball, taught me that immediate feedback is the only feedback that truly works. If you are not consistent, your team will be shocked by directness. As a leader, if you meet with your people regularly, feedback becomes a normal part of the process, not a terrifying event. 

5. Be Human

Great leadership is not about creating a stress-free environment; it's about creating a connection that makes hard feedback possible. True "love-based" coaching means you hold a higher standard for someone than they hold for themselves, and you tell them the truth with their development in mind. My former manager, Kim Herriott, was one of the best. She cared about my family and my vision, but she never shied away from a tough conversation about my performance. It was always delivered with directed compassion. You cannot coach without a connection. 

6. Surround Yourself with Great Mentors

 Leadership is a lonely job. During his program’s historic run to the Final Four, Coach Nate Oats of Alabama Basketball brought in Coach Murphy to speak to his team about "MUDITA"—the unconditional joy for a teammate's success. He sought wisdom from a colleague in a different sport. Great leaders don't have all the answers; they just build a network of people who can help them find them.

A Seat at the Table

I share these stories not as a boast, but with a deep sense of gratitude. For the last twenty years, I've had a front-row seat, watching these incredible leaders navigate the pressures of competition, build resilient teams, and sustain excellence. It's the most profound education I could have ever asked for.

As we look toward the new year, it’s a natural time to think about what it takes to build a winning culture. I've spent my career studying just that, from every possible angle. If your organization is having that same conversation and you feel my experience could add to it, I would be honored to share what I've learned at your year-end event.

My goal is simple: to share what I’ve learned from the best, in the hope that it can help others build something that lasts.