👋 Good morning! ‘Great Teams Better Leaders’ is written by Greg Berge. Have an idea or something to share? Just hit reply. I read and respond to every message.
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free below.
If you want deeper tools, weekly premium newsletters, and access to the Coach OS AI, you can upgrade to Great Teams Better Leaders PRO here: Upgrade to PRO.
TOGETHER WITH MOMENTUM

Meet Jay Bilas live today over Zoom!
Watch a thoughtful conversation on leadership, standards, and what separates programs that talk about culture from those that actually live it.
💭 ONE THOUGHT
6 Hard Truths of Coaching in 2026

The game is changing fast.
Athletes are different.
Pressure is heavier.
And coaches today are being pulled in more directions than ever before.
In 2026, great coaching requires more than knowledge or experience.
It requires clarity, leadership, systems, and culture on purpose, not by accident.
As you start a new year, here are the 6 coaching truths that will define the teams that succeed in 2026… and the ones that struggle.
1. Your culture matters more than your playbook.
Plays help you score.
Culture helps you sustain.
In 2026, players want connection, standards, and clarity.
If you don’t define your culture, something else will fill the gap.
📌 Winning programs operate from a clear culture blueprint, not assumptions.
2. Your leadership pipeline must be intentional, not accidental.
Leadership doesn’t happen because you pick captains.
It happens because you teach it, train it, and repeat it daily.
Today’s athletes need guidance, direction, and ownership.
📌 Strong teams build leaders year-round, not just during preseason meetings.
3. Your players need mental skills as much as physical skills.
Confidence. Composure. Focus. Resilience.
These are no longer optional. They’re competitive advantages.
Teams that train the mind will outperform teams that only train the body.
📌 Mental skills must be practiced, coached, and reinforced like fundamentals.
4. Your communication must be clear, simple, and repeatable.
If you’re not communicating with intention, you’re communicating with confusion.
2026 demands:
Simple language
Direct expectations
Fewer words, more clarity
Messages that players can repeat back
📌 If players can’t repeat the message, they don’t own it.
5. Your organization determines your consistency.
Disorganized coaches create disorganized teams.
Clear systems create steady, aligned programs.
2026 will reward coaches who have:
Clear plans
Clear routines
Clear priorities
📌 Organization communicates competence and builds confidence.
6. Your team will always reflect the standards you model.
More than ever, your players will copy what you show, not what you say.
Your consistency is their consistency.
Your emotional control becomes their emotional control.
Your habits become their habits.
Set the tone. Set the standard. Set the example.
📌 Standards are taught through behavior before they’re ever spoken.
⭐ Why I Built an Entire Coaching System
Because coaching today is harder…
But it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
Most coaches don’t need more motivation.
They need clearer systems.
Systems that help coaches:
Building culture on purpose: Culture Wins OS
Developing leaders intentionally: Team Leader OS
Coaching the mental side of the game, stay organized and consistent, and communicate clearly under pressure: Better Coach OS
That’s the work I’ve committed to helping coaches do, so they can lead better and stress less in 2026.
Closing Thought
Coaching in 2026 is about clarity.
Clarity in your culture.
Clarity in your communication.
Clarity in your leadership.
Clarity in your systems.
This year, build the foundation your team deserves.
This year, build the systems that make your team.
Good luck in 2026!
Greg
P.S. If you’re looking to simplify all of this in one place, the Mega Bundle is the best value I offer.
It gives you lifetime access to:
Culture Wins OS
Team Leader OS
Better Coach OS
All of my books
Plus additional tools, templates, and resources to support you all year
Everything is designed to work together, so you’re not piecing things together on your own.
🔥 Bonus: Get $50 OFF today with code MEGATODAY
📜 GREAT QUOTES
“Winning is overemphasized. The only time it is really important is in surgery and war.”
“Be a dreamer. If you don’t know how to dream, you’re dead.”
🔗 LINKS FOR LEADERS
🎥 Video: The score takes care of itself [LINK]
🆇 ICYMI: PJ Fleck 🔥 [LINK]
📰 Article: Rust Doesn’t Need a Hammer
📚 LOOKING FOR RESOURCES?
Save big when you bundle ALL of my paid resources for coaches into the MEGA Bundle!
👀 LOOKING FOR MORE?
Interested in Sponsoring an Issue? Reply to this email or click here: Sponsor Great Team Better Leaders.
Are you seeking a Culture or Leadership workshop for your team or school? Contact Greg for more information.
Check out my website for more: www.gb1leadership.com
Need resources? www.gberge.gumroad.com
Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]


