👋 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.
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💭 ONE THOUGHT
Nobody Becomes a Leader by Accident
I hear it all the time.
"If only Johnny was a leader."
I get it. I've said it myself.
But here's what I've learned after 30+ years of coaching: waiting for a leader to magically appear is not a strategy. It's a wish.
Leadership doesn't show up on its own. It's chosen. Every single day.
And that's actually good news for coaches. Because if leadership is a choice, it can be taught, encouraged, and developed. You don't have to wait for Johnny. You can build him.
But before any of that happens, your players have to make two choices.
Choice #1: The Mindset Choice
Leadership starts in the mind before it ever shows up on the court or field. Players who lead have a specific way of thinking.
They see problems as opportunities.
They view failure as information, not identity.
They bring energy to a room instead of draining it.
This is the growth mindset. And it isn't something kids are born with. It's built through repetition, coaching, and intentional challenge.
I've never seen a negative, fixed-mindset player lead a team effectively. Not once.
Mindset isn't just part of leadership development. It's the foundation everything else is built on.
Before you ask a player to lead others, ask yourself:
Does this kid believe they can grow?
Do they see failure as feedback or defeat?
If the answer is no, that's where your work starts.
Choice #2: The Responsibility Choice
This is the harder one.
Choosing to lead means choosing to be uncomfortable. It means making tough calls. Holding teammates accountable. Standing alone when it's easier to go along.
A lot of kids like the idea of being a leader. The captain title. The respect. The recognition.
But when it comes time to tell a teammate their effort isn't good enough?
To speak up in a tough moment when no one else will?
That's where most of them tap out.
Maya Angelou said it best: "When you know better, you have to do better."
Leadership means doing better.
Every day.
Even when it's hard.
Even when it's lonely.
This is why real leaders are rare. It's not a talent issue. It's a willingness issue. And your job as a coach is to help players get past this step, not just talk about it.
So, how do you develop this in your program?
Start small. Give players real moments of leadership before the stakes are high.
Let a player run a huddle. Put a team leader in charge of addressing effort in practice. Ask your captains to solve a problem out loud instead of solving it for them.
Every rep matters. Leadership muscle is built the same way as physical muscle. Through resistance. Through repetition. Through getting back up after a hard moment.
The players who make these two choices — mindset and responsibility — are the ones who change your program.
They don't just make your team better.
They make every player around them better.
And that's what championship teams are built on.
Reflection question: Which of your players is close to making the leadership choice, and what's one thing you could do this week to push them over that line?
Be Great!
Greg
P.S. Mindset and Responsibility are the first two steps in my GB1 Leadership Model inside the Team Leader OS. It's a complete, practical system with 20 lessons, 200+ minutes of video, 30+ resources, and a coach-the-coaches course you can use with your team this season. Hundreds of coaches are already using it.
The Team Leader OS is part of the Mega Bundle. Get this tremendous deal before it ends on Sunday, July 5th!
📜 GREAT QUOTE
"Responsibility equals accountability equals ownership. And a sense of ownership is the most powerful weapon a team or organization can have."
🔗 LINKS FOR LEADERS
🎥 Video: The 3 traits every winning team needs: high character, high energy, and low drama. [LINK]
🆇 ICYMI: Pat Summitt GOLD [LINK]
📰 Article: 6 Steps to Self-Confidence
🎙️ PODCAST WITH COLIN JONOV
Check out the latest podcast I did with Colin Jonov (The Playbook). We had a great conversation.
👀 LOOKING FOR MORE?
My website has all my products and resources → gregberge.beehiiv.com.
Contact Greg for a Culture or Leadership workshop for your team or school.
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Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]