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The Great Coaches: Leadership & Life

We explore leadership through the lens of high performance sport, by interviewing great coaches from around the world, to try and find ideas to help all of us be better leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast · By Paul Barnett & Jim Woolfrey · English · Official site

Indexed episodes, last 90 days
8
Latest publication
Sep 16, 2026
Audience
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Earliest in this view
Jul 9, 2026

Latest episodes

  1. Episode · Sep 16, 2026

    Gordon Herbert on Pressure, Pleasure and the Making of Championship Teams (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Positive tone

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    We believe that there is no algorithm for leadership. So we ask the world's great coaches how they do it. In this episode, Paul speaks with Gordon Herbert about the leadership lessons behind a life in elite basketball. From early influences and painful setbacks to championship success with Germany, Gordon reflects on authenticity, adversity, mental fitness, role clarity and the importance of creating joy inside high-performing teams. In This Episode •Why great coaches are authentic, knowledgeabl

  2. Episode · Sep 3, 2026

    From Iran to Global Courts: Leadership Lessons with Naeimeh Zafar (opens the original)

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    Naeimeh Zafar: Coaching Across Cultures, Resilience, and Leading Beyond Barriers We believe that there is no algorithm for leadership. So we ask the world's great coaches how they do it. Naeimeh Zafar shares how coaching across Iran, Serbia, Qatar, Oman, Vietnam, Thailand, and France demanded cultural adaptation, humility, and clear communication when language and perceptions created barriers, and how she learned to respect athletes’ privacy and judge only commitment and performance. She describ

  3. Episode · Aug 20, 2026

    John Speraw: Coaching from the Court to the Boardroom (opens the original)

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    John Speraw on Systems, Feedback, and Winning Under Pressure We believe that there is no algorithm for leadership. So we ask the world's great coaches how they do it. John Speraw reflects on how great coaches lean into singular strengths while staying humble and learning from staff, and how early mentors helped him see what was possible. He describes choosing coaching over medical school, building a “systems coach” identity at UC Irvine by maximizing limited resources, and returning to UCLA read

  4. Episode · Aug 6, 2026

    Book Club: Percy Cerutty (opens the original)

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    This episode is a recording of our book club. The book we discuss is Why Die? The Extraordinary Percy Cerutty, 'Maker of Champions' by Graem Sims (Author). Percy Cerutty was an Australian athletics coach who transformed distance running in the 1950s and 1960s. Based at his rugged Portsea training camp, he developed the Stotan philosophy, blending Stoic discipline, Spartan toughness, natural diets, sand-hill running, weight training and intellectual growth. Best known for coaching Herb Elliott to

  5. Episode · Jul 30, 2026

    Coaching Across Continents: Lessons from Mick Byrne (opens the original)

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    Mick Byrne on Preparation, Player Education, and Coaching Across Codes and Cultures We believe that there is no algorithm for leadership. So we ask the world's great coaches how they do it. Mick Byrne reflects on elite coaching influences from Allan Jeans to Rod McQueen and the All Blacks, arguing great cultures are built on education, clarity of roles, consistent messaging, and disciplined weekly preparation so coaches and players can “sleep when the wind blows.” He explains his rare shift from

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