How Leaders Lead with David Novak

#283: Roy Williams, Former Men’s Basketball Head Coach, North Carolina – Get better every single day

52 snips
Mar 19, 2026
Roy Williams, legendary college basketball coach and three-time national champion, shares his passion for getting better every day. He talks about building disciplined practice routines, recruiting and motivating top talent, leading with vulnerability, and turning losses into fuel for growth. Expect memorable off-court stories and practical leadership principles.
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ADVICE

Daily Mandatory Improvement

  • Do insist your team improve before leaving the court each day by making one concrete improvement during practice.
  • Roy Williams enforced a daily standard: "don't step back off the court unless you've done something to make yourself better."
INSIGHT

Lead With Dreams Not Problems

  • Be led by your dreams rather than pushed by problems to keep focus on long-term goals.
  • Williams used the motto "be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems" to shift mindset across seasons.
ANECDOTE

Using Heartbreak To Fuel A Championship Run

  • After losing the 2016 final on a last-second shot, Roy asked Michael Jordan to speak to his crushed team and then used that pain as fuel.
  • Roy mic'd the first day of practice the next year to declare they were "the last team standing," which helped lead to the 2017 championship.
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