The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs Ep 328: Leadership Lessons from College Basketball Coaches
Mar 25, 2026
March Madness sparks a conversation about attention as a precious leadership resource. Coaches’ three focus areas—court, bench, scoreboard—become a metaphor for disciplined priorities. The idea of seeing assistants as future leaders and hiring for potential, not just position, gets highlighted. Practical coaching mindsets for developing talent close out the conversation.
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Focus On Court Bench And Scoreboard
- Leaders should focus attention like coaches: on the court, the bench, and the scoreboard.
- J.R. Briggs observed coaches watching play, engaging their bench and monitoring KPIs like timeouts, fouls, and shot clock to guide situational leadership.
Coach Ignored Raucous Home Announcer
- A Division I coach called J.R. Briggs after a loss and said he didn't even notice the over-the-top home announcer.
- The coach's singular focus on his team made external noise irrelevant even with the PA announcer feet away.
Actively Look At Team Potential And Context
- Do focus your leadership attention on where action, your team, and feedback live.
- J.R. Briggs asks leaders to consider where they're looking and to see both who team members are and who they could become.