Leading Under Pressure—Straight from the Final Four

No need to be reading leadership books or self-help books this past week—the best real-life leadership lessons were right in front of us during the Final Four and championship games.

Many leaders are well-read, and that’s important. But let’s be honest—being too academic isn’t reality. The pressure, the chaos, the emotion, the leadership—it all played out live on the biggest stages in college basketball. And if you were paying attention, the takeaways were endless.This week’s championship games—South Carolina vs. UConn in the women’s tournament and Florida vs. Houston in the men’s—absolutely fired me up. (I know you are surprised!)

Most people watched these games as fans, eyes glued to the ball. But for those of us who have been there before—on the sidelines, in the locker rooms, through the pressure—we watch differently.

We’re not just watching the ball. We’re watching everything happening off it.

We’re scanning one, two, three plays ahead.

We’re noticing timeouts, communication, body language, bench energy, how assistant coaches are contributing, how head coaches are listening to players, and how accountability is delivered—with passion and purpose.

You see players competing like it’s their last game—because it is. Stars showing up like they always do. Role players making game-changing contributions. Refs making (or missing) big calls when the game is on the line.

And the leadership stories? Unmatched.

Two legends, 71-year-old and 69-year-old, have been leading  for decades with experience, wisdom, and grit. A 54-year-old coach who has both played in and coached in a Final Four—bringing unmatched perspective, intensity, and presence to the game. And a 39-year-old making history as the youngest men’s coach to ever win a national championship. It’s a powerful mix of “been there, done that” and “next generation rising.”

This week has been a masterclass in leadership, high performance, resilience and relentless—and it’s fueling the work we do every day with our top-performing clients. These are leaders running multimillion-dollar businesses, navigating pressure, building teams, and preparing for their next season.

No rest for the weary. The best are already getting ready to cut the net down next year. The court was the classroom this week. Let’s take these lessons and lead at the next level.

Onward...