🧭 The Most Impactful Coach You've Never Heard Of

He’s one of the winningest NCAA coaches ever with over 900 wins and a legacy of leadership. Here are 3 timeless lessons from Don Meyer every leader should steal.

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The Growth Compass
July 06, 2025

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Here’s where we are headed today:

  • Don Meyer on captains vs. leaders⚡

  • 3 leadership and culture habits to learn from Don Meyer🥇

  • Favorite posts I found this week 🏆

  • Free mental fitness links 👇

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  • The ONE question I keep asking every coach I’m consulting with (Monday)

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Let’s dive in…

Don Meyer on Captains vs. Leaders

“You can pick the captains, but you can’t pick the leaders. Whoever controls the locker room controls the team.”

3 Culture and Leadership Lessons from Don Meyer

Don Meyer never coached in the NBA. He didn’t go viral for a locker room speech or win a national championship on ESPN. But if you ask any coach who’s studied the craft long enough - Meyer is a giant.

He coached over 900 wins.
Built teams on character, discipline, and humility.
And mentored coaches like David Cutcliffe and Jerry Meyer (his son).

Meyer’s teachings weren’t flashy, but they were real. And they work.

Here are 3 timeless lessons from the coaching legend that every leader can learn from:

1: The Foxhole Test: Pick the Right Leaders

Meyer uses the test below to pick the captains and leaders on the team.

It’s not about popularity or talent, it’s about trust.

  • Who shows up when it’s hard?

  • Who communicates under pressure?

  • Who holds others accountable without losing connection?

Those are your captains.

2: Trademarks of a Great Team

Don Meyer didn’t believe in complexity, he emphasized 7 trademarks:

  1. Team attitude - “We before me”

  2. Servanthood/stewardship

  3. Toughness - “Never out hustled, never out thought”

  4. Fundamentals

  5. Students / teachers of the game

  6. Communication

  7. Constant improvement (Kaizen)

Why It Matters: High-performing teams don’t rise to the occasion - they fall to their systems. And Meyer built systems rooted in daily habits, personal accountability, and relentless improvement. He knew that winning is what happens when your habits are elite, not just your highlight reel.

3: It’s not what you teach, it’s what you emphasize

  • The power of reinforcement - Everyone teaches fundamentals. Not everyone reinforces them. Meyer once said,

    “We all teach the layup. But when a player misses and does 5 push-ups, or hits the rim and does 3, that’s emphasis.”

    Players don’t remember what you say once. They remember what you emphasize over and over again.

  • The one-minute assessment - Before you correct a player, start with praise then give them one thing we can improve together.

    Instead of: “Good pass.” say “Great job using the pass fake to shift the defender and feed the low post.”

    This kind of coaching is specific and explains the WHY. It builds understanding, confidence, and buy-in.

🧠Questions to Ask Others You’re Leading

  • If you’re a manager or coach: Who are your foxhole leaders and do they know their value? Are you reinforcing the behaviors you want to see or just assuming players know?

  • If you’re a parent or leader: Are you modeling servant leadership and communication at home? Do your kids understand that contribution matters more than credit?

  • If you’re an athlete: How do you respond to feedback - defensive or open? Are you doing the little things that don’t show up in the stat sheet but win games?

Final Takeaway: Don Meyer didn’t chase headlines. He built habits, emphasized details, and taught with purpose. His coaching philosophy is a reminder:
The best teams don’t need a spotlight to succeed - they need a standard.

And great leaders? They don’t just teach the playbook. They live the principles.

Sources:

Why Great Coaches are Subscribing to the Premium Newsletter

Most people start their day reactive. Great coaches start with clarity, focus, and an edge. That’s exactly what this premium system gives you - daily mental cues, leadership deep-dives, and tools used by elite programs. If you’re serious about leading better, this is your unfair advantage. This week are talking about:

  • Culture building techniques from one of the best dynasties of the last 100 years.

  • 5 mental toughness techniques from a renowned sports performance psychologist.

  • How to create a team of leaders from an elite NBA coach.

Favorite Posts I Found This Week

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