In this episode of Positive University, bestselling author Jon Gordon talks with Coach Brendan Suhr, one of the most respected figures in basketball with nearly 30 years as a coach and executive in the NBA and 13 seasons as a coach at the collegiate level. Jon and Coach Suhr talk about Creating Ultimate Buy-In, Maximizing Talent, Bringing Out the Best in Others (and Yourself), Being the Best Coach in Business, Sports and Life… and much more. This message applies to leadership, team building, coaching, parenting and any area of life where you lead others. A few takeaways from this interview:

There’s no limit to hard work.
If you want to be a winner, you have to be willing to do the work. You can’t skip steps.
Value the sacrifice. It helps you become and develop into the person you need to be.
Be open and willing to learn.
Never underestimate the power of relationships. Invest in others and have others invest in you.
Your work ethic, enthusiasim and positivity can surpass almost anything.
Be comfortable enough to have greatness around you. Hire the best people possible.
To be a good coach you must learn to connect with people.
Internal leadership is important for an organization to grow. The lost art of holding each other accountable.
To create Buy-In you have to create Believe-In (value others opinions, don’t tell them everything to do, let them contribute).
Take personal responsibility. Don’t try to always blame others. What is your role in it?
Shout praise, whisper criticism.
Don’t just tell people what they should do. Show them how.
When someone makes a mistake, correct the behavior. Don’t berate the person.
Command and Control is the old way. It’s now about Seek to Connect. To develop people, you have to be connected to them.
Your credibility and competency contribute to buy-in. You people have to believe in you to buy-into what you’re saying.
If you’re not learning from those you lead, you’re doing it wrong.
The notoriety of a coach comes from the execution of the players.
It’s never about you. It’s about your team, your employee, your child, or whomever you are responsible to lead.

About Brendan Suhr: https://coachbrendansuhr.com/ | http://coachingulive.com Coach Brendan Suhr is viewed as one of the most respected figures in basketball with nearly 30 years as a coach and executive in the NBA and 13 seasons as a coach at the collegiate level. He has been a part of some of the most historical basketball teams of all time while winning back-to-back NBA Championships with the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys”, as well as the 1992 “Dream Team” who won the Gold Medal for the United States at the Barcelona Olympic Games. He developed his “Servant Leadership” mentality while working as an Assistant Coach under Hall of Fame coaches Chuck Daly, Hubie Brown and Lenny Wilkins. During his coaching career he has coached some of the world’s best players such as Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman and most recently the #1 Selection in the 2016 NBA Draft and 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons. Coach Brendan Suhr has a passion for developing effective leaders. His extensive background in the coaching world spans over 45 years as a coach and consultant who specializes in coaching, leadership, team building and culture. His expertise in the coaching world is accompanied by his ability to teach those in leadership/management positions to coach and develop the people they lead, this includes an extensive background with one of the most challenging parts of our athletic teams and workforce today: Millennials. His often used term “I don’t coach players, I coach people” is a testament to his authenticity and personable approach in teaching and leadership. His unique ability to relate and reach people of different age groups, backgrounds, ethnicities and beliefs truly separate him from the competition.

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