Tommy Sheppard | Executive Leadership Coach and Former NBA General Manager and President | "Love people, not things."

Tommy Sheppard's career spans over 30 years in the NBA, which includes most recently serving as the General Manager and President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards. Known for his humility, generosity, and world-class ability to connect with people, Tommy now works as an executive leadership coach helping leaders align performance with purpose. 

Between his time with the Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and USA Basketball, he's made significant contributions to the sport of basketball in multiple ways. He's also served as an Adjunct Professor for Georgetown University's Sport Industry Management program since 2009. 

In this conversation, we discuss the human side of leadership including his non-negotiables (e.g. character, self-awareness, integrity). Tommy shares stories from his decades in the NBA, how he navigated the uncertainty of COVID, why curiosity matters more as you advance, and what leaders often get wrong about developing people. 

This whole conversation offers a grounded and wide-ranging look at what it means to lead well, especially when the stakes are highest.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:
[6:23] — Love People, Not Things

[8:34] — A Non-Traditional Path to the NBA

[12:50] — Beginner's Mind for Leaders

[17:23] — 3 Pillars Every Team Needs

[23:43] — How NBA Teams Evaluate Character

[29:19] — Leadership Can't Have a Bad Day

[36:56] — Building a Healthy GM-Head Coach Relationship

[41:12] — Why Leaders Need to Check Their "Dashboard"

[45:18] — Preparing for Tough Stretches Before They Happen

[52:11] — Hardest Stretch of His NBA Career 

[55:36] — Check In On Your People

[59:05] — Being Present at Home

[1:04:52] — Treat 12 Like 1 and 1 Like 12

[1:09:41] — 3 Questions to Help Foster a Great Relationship

[1:12:42] — What 30 Years in the NBA Changed My Mind About

[1:16:21] — The Legacy That Matters Most

Learn More About Tommy:

• To learn more about Tommy's work and coaching, check out his website here: https://tommysheppard.com/

 Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a collegiate or professional coach striving to win more and live better, I'm offering free discovery calls in December to share resources and offer support for your journey. You can sign up for a call here: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/