The DeadThree Coaching Show: Leadership and Team Development

Think about the last time somebody on your team challenged you. Not criticized you. Challenged you. Did it feel like an attack? Or like somebody who cared about the result?

Most teams never find out. Nobody says anything. The thing slides, everybody watches it slide, and in the retro somebody finally says, "I knew from the start that was never going to work."

You knew. And you never said anything.

In episode 139, I break down WE 8 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: we challenge each other diplomatically. McDowell told me the challenge WEs...

Pull out your calendar. Look at this week. Which of those blocks actually produced something?

Not which ones kept you busy. Which ones moved the scoreboard.

In episode 138, I break down WE 7 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: we measure ourselves by outcomes, not activity.

Last week was about picking each other up. So now you have a team with a standard. It moves, it tells the truth and it has each other's back. Here's the danger: a team like that can work incredibly hard on the wrong things. WE 7 aims the effort.<...

A teammate hits the floor in a preseason game and starts to get up on his own. LeBron tells him: sit back down. We will come get you. That's a standard. That's not a feeling.

Somebody on your team is on the ground right now. When they went down, who moved?

In episode 137, I break down WE 6 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: we pick each other up. This is the one I don't see enough of. Teams talk about it. Very few have it as a standard.

Last week was about owning...

Your team will make mistakes the minute you tell them to move. What you do next decides your culture.

We are not judged by our mistakes. We're judged by how quickly we fix them and whether we repeat them. In episode 136, I break down WE 5 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: we own our mistakes.

Last week was about getting your team to take action. This week is what comes right after. Punish the mistake and the movement stops. Make people hide it and trust dies.

McDowell tells the Ford story. Every week...

Your team isn't stuck because of bad ideas. It's stuck because everyone is waiting for permission.

Taking action and making mistakes is OK. Being idle is not. In episode 135, I break down WE 4 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We, and I'll be honest: this is the one I struggle with most.

You can set great standards. You can lead by example and keep every commitment. If nobody on your team is willing to move, try or risk, everything you've built is a well-organized parking lot. Ideas, strategies and plans, parked and going nowhere.

...

Your team is keeping score. Not on your title. On whether you did what you said you'd do.

Your credibility is your brand, and it gets built or destroyed one commitment at a time. In episode 134, I break down WE 3 from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: we say what we're going to do, and then we do it.

This is the principle that decides whether the first two are real. You can do the right thing and lead by example in every meeting. Miss the delivery, and none of it counts. Follow-through is the proof.<...

George is back with the second principle from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We: We Lead By Example. Using Einstein's line that example isn't the main way to influence people, it's the only way, he breaks down Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, a software engineer named Z who reset her team's standard on a Friday afternoon, and the question every leader has to answer: are you the thermostat, or are you the thermometer?

In this episode

It's been a year since the last episode. George is back, and he's not easing in.

This one breaks down principle one from Kyle McDowell's Begin With We — the standard that has to hold before any other principle in your organization works. Trust, the John Lucas story, the Tylenol crisis, and twenty years of watching corporate America choose low standards over high ones.

Corporate America isn't broken because of bad people. It's broken because of bad standards. George connects that idea to a story from Jon Gruden about looking left and right in the locker ro...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we kick off 2026 by finishing a two-part conversation about getting into uncomfortable rooms—and more importantly, what it takes to stay there, grow there, and eventually belong there.

Getting access is only the first step. High performers separate themselves by what they do after the door opens.

This episode breaks down three defining principles that will shape who rises and who stalls in 2026: bringing value before validation, letting the room raise your standards, and earning belonging through repetition. These aren’t motivational ideas—they’re executio...

As we close out 2025 and look straight at 2026, this episode is a line in the sand.

Growth does not happen in familiar rooms. It happens when you intentionally place yourself in environments where you’re uncomfortable, challenged, and not the most experienced voice in the room.

In this episode, recorded on a cold Missouri walk, I unpack a core principle that will define elite leaders in 2026:

You don’t grow by preparing longer. You grow by exposure.

Drawing from coaching basketball, leadership work, and real-world business environments, this conversation challenges you to r...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we start with a Duke vs. Florida basketball moment and turn it into a leadership blueprint for IT teams and organizations. Duke guard Isaiah Evans was 0-for-7 from three. Game on the line. Instead of going away from him, Coach Jon Scheyer drew up the final play for Evans — and he buried the game-winning three.

That decision wasn’t just about X’s and O’s. It was about belief, confidence, and the energy a leader chooses to bring to their team.

We break down why your team’s c...

In the last episode, we named the silent accountability crisis—those moments when projects stall, standards slip, and no one speaks up. In this follow-up conversation, we tackle the next hard question leaders are wrestling with:

Drawing from years in the IT and software space, this episode breaks down why so many leaders unintentionally suffocate initiative, why teams stop thinking for themselves, and how to shift from control to clarity, trust, and ownership. You’ll hear practical stories, from coaching athletes to leading technical teams, that...

How many times have you sat in a meeting, watched a project completely miss the mark, and silently thought:

No urgency. No honest ownership. Just quiet avoidance.

In this episode, we kick off December — the reset and realign month — by naming what’s really happening in so many organizations:
 a silent accountability crisis.

You walk through what you’re seeing across IT, software, and beyond: overwhelmed leaders, drifting teams, eroding standards, low execution, and cultures that quietly accept “goo...

Episode Overview

In this follow-up to Part 1, George goes deeper into what his Jerry Maguire moment really means for his life, his work with IT leaders, and for any executive who knows they’re capable of much more.

He unpacks the current reality he sees inside software and IT organizations—overwhelmed leaders, burnt-out teams, low standards, weak execution—and contrasts it with what’s actually possible when leaders raise their standards and draw a hard line in the sand.

This episode is both a personal declaration and a direct challenge:

In this episode, George pulls back the curtain on a defining decision in his life and business: going all-in on April 1st. He frames it as his Jerry Maguire moment—the point where clarity meets courage and “good enough” stops being acceptable.

You’ll hear why he’s done watching elite people walk the halls like “The Walking Dead,” why he believes IT organizations are drastically under-coached, and how he’s choosing to step out of the on-deck circle and finally take his at-bat.

This isn’t just about George’s journey. It’s a direct challenge to ev...

Most leaders say they want to grow their people and build high-performing teams… but then keep doing everything themselves.

In this episode, George breaks down key ideas from Dan Martell’s book Buy Back Your Time and reframes them through a leadership lens. This isn’t about becoming a “busier” entrepreneur — it’s about becoming a stronger leader who builds people, systems, and cultures that can execute without you hovering over every task.

If you’re tired of spinning in the mud, exhausted from carrying the team on your back, and frustrated that your calendar doesn’t match yo...

What happens when you try to lead, build, sell, strategize, and “just handle it” all by yourself? In this episode, I break down how Dan Martell’s book Buy Back Your Time quietly doubles as one of the most important leadership books you can read—especially if you’re a leader who’s stuck in the loop of doing instead of leading.

I unpack why leadership without structure always ends in burnout, why so many leaders keep saying, “I’ll just do it myself,” and how that mindset caps not only their impact, but their team’s potential. Using rea...

Great leaders don’t bark orders — they build alignment.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down how elite organizations like the Ritz-Carlton build cultures of empowerment, trust, and execution — not by demanding obedience, but by creating clarity so strong that permission isn’t needed.

Drawing lessons from Brian Gottlieb’s book Beyond the Hammer and real-world leadership models from sports and business, this episode explores how alignment, daily rhythms, and purpose-driven communication create unstoppable teams.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

What makes teams elite isn’t talent — it’s alignment.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down one of the most misunderstood truths in leadership:
Teams rarely fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they’re misaligned.

Drawing lessons from Brian Gottlieb’s Beyond the Hammer, George explores how belief, purpose, and alignment form the foundation for execution — and how leaders can shift from controlling outcomes to influencing people.

You’ll hear why alignment and purpose are the glue that hold execution together, why meaning beats motion every time, and...

What if the real reason people stay—or leave—has nothing to do with pay, perks, or projects… but everything to do with how they’re led?

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George dives into one of the most powerful truths from Beyond the Hammer by Brian Gottlieb:
People don’t stay for the work. They stay for the leader.

When leadership is built on belief, care, and development—not control or transaction—it transforms everything. Your people stop “doing tasks” and start chasing greatness. Your culture shifts from obligation to owne...

What separates a manager from a leader?

It’s not the title, the office, or the authority — it’s belief.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George unpacks one of the most powerful ideas from Beyond the Hammer by Brian Gottlieb: the greatest leaders don’t build through force — they build through belief. Real leadership is about seeing potential in people long before they see it in themselves and transferring that belief through your words, your actions, and your consistency.

This episode isn’t about motivational clichés or surface-level encouragement — it’s about buil...

What if the missing ingredient in your team’s performance wasn’t accountability — but empathy?

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down a leadership truth that many overlook: you can’t demand discipline from people who don’t first feel understood. Leaders who rush to enforce standards without connection end up managing compliance, not commitment.

Through personal reflections, sports analogies, and lessons from the SDC Playbook (Standards, Discipline, Consistency), George explores how empathy and accountability are not opposites — they’re partners. Empathy earns trust; trust fuels discipline; and discipline drives results.

This epis...

What if the real measure of greatness wasn’t how high you rise — but how long you can keep showing up when no one’s watching?

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we strip away the hype and get brutally honest about what greatness actually looks like in real life — the early mornings, the unseen hours, the boring repetition, the emotional fatigue. Because here’s the truth: greatness isn’t built in moments of motivation. It’s built in the quiet, exhausting, consistent work that no one celebrates.

You’ll hear why motivation i...

Who Do You Want to Become?

How identity, humility, and disciplined action shape your path to real greatness.

This episode goes straight at a question most leaders avoid: Who are you becoming—on purpose? Not your title, not your goals, not your possessions. Your identity. Because until you define that, you’ll keep chasing outcomes that don’t change who you are.

Drawing from Ryan Holiday’s Ego Is the Enemy and DeadThree’s playbook, we break the pursuit of greatness into two non-negotiables: (1) Know who you want to be. (2) Kn...

Episode 115: “Don't Be the Reason They Quit”

What happens when the same kid, with the same talent and love for the game, goes from loving a sport one year… to hating it the next?

It’s rarely about the sport. It’s almost always about the coach.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we unpack the raw truth about leadership — that the person leading can either ignite passion or extinguish it. Whether on the court or in the boardroom, the same principle applies: a leader can make or break som...

Motivation Fades. Inspiration Doesn’t.

What if the reason you keep losing momentum isn’t discipline—or even motivation—but the kind of fuel you’re running on?

In this episode, I break down one of the biggest misconceptions in performance, leadership, and life: the idea that motivation is what moves us. The truth? Motivation burns out. Inspiration endures.

This isn’t another pep talk about working harder or staying positive. This is a mindset shift—a complete reframe of how you lead yourself and others when the fire starts to fade.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we confront one of the biggest barriers to growth — the permission trap.

Most people are sitting in the audience, waiting to be chosen. Waiting for validation. Waiting for someone to notice their effort, hand them the opportunity, and tell them it’s “their time.”

 But here’s the truth: nobody’s coming. The spotlight isn’t handed out — it’s taken.

Drawing from powerful stories and real experiences, George challenges you to stop waiting for the right time, the right approval, or the perfect conditions — and to simply move.<...

In this episode of The DeadThree Coaching Show, we explore one of the most overlooked — yet defining — qualities of elite leadership: the ability to inspire instead of manipulate.

Too many leaders rely on pressure, titles, or authority to drive results. But true leadership? It’s not about forcing people to perform — it’s about inviting them to believe. It’s about inspiring ownership, purpose, and pride. When people feel seen, valued, and inspired, their performance doesn’t need to be managed… it becomes self-sustaining.

Drawing from recent DeadThree client experiences, sports analogies, and real-world leadership examples, this e...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we unpack one of the most underestimated skills in leadership: awareness.

Too often, leaders believe their job is simply to make decisions. The truth? If you don’t understand yourself, your people, and your environment, every decision is just a guess.

We break awareness into three levels:

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we go deeper than the typical “values on a wall” conversation. Values aren’t just inspirational words slapped on a mouse pad — they’re the standards you live, the non-negotiables that guide your actions, and the silent forces that either strengthen or erode your culture.

I share a personal story from my own community — about a man whose life embodied service, sacrifice, and togetherness without ever needing to announce it. His actions, not his words, made his values crystal clear. That contrast raises the tough question: are the values you claim re...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we tackle a season every leader knows too well: when everything feels cloudy—direction, roles, priorities, energy. Clarity won’t magically appear. As Ed Mylett says, “clarity is the child of courage.” It’s your job as a leader to create it.

Pulling from Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage, we break down the difference between smart organizations (strategy, tech, marketing, finance) and healthy organizations (low politics, low confusion, high morale, high productivity, low turnover)—and why most teams over-index on “smart” and ignore “healthy.”

👉 Inside this episode:

In this special walking edition of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we kick off Q4 with a hard truth: goals alone aren’t enough. You can write them down, tape them to your wall, or even frame them — but without systems, standards, and daily execution, they’re just words on a page.

In this episode, I share exactly how I’m approaching Q4: building clarity, using AI as my accountability partner, and turning my goals into non-negotiable commitments. You’ll hear about my 9 quarterly goals, how I narrowed them to the one that matters most, and why execution...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we get brutally honest about what most folks won’t say out loud: greatness is exhausting. It’s not built on hype or highlight reels—it’s paid for in the boring, repetitive, uncelebrated work you do when nobody’s clapping. We talk about why exhaustion is not a red flag but a receipt for the price you’re paying, how elite teams keep standards high when feelings get loud, and what leaders must do to carry the energy when the team is running on fumes. From the NOMA “best restaurant in the world”...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we dig into the foundation of every elite team: trust that makes truth-telling safe. If someone on your team spots a problem, do they feel safe to say it out loud—or do they go quiet and hope it goes away? Using insights from Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage, Seth Godin’s Tribes, and real-world leadership examples (including UConn’s Dan Hurley), we unpack why silence is costly and how leaders create environments where people can speak freely, fail safely, and still feel valued.

👉 What you’ll learn

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we break down one of the most overlooked tools in leadership: the words you choose.

Liz Wiseman reminds us in Multipliers: “Leaders must change the conversation. New words create new worlds.” The language you use every day either multiplies your people — building clarity, trust, and ownership — or it diminishes them, leaving confusion, low morale, and stalled progress.

From locker rooms to boardrooms, your words set the tone. Whether it’s the difference between “work for me” and “work with me,” or swapping “we can’t” for “here’s how we will,” leaders who...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we break down one of the most overlooked truths in leadership: energy isn’t about personality — it’s about responsibility.

Your people don’t just hear your words, they catch your energy. If you walk into the room burned out, disengaged, or negative, your team will mirror it. If you show up consistent, intentional, and energized — you fuel trust, clarity, and execution.

Drawing inspiration from Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Habits and the DeadThree Playbook, we explore why energy management is just as important as time management f...

Here’s the hard truth: most companies say they have values, but few actually live them. And when values are fake, forced, or just written on a wall without being lived out — people notice. The result? Broken trust, toxic culture, and teams who disengage or walk away.

In this episode, we tackle the values problem — why empty values destroy culture, how they erode trust, and what it looks like when leaders actually embody the values they preach.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Without crystal-clear shared goals, your team’s effort is scattered. And without clear roles, even the right goal becomes a mess to execute.

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down why the most effective leaders protect two things at all costs:

You’ll learn why “chaos dressed up as ambition” kills momentum, how sports teams illustrate the power of role clarity, and the leadership mindset required to keep your team aligned, accountabl...

In this episode, George shares a powerful lesson from Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage:

Through stories from his coaching days and lessons from legends like Kobe Bryant, George explains how clarity demands prioritization—both on the court and in the boardroom. When leaders dilute priorities, teams scatter their energy and achieve little of significance. But when you sharpen focus, confidence and results skyrocket.

You’ll also hear about Dead3 Coaching’s ongoing 100–1–10 challenge:
✅ Serve 100 companies
✅ Empower 1,000 leaders
✅ Inspire 10,000 listeners

Listen in for practical actions you can take r...

Stop Being the Answer Machine: Build Teams That Think

Quote:
"An answer solves today’s problem, but a principle solves tomorrow’s. Teach your team how to think, not just what to do." – Dan Martell 

In this milestone episode of The Dead3 Coaching Show, we take you inside a leadership shift that can transform your team and free up your time.

The Core Message:
An answer fixes today’s problem. A principle builds tomorrow’s leaders.
Stop being the “answer machine” for every issue your team faces. Instead, install principles and...