Episode 617

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Published on:

15th Jan 2025

Why the Best Teams in History Excelled with Sam Walker

What can business leaders learn from the best sports teams that have had success for decades?

In this episode, Sam Walker joins host Bill Gallagher to discuss the leadership secrets of the world’s most successful sports teams. From the unassuming captains who drive dynasties to the cultural pillars that make teams legendary, Sam shares powerful insights for business leaders. 


Sam Walker is the guy who cracked the code on what makes great teams tick. As a former global sports editor at The Wall Street Journal and author of the bestselling book The Captain Class, Sam’s obsession with leadership and teamwork has taken him into locker rooms, boardrooms, and beyond.


Topics explored in this episode: 


- The surprising importance of unassuming captains in driving team success.


- Why Michael Jordan’s leadership wasn’t the key to the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty.


- How a culture of winning defines teams like the New Zealand All Blacks.


- Lessons from the 2004 Red Sox and their dramatic midseason turnaround.


- Why team success often depends on "invisible" leadership work behind the scenes.


- The value of dissent and conflict in building a strong team culture.


- How Ted Lasso humorously portrays key lessons about leadership and team dynamics.


- Why great leaders prioritize collective success over personal recognition.


- The Cuban women’s volleyball team’s dominance and their innovative approach to practice.


Chapters in this episode: 


(02:20) Meet Sam Walker


(05:10) The Role of Captains in Sustained Success


(09:50) Bill Cartwright and the Chicago Bulls


(15:00) The 2004 Red Sox Story


(19:45) The New Zealand All Blacks


(27:50) The Cuban Women’s Volleyball Team


(40:06) Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso


Thanks to Sam Walker for being on the show! 


Sam will be the keynote speaker at our upcoming SCALING UP LIVE event on June 10-12, 2025 in Denver, Colorado: https://chiefexecutive.net/scaling-up/ 


Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-captain-class/ 


Learn more about Sam: https://www.bysamwalker.com/ 


Get Sam’s book, The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812997190 


Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. 


Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop 


Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall


Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach 


Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. 

 

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.


Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ


Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u


Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ 


Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall 


This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.successwithstories.com 

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About the Podcast

Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
Do you dream of an easier way to scale and grow your business? Do you wish you didn’t have to work so hard and put in as many hours? Do you find growth too slow, or hard to sustain?

This podcast—Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher—can help you achieve and maintain the growth you want.

A message from your host: “I’ve been in your shoes as a founder, CEO, and executive leader. I’ve coached and trained many leaders just like you over more than 15 years to grow their businesses successfully and profitably. But more than that, I’ve helped give them their time and sanity back. My core strength is making the growth process easier, faster, and way more fun.”

A dynamic thought leader, Bill talks with fascinating and brilliant guests each week, including visionary CEOs, trailblazing entrepreneurs, best-selling authors, renowned business strategists, and more.

Broadly, each episode focuses on one of the four major decision areas every entrepreneur and company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. More specifically, the show explores topics such as:

* Business Growth & Scaling.
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* Delegation & Accountability.
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* Team Dynamics.
* Hiring & Talent Management.
* Company Culture.
* Employee Engagement.
* Crisis Management.
* Effective Communication.
* Influence & Persuasion.
* Business Strategies.

Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Subscribe to this podcast to learn how leaders like you can get your organizations moving in sync, create something significant, and still enjoy the ride. Subscribe if you want to elevate your business to unprecedented heights by tuning in to a masterclass in business excellence.

For information on Bill Gallagher’s coaching and training programs, and Scaling Up Workshops, visit www.ScalingCoach.com

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William Gallagher