Re:Thinking with Adam GrantThe NHL's first woman coach Jessica Campbell on breaking leadership barriers | ReThinking
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 0:36
Standing behind an NHL bench: the emotional weight of going first
Jessica Campbell opens by describing the unexpected flood of emotion she felt realizing she was the first woman in a role behind an NHL bench. She reflects on the pressure to use that historic moment responsibly and do something meaningful with it.
- •She always felt she belonged in hockey, but the “first” label hit only in the NHL setting
- •The moment carried pride, pressure, and a sense of responsibility
- •Framing the role as an opportunity to create impact beyond herself
- 0:36 – 1:32
Prairie hockey roots and learning the game as the only girl
Campbell traces her origin story: a small-town Canadian childhood with hockey-playing parents and early immersion in the sport. She recounts regularly being the only girl on boys’ teams—an experience that shaped her confidence and identity in the game.
- •Typical Canadian upbringing: family and community hockey culture
- •Early teams were boys’ teams because girls’ programs were limited then
- •Seeing progress in the sport through today’s growth of girls’ hockey
- 1:32 – 2:15
Competing on boys’ teams: belonging, locker-room realities, and resilience
She explains that, despite logistical challenges (like dressing alone), she didn’t feel isolated or lesser than. Her sense of belonging came from simply loving the game and being treated as a teammate once on the ice.
- •Practical barriers: changing spaces and being physically separated at times
- •Internal experience: joy and curiosity outweighed feelings of exclusion
- •Core belief formed early: she belonged in the room and on the team
- 2:15 – 5:07
Allyship vs. backlash: being targeted, reframing threats, and pushing through
Adam Grant asks about opponents’ reactions, and Campbell confirms she experienced both protection and aggression. She shares how negative comments and double standards became fuel—interpreting others’ hostility as a signal she was a threat.
- •Some opponents went easy; others tried to intimidate or hit harder
- •Double standards: criticism when she was hurt that boys didn’t face
- •Family rule and mindset: get up, keep going, don’t internalize bullying
- •Reframe: if they’re threatened, she’s doing something right
- 5:07 – 5:36
Early leadership permission: her mom coaching boys and redefining who leads
Campbell describes a formative image: her mother coaching an all-boys team where Jessica was the only girl. Looking back, she sees that moment as implicit permission to imagine leadership—and leadership “looking different.”
- •Role modeling: a woman leading in a male-dominated youth setting
- •Leadership identity formed before she consciously recognized it
- •Family influence as a foundation for later barrier-breaking
- 5:36 – 7:07
From belonging to trailblazing: leaning into difference and carrying the torch
Grant connects her story to research on trailblazers and belonging, asking whether being “the only one” strengthened her gender identification. Campbell says leaning into her differences helps her show up authentically, even as it sometimes triggers imposter syndrome, and she now feels motivated to open doors for other women.
- •Belonging can catalyze barrier-breaking motivation
- •Leaning into difference builds confidence and authenticity
- •Imposter syndrome still appears when you’re the first/only
- •She frames her work as carrying a torch for other women
- 7:07 – 7:44
No blueprint, just the work: building credibility until the NHL noticed
Campbell explains she didn’t set out with a clear roadmap to become an NHL coach; she focused on excellence, impact, and the process. Over time, her coaching attracted players at higher levels, including NHL athletes, validating that she had a distinctive approach.
- •Process-first mindset: passion and excellence over titles
- •Coached across levels: youth through pro; impact scaled upward
- •NHL players sought her out for her method and approach
- •Realization: she was doing something meaningfully different
- 7:44 – 9:30
A pro player’s belief as a catalyst: “You’re going to coach in the NHL”
She recounts how Brent Seabrook told her—on her 27th birthday—that she would coach in the NHL. That external validation mirrored a private hope and helped her believe the goal was possible, pushing her to pursue it seriously.
- •The power of credible encouragement from a respected insider
- •Validation provided “permission” she hadn’t felt she had
- •She commits: chase it fully and let the work determine the outcome
- 9:30 – 10:21
What made her coaching stand out: original drills and relationship follow-through
Campbell explains why Seabrook later said he believed in her: her drills were her own, not copied from NHL systems, and felt fresh to players. She also consistently followed up on how he felt and what he needed next, building trust and responsiveness.
- •A “copycat league” makes novelty and originality noticeable
- •Player-centered follow-up strengthened the coaching relationship
- •Planning + adaptation: having a plan while still asking what the player needs
- 10:21 – 11:46
Closed doors and harsh skepticism: building her own ‘house’ instead
Campbell describes frequent rejection and cruel comments about why she was getting opportunities. Rather than pleading for entry, she started her own business, focused on serving anyone who wanted coaching, and let results speak louder than gatekeepers.
- •Hearing “no” often and encountering explicit bias and hostility
- •Turning inward: protect passion by filtering out noise
- •Guiding mantra: no player is too big or too small to deserve coaching
- •Strategy shift: stop begging at locked doors—build something others choose to enter
- 11:46 – 16:10
Her coaching philosophy: “listen, lift, and love” (and why it’s not ‘soft’)
She lays out three core strengths—listen, lift, love—rooted in human connection, empowerment, and high standards. Grant challenges the risk of reinforcing gender stereotypes, and Campbell emphasizes these are strategic leadership tools that work regardless of gender and make staffs stronger through varied approaches.
- •Listen: see the person, not just the player; build trust and communication
- •Lift: process-oriented development, belief, and helping players reach potential
- •Love: psychological safety + standards of excellence (including tough accountability)
- •Debunking “softness”: care can increase performance and challenge-readiness
- •Diverse perspectives (not gendered assumptions) strengthen coaching staffs
- 16:10 – 19:16
Delivering tough feedback that changes behavior: clips, reframes, and belief
Campbell gives concrete examples of “tough love” by focusing on patterns that precede mistakes, not character flaws. She uses a feedback sandwich with evidence of successful past behavior, or shows admired role models, then builds a plan to practice the desired action.
- •Diagnose the breakdown before the mistake; avoid labeling incompetence
- •Use contrast: ‘here’s the error’ vs. ‘here are times you did it right’
- •Separate identity from behavior: ‘not a bad teammate, just a bad decision’
- •If no positive examples exist, use model clips of respected players
- •Pair critique with an actionable plan: reps, practice, and clear next steps
- 19:16 – 20:47
Coaching the whole team: standards (not rules), reinforcement, and accountability
Asked about team vs. individual feedback, Campbell stresses establishing clear standards early (especially in training camp). Team identity is reinforced publicly, deviations are called out carefully, and individual follow-up is tailored to how different players respond to pressure and shame.
- •Set non-negotiable standards tied to team identity and style of play
- •Reinforce ‘this is us’ and celebrate examples of standards in action
- •Calling out deviations is necessary but players respond differently
- •Use individual coaching to address repeat issues and emotional reactions
- 20:47 – 34:31
Lightning round + deep dive on feedback, trust, and the cost of going first
In a rapid Q&A, Campbell critiques ‘just be grateful’ as complacency and shares advice about removing judgment to allow love and growth. She and Grant then explore what feedback truly changes behavior (task-focused, behavior-specific, self-assessment), whether women must earn trust differently, and the psychological weight and risk profile of being first.
- •Worst advice: ‘Just be grateful to be in the NHL’ can breed complacency
- •Best advice: ‘You can’t judge a player and love them at the same time’
- •Effective feedback: praise vs. criticism is a wash; person-focused feedback backfires; task/behavior focus works
- •Use self-assessment questions to reduce defensiveness and target controllable actions
- •Gender and trust: evidence mixed; small stereotype violations may help, major ones still penalized; women often must prove warmth first
- •Cost of going first: pressure, scrutiny, and responsibility; top-level competence can reduce stereotyping; ‘everyone does it first somewhere’ mindset
- •Guilt vs. shame: anticipated guilt can drive servant leadership and preparation
