The Leadership Advice Nobody Follows (But Everyone Should) from Top Leadership Expert

The most successful leaders, coaches, and teams in history share one counterintuitive secret: their main focus wasn’t winning. And yet… they won more than everyone else. My guest, Don Yaeger, learned this lesson from his mentor: legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. Don is one of my favorite master storytellers, a top business leadership coach, author of 44 books, 13 of them New York Times bestsellers, and a former Associate Editor at _Sports Illustrated._ Don has worked alongside the greatest athletes of our generation: Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps. But no relationship shaped him more than the 12 years he spent as Coach Wooden's mentee. Whether or not you're a sports fan, I promise you: the lessons Don shares are as universal as it gets. We explore what it _really_ means to win in business and in life. The greatest leaders in history already figured this out. The question is why the rest of us aren't following their lead. In this episode you'll learn: ➡️ Why the winningest coach in college basketball history never talked about winning (and what he focused on instead) ➡️ The Bill Walton story that reveals how great leaders hold standards without exceptions (even for their best people) ➡️ How one conversation with John Wooden transformed Don's marriage & the weekly habit he's kept for 16+ years ➡️ What Delta CEO Ed Bastian's "virtuous cycle" can teach any leader about putting people before results ➡️ What a great mentor actually look like and how to know when you’ve found one If you've ever chased the short-term win at the cost of the long game… this episode is the reset you didn't know you needed. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + If you want more of Don, check out his _Corporate Competitor Podcas_t: https://www.donyaeger.com/category/corporate-competitor-podcast Join the Leaderful app! Use promo code: STORY30 * *when you download the app or sign up at simonsinek.com. + + + Chapters 00:00 The Power of Appreciation: What You Look For, You Find 02:02 Don's Journey: From Journalism to Mentoring 04:21 Don’s 12-Year Mentorship with John Wooden 06:52 Coach Wooden's Philosophy: Pyramid of Success 10:33 Building Better Humans, Not Just Better Players 14:36 Coach Wooden's Love Letter Writing Practice 19:17 The Power of Appreciation: What You Look For, You Find 22:23 Ed Bastian & Delta: Leading With Employee-First Philosophy 33:55 What Is True Mentorship: Beyond Transactions to Transformation 38:16 Finding Mentorship for Every Generation 47:06 Why Don't More Leaders Follow Wooden's Example? 51:53 When Short-Termism Destroys Culture 53:17 Know Your Audience: The Key to Great Storytelling + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website:http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes:https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast:http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram:https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek + + + Photo/Video credits for this episode: https://tinyurl.com/ycxdw52s

Don YaegerguestSimon Sinekhost

Apr 21, 202654mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: April 21, 2026
Duration: 54m
Channel: Simon Sinek
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

The most successful leaders, coaches, and teams in history share one counterintuitive secret: their main focus wasn’t winning. And yet… they won more than everyone else. My guest, Don Yaeger, learned this lesson from his mentor: legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. Don is one of my favorite master storytellers, a top business leadership coach, author of 44 books, 13 of them New York Times bestsellers, and a former Associate Editor at _Sports Illustrated._ Don has worked alongside the greatest athletes of our generation: Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps. But no relationship shaped him more than the 12 years he spent as Coach Wooden's mentee. Whether or not you're a sports fan, I promise you: the lessons Don shares are as universal as it gets. We explore what it _really_ means to win in business and in life. The greatest leaders in history already figured this out. The question is why the rest of us aren't following their lead. In this episode you'll learn: ➡️ Why the winningest coach in college basketball history never talked about winning (and what he focused on instead) ➡️ The Bill Walton story that reveals how great leaders hold standards without exceptions (even for their best people) ➡️ How one conversation with John Wooden transformed Don's marriage & the weekly habit he's kept for 16+ years ➡️ What Delta CEO Ed Bastian's "virtuous cycle" can teach any leader about putting people before results ➡️ What a great mentor actually look like and how to know when you’ve found one If you've ever chased the short-term win at the cost of the long game… this episode is the reset you didn't know you needed. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + If you want more of Don, check out his _Corporate Competitor Podcas_t: https://www.donyaeger.com/category/corporate-competitor-podcast Join the Leaderful app! Use promo code: STORY30 * *when you download the app or sign up at simonsinek.com. + + + Chapters 00:00 The Power of Appreciation: What You Look For, You Find 02:02 Don's Journey: From Journalism to Mentoring 04:21 Don’s 12-Year Mentorship with John Wooden 06:52 Coach Wooden's Philosophy: Pyramid of Success 10:33 Building Better Humans, Not Just Better Players 14:36 Coach Wooden's Love Letter Writing Practice 19:17 The Power of Appreciation: What You Look For, You Find 22:23 Ed Bastian & Delta: Leading With Employee-First Philosophy 33:55 What Is True Mentorship: Beyond Transactions to Transformation 38:16 Finding Mentorship for Every Generation 47:06 Why Don't More Leaders Follow Wooden's Example? 51:53 When Short-Termism Destroys Culture 53:17 Know Your Audience: The Key to Great Storytelling + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website:http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes:https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast:http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram:https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek + + + Photo/Video credits for this episode: https://tinyurl.com/ycxdw52s

SPEAKERS

Don Yaeger
guest
Leadership speaker/author and former Sports Illustrated associate editor known for work on John Wooden and mentorship-driven leadership stories.
Simon Sinek
host
Author and leadership thinker, host of the podcast "A Bit of Optimism."

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Simon Sinek, featuring Don Yaeger and Simon Sinek, The Leadership Advice Nobody Follows (But Everyone Should) from Top Leadership Expert explores appreciation, mentorship, and people-first leadership that builds lasting performance John Wooden’s success came from focusing on human standards, relationships, and teammate behavior rather than obsession with winning and outcomes.

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