Building a Winning Culture

If you aren’t a fan of basketball, you probably missed that one of the best coaches in the history of game, Gregg Popovich, retired at the age of 76. He had a stroke in November and was hoping to come back as coach, but will stay on as team president. I must admit I never was a supporter of the team he coached, the San Antonio Spurs, (go Lakers) but I have always been a big fan of his coaching and especially his leadership. Coach Popovich’s biggest impact was in how he led people-how he created standards-how he taught values, not just plays. There was much more to him than just basketball.Whether you're a coach, teacher, or parent, his philosophy offers a blueprint for leadership that lasts.

Here are some of the main leadership principles I have taken from Coach Pop—which of these do you agree with?

Culture Over Everything

From his first day as coach, the culture in San Antonio was based on humility, accountability, and unselfishness. He treated his best players-Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, David Robinson-like role players, and treated role players like his best players. No matter what he did or decided, it was about supporting the team and the culture , and making sure that individual achievements were not as important as the team functioning properly.

Tell the Truth No Matter What

Coach Popovich was known for being blunt, but never cruel. He believed that people deserved the truth—because that’s how they grow. He didn’t sugarcoat feedback, even for his best players. But he also praised just as quickly. His players knew exactly where they stood. It’s a reminder that kids, athletes, and students don’t need perfection from us—they need clarity, fairness, and consistency.

It’s All About Relationships

Popovich wasn’t just someone who gave out discipline-his former players talked glowingly about the relationships he build with all of his player. They mentioned he knew them as people-he learned about their lives-he took them to dinner. He built trust before anything else which ultimately allowed him to coach players hard-because they knew he was truly there for them. We all know when people feel cared for, they respond better to being held accountable and give better effort. Connection is always going to put leaders in a better position to lead their group.

Know Your Role and Embrace it

Popovich’s teams were famous for clarity of roles. Everyone—from Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to the 12th man—knew what was expected and how their piece fit into the bigger puzzle. That clarity led to confidence and kept player egos from getting in the way. He clearly was great in communicating what he expected. I found a quote from Coach Pop that said, if you want to be part of something bigger than yourself, you’ve got to give up a little bit of yourself.” People thrive when they understand what’s expected of them. For teams, this brings everyone together by giving each person a purpose within the team.

Be Generous in Every Arena

Popovich’s leadership extended to everyday life—especially in how he treated people behind the scenes. One thing I learned a number of years ago about him was that he was well-known for being an extraordinarily generous tipper at restaurants, often leaving $2,000–$5,000 tips on regular bills! I read that he once tipped $5,000 on an $800 bill in Memphis. Since reading that, I have always tried to be very generous with tipping and appreciate the service that the waiters/waitresses are providing.

What Coach Pop did weren’t publicity stunts—they were just how he operated. He was also famous for team dinners—not just with players, but the entire staff-well beyond just the players and coaches. Everyone had a seat at the table. He even did this after his wife passed away from a long illness. You can always learn a lot about someone by how they treat others in the quiet moments-how do we carry ourselves when no one is watching? Generosity to others will always get you a long way!

Gregg Popovich won 5 NBA championships, coached probably the greatest power forward of all time, and became the winningest coach in NBA history. But none of that compares to the culture he had with his team—a culture of honesty, accountability, humility, and care.

Although none of us are leading NBA teams, we are leading people in some fashion. We’re leading families, supporting teams, and building communities. So the question is: what kind of culture are you building every day?

Hopefully, you are leading with care, speaking the truth, building relationships, and communicating with everyone about their role in your life. And don’t forget—it’s not about you. It’s about the group and being generous to them.

Have a great week!

Coach K