Leadership Lessons From Coach Pop

Greg Popovich was the head coach of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs for 29 seasons from 1996 up to when he stepped down this past mid-season and moved to the front office. He has won five NBA championships and was the longest tenured active coach in the NBA.

He has the most wins of any coach in NBA history and is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time. He is also considered one of the most formidable and respected leaders of our time. I’ve been a longtime admirer of how this man operates.

Evidence of this is in three of Pop’s most publicized leadership lessons. We can easily see how they apply to any radio station(s).

Notice — and reward — the little things

DerMarr Johnson played in just five games for the Spurs during the 2007-08 season. In one of his first games, he entered in the second quarter, scored eight points, and then didn’t play again. But after the game, in Popovich’s message to the team, he said they won that night because of Johnson’s minutes in the second quarter. “He gave me that recognition,” Johnson said.

Recognition for your behind-the-scenes staff is invaluable. Whether it’s for a well-produced promo or spot, or an excellent setup at a station appearance.

Or, celebrate a talent who improvises brilliantly during a topical moment.

A quick, sincere “That was a perfect break for this audience” can go a long way.

Everyone wants to feel as if they matter. Show them they do — even in those small moments.

Hold people accountable and push them to their personal best

Popovich wasn’t afraid to lay into his players, but the way he treated everyone the same stuck with many. Consider this story from Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who played just three games for the Spurs in 2008-09:

“I was playing in a game, and I messed up a defensive assignment,” Mensah-Bonsu said. “He takes me out of the game, yells at me, and sends me to the end of the bench. The next quarter, Tim Duncan (the team’s superstar) literally makes the same mistake. I was assuming that Pop would just leave him in. But he subs him out and yells at Tim the exact same way and sends him to the bench right next to me.”

Don’t let your morning show skate by with lazy content while demanding constant perfection from another talent. Offer feedback consistently, up and down the chain — and make it constructive, not punitive. Avoid that “special” treatment for anyone.

Create a culture where everyone knows what’s expected and believes that excellence is for everyone in every area.

Love and trust your people

When things weren’t going right, Popovich would often call a timeout and say nothing at all. Not a word!

“He’s the only coach that I ever played for,” quotes former Spurs forward Tony Massenburg, “that when things weren’t going right in the game, he’d call a timeout and just say, ‘You guys figure it out. You know what’s going on out there. You guys fix it.’”

Let your talent take creative risks. Give them responsibility with accountability. Step aside occasionally and let them do what you hired them to do – entertain. Give them the freedom to fail. That’s how they learn.

After some tough ratings results, don’t over-manage — involve your entire team in how you should respond. Make them an integral part of the solution. You don’t have all the answers.

Create an environment where your staff feel ownership and pride in the product. This will affect any new faces joining the station, and the results will speak for themselves. 

Gregg Popovich’s coaching wasn’t about just winning — it was about building people. Pop’s leadership style translates beautifully to radio because, like a great coach, a great PD or market manager shapes culture, not just ratings and revenue, and one DOES lead to the other.