Author: Don Yaeger

We’ve all heard the expression that “a team should be greater than the sum of its parts.” It’s one of the most fundamental concepts in sports. Each year we see it proven again—invariably, the last teams standing in the championship games boast sublime chemistry. They’re teams whose players have bonded deeply over the course of a lengthy season. Each person is pulling for the next. Why? Because they know the success...

When Lila Snyder began cheerleading at the University of Miami (Fl), she learned a crucial lesson: Sometimes leadership means showing up with confidence, even when you’re still finding your footing. Snyder, who cheered for the school’s 1991 national champion football team, learned in real-time that she not only had to have the skills for the pressurized job, but she also had to appear like she was enjoying the moment—even...

It may be early August, but make no mistake: the year is already barreling toward its final chapters. The calendar might say “summer,” but signs of the fall season—and the high-stakes urgency it brings—are already upon us. Schools are reopening in parts of the country, Halloween merchandise is creeping onto retail shelves, and in Canton, Ohio, the NFL kicked off its preseason with the Los Angeles Chargers taking care...

The final days of July bring a crackle of urgency across Major League Baseball—a tension that seasoned executives in any boardroom would recognize. It’s trade deadline week, when contenders throw caution aside and pursue that one missing piece that might turn a solid season into a championship run.

The best golfer in the world just won his second major of the year—the British Open at Royal Portrush—and he did it with the kind of dominant performance we usually associate with legends.

Every July, the NBA Summer League becomes a proving ground—not just for rookies and aspiring pros, but for the organizations betting on their futures. It’s a time when potential is tested, when high expectations either rise or collapse under the weight of reality.

In sports—and in business—true leaders know the win is never about one person. Think about NBA player Wilt Chamberlain. He scored an unbelievable 100 points in a single game. But his Philadelphia Warriors still needed help to get the victory, 169–147.

Even the best in the world need coaching. To some, that might seem counterintuitive. After all, when you’re on top—when you’re winning championships, closing deals, or setting the pace for your industry—why bring someone else in?

Patience rarely trends on social media. It doesn’t go viral. It doesn’t flash across ESPN headlines or flood our feeds with dopamine-laced clips. But every now and then, it wins a championship. Just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder.