
Leadership Frameworks: From Sports Coaching and Executive Coaching
- S3E5
- 1:10:03
- May 5th 2025
In this episode of the Bonafide Leaders podcast, Tim continues to explore the intersection of sports, business, and leadership by drawing parallels between experiences on the basketball court and in the workplace. Tim shares insights from his journey as a student athlete, focusing on the valuable, transferable skills he developed through sports, such as load management, resilience after losing or failing, perseverance, work ethic, and understanding the nuances of human relationships. He discusses how these skills have shaped his professional and personal life, providing examples from his college years balancing academics, athletics, and relationships, as well as early lessons learned about winning, losing, and maintaining perspective.
The conversation then moves to Tim’s transition into coaching, highlighting the importance of understanding various roles—player, coach, spectator, and official—and how knowing one's current role can be vital for success and growth. Tim recounts his early coaching experiences, from youth camps to running an AAU boys’ basketball team, and details the responsibilities involved in coaching, such as recruiting, practice planning, motivating players, team budgeting, and managing parents expectations.
To learn more or connect with Tim, visit: www.BonafideLeaders.com
References from the Episode:
Book references:
First Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham
Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni
Movie Reference:
King Richard (Venus and Serena)
Key Topics Discussed:
- The four key roles in sports and how they relate to business teams
- Five essential transferable skills Tim learned as a player:
- Tim’s transition from player to coach and early coaching experiences
- Recruiting and developing talent in both sports and business
- The importance of effective communication and giving feedback
- Handling conflict, negotiation, and adaptability in leadership
- Creating structure and value in meetings
- Continuous reflection and analysis for growth
- Encouragement for listeners to get involved in coaching and leadership opportunities
Bonafide Leaders
In the Bonafide Leaders podcast, host Tim G Williams shares his leadership journey through life and work, from individual contributor to Vice President and Special Adviser to the CEO, working for 22 years in a Fortune 200 corporate environment in finance, operations, and strategy, to founding Bonafide Leaders. While helping run and operate billion-dollar businesses, he discovered a deep passion for organizational health, and in leading and developing people and teams. He shares his passion for partnering and working with leaders, particularly in business, technology and the non-profit spaces, aiming to augment their leadership in authentic and inspirational ways. See more at bonafideleaders.com.