Back to Basics: What Coaching High School Football Taught Me About the Unchanging Fundamentals of Business

Whether it’s football or business, the mistake most leaders make isn’t failing to innovate—it’s abandoning the basics in search of novelty.

There’s an old Chinese parable often referred to as “The Story of the Farmer.” It is simple, subtle, and, for business leaders, profoundly instructive:

Why Are Athletes Paid to Train — But Employees Are Expected to Perform Without It?

The Three Quiet Killers of Operating System Implementation: Lessons in Scale, Simplicity, and Sanity

The Five Quiet Struggles of Mid-Level Nonprofits (and Why You're Not Alone)

You Don’t Need Permission: Why CEOs Must Reclaim Their Power Before They Install Better Systems

Leadership Without a Title: What Sports Understand That Most Businesses Don’t

What Got You Here Might Still Be Valuable: The Maturity of Re-evaluating People, Not Just Roles

Efficiency Is Not an Escape Hatch: Why Making Your Business More Efficient Isn’t About Doing Less—It’s About Achieving More

The Arrogance Trap: Why Believing No One Can Do Your Job Better Is Holding Your Business Back

Why Right-Sized Operational Systems Are Critical for Growing Companies