Brad Stevens is the architect behind the Boston Celtics franchise, serving as the team’s President of Basketball Operations. He previously spent eight seasons as the Celtics head coach, leading the team to seven straight trips to the playoffs and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances. Before joining the Celtics, Stevens coached at Butler University where he led the Bulldogs to two appearances in the national championship game. On this episode, we talk about finding contentment in the pursuit, the three qualities he looks for in hiring, and his advice for young leaders.
Follow Brad: Twitter
Show Notes
- The start of his coaching career (1:43)
- How he’s approached his various career transitions (3:47)
- The most important thing you can do as a leader is be yourself (8:30)
- His relationship with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick (9:46)
- His three top priorities after taking on the new role (11:40)
- The three qualities he looks for when hiring: humble, intelligent and hard working (14:01)
- What he looks for when building a team (16:20)
- The importance of competitive character (18:57)
- How to coach growth mindset (24:32)
- How he navigates major career decisions (26:54)
- Advice for young leaders (29:05)
- How to lead with humility and confidence (30:42)
- Will he return to coaching? (33:38)
- What he learned coaching in the NBA’s “bubble season” (35:29)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Boston Celtics
- Butler basketball
- Eli Lilly
- Thad Matta, basketball coach
- Todd Lickliter, basketball coach
- Mike Marshall, former player at Butler
- John Groce, basketball coach
- Danny Ainge, basketball executive
- Bob Knight, basketball coach
- Bill Belichick, NFL coach
- Ime Udoka, Boston Celtics coach
- Angela Duckworth
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- Reggie Miller, NBA player
- Lebron James, NBA player
- TED Lasso, TV show
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Angela Duckworth on Why Gritty People Are More Successful
- Nate Oats on Embracing Your Leadership Journey
- Jay Bilas on How to Develop Toughness
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