Buck Showalter knows how to build a winning team. He’s a three-time American League Manager of the Year and earned a reputation in baseball as a team builder who quickly built contenders. In his 20 seasons in the big leagues, Buck managed the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles. His 1,551 career wins rank 24th all-time in MLB history. In our conversation today, we dig into how to build and position your team for success. Buck shares the defining moments in his career, his relationship-based approach to leadership, and how to create a culture rooted in ownership and accountability.
Show Notes
- The influence Buck’s father had on his life (1:37)
- How he got into coaching and became a big league manager (5:56)
- Getting the most out of team members (7:54)
- Building relationships and team chemistry (9:57)
- His decision to part ways with the Yankees rather than fire any of his coaches (12:14)
- The importance of preparation (13:06)
- The story of intentionally walking Barry Bonds with the bases loaded (14:36)
- Find your edge in the little details (15:37)
- “Make it cool to care.” (17:02)
- Buck’s approach to difficult conversations (17:56)
- Managing the grind of the season to avoid burnout (20:03)
- The best are consumed with excellence (24:25)
- The story behind Derek Jeter wearing #2 for the Yankees (26:10)
- Be able to adjust to your team’s needs (28:45)
- One thing he wished he knew earlier in his career (30:57)
- The importance of emotional consistency from the leader (32:16)
- The fear of failure as a motivator (33:51)
- What’s harder—building a winning culture or sustaining it? (36:00)
- Creating a culture of accountability and ownership (37:54)
Resources / People Mentioned
- New York Yankees
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Texas Rangers
- Baltimore Orioles
- YES Network
- MLB Network
- George Steinbrenner, MLB
- Bill Parcells, NFL
- Barry Bonds, MLB
- Paul O’Neill, MLB
- Deion Sanders, MLB and NFL
- Derek Jeter, MLB
- Gene Michael, former Yankees GM
- Don Mattingly, MLB
- Adam Jones, MLB
- Lou Gehrig, MLB
- Nick Saban, Alabama football coach
- Bill Belichick, New England Patriots Coach
- John Harbaugh, NFL Coach
- Ozzie Newsome, NFL executive
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Dabo Swinney on Leading from the Heart
- Leonard Hamilton on How to Rebuild a Team for Long-Term Success
- Bruce Pearl on Coaching Your Team to Outperform Expectations
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and leave a rating or review!
