Episode 184- Jon Scheyer on Lead Like a Champion

What does it take to step into the shoes of a legend and write your own legacy? At age 33, Jon Scheyer was named the new men’s basketball coach at Duke University, taking over one of college basketball’s biggest jobs from coaching legend Mike Krzyzewski. Now in his second season at the helm, he’s one of the youngest head coaches in college basketball. In his first season as head coach, Jon led the Blue Devils to a 27-9 mark and the ACC tournament title. He spent nine seasons on Coach K’s staff and was an All-American and two-time team captain as a player at Duke. In his 14 seasons as player and coach at Duke, Jon has been part of two national championships, three Final Fours and five ACC Tournament crowns. On this episode, we talk about being prepared for your opportunity, the importance of authentic leadership, and how to handle pressure and high expectations.

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Show Notes

• Jon Scheyer’s leadership style (1:53)
• Duke Basketball’s “One Vision” philosophy (3:42)
• Overcoming adversity to put himself in the position to succeed (4:48)
• How Jon prepared for the opportunity to become a head coach (8:09)
• Why he doesn’t shy away from embracing Coach K’s influence (10:45)
• The advantages and challenges of being a young head coach (12:01)
• The biggest lessons he learned in his first year as a head coach (15:17)
• Embracing a “next play mentality” (17:00)
• The two things Jon promised himself when he got the head coach job at Duke (18:49)
• What team building strategies Jon used this offseason (20:33)
• The pressure to have instant success and the power in staying present (22:21)
• Emphasizing direct feedback, ownership and accountability (24:18)
• The habits that allow him to show up at his best (25:58)
• The best leadership advice he got from Coach K (29:20)

Resources / People Mentioned

• Duke Basketball
• Mike Krzyzewski
• Jon Scheyer Introduced as Next Head Coach
• Sean McVay
• Mike Posner
• Zion Williamson
• Tom Izzo
• Ryan Young
• Jeremy Roach
• Tyrese Procter
• No Time for Spectators by Martin Dempsey
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Recommended For You

Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:

• Brad Stevens on How to Lead with a Growth Mindset
• Geno Auriemma on Winning (And Winning Some More)
• Sue Bird on Unleashing Your Competitive Drive

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.