Want to know the secret to success? Show up, say yes, and outwork everyone in the room. That mindset helped Will Hardy become one of the youngest head coaches in the NBA. Now in his third season leading the Utah Jazz, Will previously served as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs. In this episode, Will shares the leadership lessons that shaped his journey—from working under Gregg Popovich to building a strong team culture in Utah. He dives into how to create buy-in, motivate high performers, and lead with both accountability and connection.
How everybody acts when the leader is not in the room is the measure of your culture. Share on XFollow Will: Instagram
Show Notes
- How Will landed an opportunity with the San Antonio Spurs (1:47)
- Early career lessons: Say yes and be available (6:04)
- Excellence requires sacrifices, and prioritizing balance over growth will keep you stuck in the middle (7:46)
- The most important leadership lesson he learned from Gregg Popovich (10:06)
- You can’t emulate someone else’s leadership; you have to do it in your own authentic way (12:57)
- Why “Show Love” is the foundation of Will’s leadership and the Jazz team culture (14:20)
- The reason Will spends minimal time in his office (16:49)
- Creating buy in as a leader (20:39)
- The power of giving your team ownership in decisions (23:16)
- The immense pressure of being a head coach in the NBA (28:02)
- “If the answer isn’t hell yes, it’s no.” (30:46)
- The first things Will did when he took the head coach job with the Jazz (33:23)
- Coaching to “raise the floor” (36:22)
- Give your team something tangible to attack every day (43:07)
- The level of daily intention it takes to be the best (44:20)
- The story of how Will Hardy now coaches in the same arena he used to give tours of as an intern (47:11)
- The Will Hardy Foundation’s work to fight ALS and provide assistance to families affected (48:59)
Resources / People Mentioned
- The Will Hardy Foundation (ALS)
- Utah Jazz
- San Antonio Spurs
- Gregg Popovich
- Boston Celtics
- Williams College
- Curt Tong
- Steve Kerr
- Derek Sivers on The Tim Ferriss Show
- Evan Bradds
- Sean Sheldon
- Nick Saban
- Bill Walsh
- Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
- This Is Water by David Foster Wallace
- The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin
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)
- Dabo Swinney on Leading from the Heart
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.
