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Think Like a Coach, Talk Like a Leader

Think Like a Coach, Talk Like a Leader

By: Nathan Pali
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About this listen

Think Like a Coach, Talk Like a Leader is a leadership and performance podcast about how great coaches think, how great leaders communicate, and how elite organizations are built through clarity, culture, and influence.

The best leaders don’t just make decisions. They shape thinking. They shape behavior. They shape belief.

This podcast studies elite coaching, leadership communication, and the systems behind high performance. Each episode explores legendary coaches, championship teams, and iconic leaders from across sports, business, and organizations, blending biography, sports history, and leadership analysis to reveal how leaders think strategically and speak with impact.

You’ll learn:

  • How great coaches think about systems, culture, and development
  • How leaders communicate under pressure and uncertainty
  • How language shapes motivation, trust, and accountability
  • How preparation creates clarity in critical moments
  • How leaders influence behavior through questions, stories, and standards
  • How elite communication builds high-performing teams
  • How leadership is practiced through daily conversations

This isn’t a highlight show or a motivational podcast. It’s a story-driven guide to coaching leadership, leadership communication, organizational culture, and understanding how the best leaders in history aligned thinking and language to produce sustained excellence.

If you’re interested in leadership, executive communication, sports leadership, coaching philosophy, team culture, organizational leadership, performance psychology, and learning how to lead through both strategy and speech — this podcast is for you.

Think Like a Coach, Talk Like a Leader Because leadership starts in the mind… and shows up in the words.

© 2026 Think Like a Coach Talk Like a Leader All rights reserved.
Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • Dan Gable: The Pursuit of Absolute Dominance
    Feb 15 2026
    In this episode, we explore the coaching philosophy of legendary wrestling coach Dan Gable, examining how personal tragedy and a single competitive loss shaped his relentless pursuit of perfection. We also discuss how Gable's unyielding standards and focus on extreme preparation transformed the Iowa wrestling program into a national powerhouse.Chapters00:00 Gable’s Unyielding Standard01:57 Personal Loss and Redirection03:33 The Defining Loss of 197005:32 Coaching at Iowa: Escalation08:52 Overwhelming Opponents13:59 Trusting the System & Legacy
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    11 mins
  • The Leadership Moment Everyone Misunderstood
    Jan 26 2026

    The 2018 quarterback decision wasn’t about courage. It was about consistency. This episode reveals what really happened.

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    16 mins
  • Newt Rockne's Football Legacy
    Feb 14 2026
    In this episode, we explore the strategic decisions and organizational brilliance of legendary football coach Newt Rockne. We discuss how he built a powerful program at Notre Dame through innovation, adaptability, and a focus on systematic excellence rather than individual talent.Chapters00:00 Rockne's Early Innovation00:22 The 1913 Army Game03:38 Building a Cohesive Program08:35 Adapting and Sustaining Excellence15:17 Confronting Complacency and Safety18:20 Rockne's Enduring Legacy
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    12 mins
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