From the Brink to a Championship: What I Learned About Building a World-Class Team
Is your firm a championship team or still on the brink of mediocrity?
When I showed up for my freshman year of college football, our program was on the edge of collapse. At the end of that year, we were dangerously close to being eliminated altogether. The locker room felt divided, the culture was shaky, and there wasn’t much belief in a brighter future.
Fast forward a few years, and many of my teammates and others were hoisting a national championship trophy. The transformation was staggering—and it didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of intentional leadership, relentless standards, and a shared belief that we could do something extraordinary together.
As a CEO or managing partner, you may not be drawing up plays or running sprints at dawn, but the lessons are the same. Here’s what I saw firsthand that turned a struggling program into a championship team, and what it means for your firm.
1. Culture Eats Talent for Breakfast
When our program was floundering, it wasn’t because we lacked athletes. We had talent. What we lacked was a unifying culture. People showed up, but they weren’t all bought in.
The turnaround started when the leaders made it clear: this is who we are, this is how we do things, and this is the standard we live by—every day, no exceptions. Once that became embedded, everything else clicked.
In your firm, it’s not enough to hire smart accountants or advisors. Without a shared culture of excellence, collaboration, and accountability, even the most talented individuals can’t carry the team.
2. The Right Mix of People Matters
On that championship team, we had seasoned veterans who steadied the ship and younger players hungry to prove themselves. Everyone had a role, from the starters to the scout team to the student managers. Respect ran across the board.
That balance is vital in business, too. A team of “stars” without glue players will crumble. But when you intentionally build a roster of complementary skills, and ensure that every person knows their role, you unleash potential far greater than the sum of its parts.
3. Discipline Creates Freedom
As athletes, we had a clear playbook, what time to show up, how we practiced, how we trained, and even how we carried ourselves off the field. At first, it felt rigid. Over time, it gave us freedom. Because the expectations were clear, we didn’t waste energy on confusion or second-guessing. We could focus fully on execution.
Firms need the same discipline. Do you have a playbook for how work gets done? For how leaders make decisions? For how client service is delivered? Clarity and consistency aren’t limiting, they’re liberating.
4. Trust Turns a Group Into a Team
Perhaps the biggest shift I experienced was trust. We stopped pointing fingers. We stopped doubting whether the guy next to us would do his job. We knew we had each other’s backs.
That trust created confidence, and that confidence became contagious. We believed we could win because we believed in one another.
In your firm, trust is the glue that binds everything together. Without it, you’ll struggle. With it, you can take on challenges far bigger than any one individual could handle.
Final Thought
I’ll never forget the contrast between that team on the brink of elimination and the one celebrating a national championship. I was reminded of this dramatically as I sat with my teammates and other alumni during the opening game of the 2025 season over Labor Day weekend.
The difference wasn’t just talent. It was culture, discipline, trust, and vision.
As a leader, you have the same opportunity. You can guide your firm from “good enough” to world-class by setting the standard, building the right mix of people, creating clarity, and fostering trust.
If you’re ready to move your team from potential to performance, let’s talk. Together, we can build a championship culture in your firm, one that wins today and sustains success for the long run.
