Original post from Duke Fuqua School of Business

Mike Krzyzewski—better known as Coach K—is a walking trophy case. Olympic golds? Check. NCAA championships? Yep. Forty-five years of leading basketball royalty? Absolutely. But even he had to rewrite the playbook when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about zone defense and free throws—it was about navigating Zoom fatigue, health protocols, and existential dread.

So how did Coach K lead through it? With humility, heart, and some ridiculously effective leadership principles. Whether you’re managing a team of interns or leading your first big project (or trying to get your toddler to eat vegetables), these five lessons can help.

1. Create Ownership

Coach K doesn’t just want players to wear the Duke jersey. He wants them to be Duke Basketball. And no, that doesn’t mean yelling “Go Blue Devils!” in their sleep—it means building a culture where everyone feels like they own the mission.

He invites guest speakers, hosts team dinners at home, and creates space for real connection. The message: “You belong here.”

Leader tip: You don’t need a mansion like Coach K—just a way to bring people together. Team lunch? Casual check-ins? A “no agenda” Slack channel where people share dog photos? It counts.

2. Customize Your Coaching

If you’ve ever tried to lead a team and thought, Why doesn’t everyone just respond to my brilliant ideas the same way?, congrats: You’ve discovered humans.

Coach K says great leaders tailor their coaching to the individual. Some players need a pep talk. Others need blunt feedback. Some might need you to stop quoting movies from the 80s they’ve never seen (guilty).

Leader tip: Get curious. Ask your team what motivates them, how they prefer feedback, and what kind of communication drives them crazy. Then adjust like the genius coach you are.

3. Embrace the Egos

Coach K has worked with the biggest stars in the world. He doesn’t tell them to leave their egos at the door—he hands them a map and says, “Let’s point this in a helpful direction.”

People want to shine. Your job is to help them shine for the team, not just for themselves.

Leader tip: When someone’s confidence feels a little extra, don’t squash it—steer it. Give them a role that lets them lead, contribute, and feel important (because let’s be honest, most of us want that anyway).

4. Listen (Seriously)

In 2020, amid national protests and tough conversations about race, Coach K realized he hadn’t been listening deeply enough. So he changed that. He educated himself, listened to his team, and took a public stand for justice—not as a political move, but as a human one.

Leader tip: Leadership isn’t just about being right—it’s about being real. Listen when your team tells you something matters to them. And if you’ve messed up, own it. That builds trust faster than a hundred inspirational quotes.

5. Show Emotion

Coach K—Army grad, old-school guy—wasn’t exactly raised to talk about feelings. But his wife and three daughters taught him that showing emotion doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. Sometimes, he even tears up in front of the team. And no one benches him for it.

Leader tip: You don’t have to be the stoic superhero. Be the leader who says, “I don’t have all the answers,” or “This is hard, but we’re in it together.” People follow that.

Ready to Lead Like a Legend?

If Coach K can manage Olympic egos and college kids with TikTok attention spans, you can lead your team to greatness. Want help applying these ideas to your day-to-day?

Send me a message and let’s talk about how coaching can help you navigate this phase with more confidence and less stress. Because the faster you learn, the sooner you can start making the impact you’re meant to make.