Michael Lombardi on learning from Bill Walsh, the brilliance of Bill Belichick, winning in the NFL, and Building Championship Teams
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Release Date: 10/01/2021
Bill Walsh: How to Innovate Under Pressure (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Bill Walsh Leadership Case Study - How to Create Systematic Innovation Under Pressure How do you revolutionize an entire industry while building a championship organization? Bill Walsh didn't just win 3 Super Bowls with the 49ers - he fundamentally changed how football is played through systematic innovation and meticulous leadership. In this deep dive, discover the 5 leadership principles Walsh used to transform the worst team in the NFL into a dynasty: Systematic Innovation, Standards-Driven Culture, Teaching-Based Leadership, Collaborative Excellence, and Contingency Preparation. These...
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Nick Saban: "The Process" of Sustained Excellence (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Nick Saban Leadership Case Study - How "The Process" Creates Sustained Excellence How do you maintain championship performance when your entire team turns over every 4 years? Nick Saban has won 7 national championships across 3 decades by mastering something most leaders never figure out: creating systems that transcend individual talent. In this deep dive, discover the 5 leadership principles behind Saban's "Process" that transformed Alabama into college football's greatest dynasty: Focus on Process Over Outcomes, Systematic Talent Development, Adaptation While Maintaining Core Values,...
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Vince Lombardi: Excellence Through Mastering the Fundamentals (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Vince Lombardi: How Teaching Fundamentals Beats Complex Schemes How do you turn a perennial loser into a dynasty through the basics? Vince Lombardi took the Green Bay Packers from winning one game to five NFL championships by mastering fundamentals so well that everyone knew what was coming, but nobody could stop it. In this deep dive, discover the 5 teaching-based leadership principles Lombardi used to build the NFL's first modern dynasty: Teaching Over Scheming, Love-Based Leadership, Fundamental Mastery, Individual-Group Alignment, and Continuous Improvement. These aren't just football...
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Sir Alex Ferguson: How to Master Psychological Leadership (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Sir Alex Ferguson: The Psychology of Sustained Dominance How do you build a dynasty that lasts 26 years? Sir Alex Ferguson didn't just win 38 trophies at Manchester United - he mastered the psychology of sustained excellence through constant adaptation and relentless evolution. In this deep dive, discover the 5 psychological leadership principles Ferguson used to build the longest dynasty in modern sports: Foundation Building, Cycle of Renewal, Uncompromising Standards, Psychological Timing & Control, and Relentless Adaptation. These aren't just football strategies - they're proven...
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Bill Belichick: How to Build Systematic Excellence (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Bill Belichick Leadership Case Study - How to Build Systematic Excellence How do you transform an organizational disaster into the greatest dynasty in sports? Bill Belichick inherited a Patriots team $10 million over the salary cap with a toxic culture of entitlement - then built the most dominant franchise in modern history. In this deep dive, discover the 5 systematic leadership principles Belichick used to win 6 Super Bowls: Meritocracy Over Politics, Systematic Preparation, Science-Based Evaluation, Direct Communication, and Continuous Improvement Culture. These aren't just football...
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Phil Jackson: How to Lead Champions (Championship Leadership Case Studies)
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Phil Jackson Leadership Case Study - How to Lead Champions How do you coach Michael Jordan? Phil Jackson didn’t just manage the greatest player ever - he transformed him from individual superstar into the ultimate team leader. In this deep dive, discover the 5 leadership principles Jackson used to win 6 NBA championships with the Bulls: Mindful Awareness, Me-to-We Transformation, Compassionate Confrontation, Vision-Driven Culture, and Invisible Leadership. These aren’t just basketball strategies - they’re proven frameworks for leading high-performing teams in any organization. 🎯 KEY...
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Patrick Murphy on PERSON over athlete team culture, “Affirmation Bags”, & Power of Tiny Gains at Alabama Softball
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Coach Patrick Murphy is the Head Softball Coach at the University of Alabama. His career accomplishments rank among the very best in college sports, with a career winning percentage of 78%, winning the National Championship in 2012, and leading the Crimson Tide softball team to the NCAA tournament for a remarkable 22 straight years. In this conversation, Evan Burk talks to University of Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy about building the culture of his program by prioritizing the PERSON first - athlete second, capturing his players’ hearts with “Affirmation Bags”, and The...
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Tyler Johnson: Developing team trust, The intangibles of Self, and obtaining buy-in on a team
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Tyler Johnson is a mental skills and performance coach and host of the Elev8 Podcast. His primarily focus is working with student-athletes and coaches to elevate attitudes and potential through a focus of strength and balance of mind. In this conversation, Evan Burk talks to Tyler about coach Mark Farley and the rise of the Northern Iowa football program, how leaders can develop team trust, and the intangibles of self in elite leaders and high performers. Check out on the that Tyler hosts, and follow Tyler on and Get Evan’s book, , to learn about how high-performing teams are built and...
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Hunter Sims: Being a college AD, recruiting and hiring the best, and effective team communication
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Hunter Sims is the Director of Athletics at Howard Payne University, where he spent 6 years as an assistant coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach of the school’s football program before his promotion into the AD role. In this conversation, Evan Burk talks to Hunter about appreciating the “invisible paychecks” coaches receive, how he developed his one-year onboarding program to help 1st time head coaches successfully transition into an unfamiliar role, and what he looks for when he’s hiring a head coach to lead one of Howard Payne’s athletic programs. Get Evan’s book, , to...
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Joan Ryan of the San Francisco Giants on the Science and Soul of Team Success
The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk
Joan Ryan is the senior media advisor for the San Francisco Giants and the author of the book "Intangibles: Unlocking the Science and Soul of Team Chemistry." In this conversation, Evan Burk talks to Joan about team chemistry and how it affects performance, why trust among teammates and co-workers is crucial to building great chemistry, and how relationships influence the team dynamics within the locker room. Get Evan’s book, , to learn about how high-performing teams are built and the hidden character traits that drive all elite performers and organizations. To stay up to date with...
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Michael Lombardi is a former NFL executive, author, and podcast host. His football career spans over 3 decades, where he served as an NFL executive with the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, and Oakland Raiders. He is the Author of the book Gridiron Genius, co-founded and writes for the daily newsletter “The Daily Coach”, and hosts his own podcast "The GM Shuffle".
In this conversation, Evan Burk speaks with Michael about learning football from Bill Walsh early in his career, Bill Belichick’s ability to simplify the complex, and how leaders can find the right players when building a team.
Get Evan’s book, Finding Intangibles, to learn about how high-performing teams are built and the hidden character traits that drive all elite performers and organizations.
To stay up to date with Evan and The Highest Level podcast, sign up for Evan's leadership newsletter.
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Buy Evan's book, Finding Intangibles
EVAN BURK is an author, speaker, former NFL coach, and podcast host who uses the sports world as his backdrop to engage audiences with thought-provoking lessons of leadership, team-building, and creating championship cultures. Learn more about having Evan come speak to your team by visiting his website, or email him at: [email protected]
In this Episode:
2:00 | Learning football from Bill Walsh early in his career
4:30 | What defined Michael's early success
5:45 | Bill Walsh's Standard of Performance
7:45 | How Michael is still growing as a leader
9:00 | The simplicity of the system with Bill Belichick
10:15 | Admitting mistakes creates accountability
13:00 | How Belichick evolved as a leader over the years
14:45 | Belichick getting players aligned to the culture
16:30 | Finding the right players vs. collecting talent
18:15 | Assessing character in player evaluation
21:00 | Finding superb system players vs. star players
24:15 | How teams can build a resilient culture
28:00 | Understanding why you win and why you lose
31:30 | What makes writing so meaningful?
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Connect with Michael Lombardi on Twitter @mlombardinfl, read his book "Gridiron Genius", and listen to his TEDx talk "Leadership is Destroying Culture"