DeadThree - Coaching and Leadership Development

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we kick off 2026 by finishing a two-part conversation about getting into uncomfortable rooms—and more importantly, what it takes to stay there, grow there, and eventually belong there. Getting access is only the first step. High performers separate themselves by what they do after the door opens. This episode breaks down three defining principles tha...

As we close out 2025 and look straight at 2026, this episode is a line in the sand. Growth does not happen in familiar rooms. It happens when you intentionally place yourself in environments where you’re uncomfortable, challenged, and not the most experienced voice in the room. In this episode, recorded on a cold Missouri walk, I unpack a core principle that will define elite leaders in 2026: You...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we start with a Duke vs. Florida basketball moment and turn it into a leadership blueprint for IT teams and organizations. Duke guard Isaiah Evans was 0-for-7 from three. Game on the line. Instead of going away from him, Coach Jon Scheyer drew up the final play for Evans — and he buried the game-winning three. That decision wasn’t just about X’s and...

In the last episode, we named the silent accountability crisis—those moments when projects stall, standards slip, and no one speaks up. In this follow-up conversation, we tackle the next hard question leaders are wrestling with: How do you build real accountability without turning into a controlling micromanager? Drawing from years in the IT and software space, this episode breaks down why so many...

How many times have you sat in a meeting, watched a project completely miss the mark, and silently thought: “Why didn’t anyone step up?” “Why are we settling for this?” No urgency. No honest ownership. Just quiet avoidance. In this episode, we kick off December — the reset and realign month — by naming what’s really happening in so many organizations:  a silent accountability crisis. You walk thro...

Episode Overview In this follow-up to Part 1, George goes deeper into what his Jerry Maguire moment really means for his life, his work with IT leaders, and for any executive who knows they’re capable of much more. He unpacks the current reality he sees inside software and IT organizations—overwhelmed leaders, burnt-out teams, low standards, weak execution—and contrasts it with what’s actually pos...

In this episode, George pulls back the curtain on a defining decision in his life and business: going all-in on April 1st. He frames it as his Jerry Maguire moment —the point where clarity meets courage and “good enough” stops being acceptable. You’ll hear why he’s done watching elite people walk the halls like “The Walking Dead,” why he believes IT organizations are drastically under-coached, and...

Most leaders say they want to grow their people and build high-performing teams… but then keep doing everything themselves. In this episode, George breaks down key ideas from Dan Martell’s book Buy Back Your Time and reframes them through a leadership lens. This isn’t about becoming a “busier” entrepreneur — it’s about becoming a stronger leader who builds people, systems, and cultures that can ex...

What happens when you try to lead, build, sell, strategize, and “just handle it” all by yourself? In this episode, I break down how Dan Martell’s book Buy Back Your Time quietly doubles as one of the most important leadership books you can read—especially if you’re a leader who’s stuck in the loop of doing instead of leading. I unpack why leadership without structure always ends in burnout, why so...

Great leaders don’t bark orders — they build alignment. In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down how elite organizations like the Ritz-Carlton build cultures of empowerment, trust, and execution — not by demanding obedience, but by creating clarity so strong that permission isn’t needed. Drawing lessons from Brian Gottlieb’s book Beyond the Hammer and real-world leadershi...

What makes teams elite isn’t talent — it’s alignment. In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down one of the most misunderstood truths in leadership: Teams rarely fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they’re misaligned. Drawing lessons from Brian Gottlieb’s Beyond the Hammer , George explores how belief, purpose, and alignment form the foundation for execution — and...

What if the real reason people stay—or leave—has nothing to do with pay, perks, or projects… but everything to do with how they’re led? In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George dives into one of the most powerful truths from Beyond the Hammer by Brian Gottlieb: People don’t stay for the work. They stay for the leader. When leadership is built on belief, care, and development—not cont...

What separates a manager from a leader? It’s not the title, the office, or the authority — it’s belief. In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George unpacks one of the most powerful ideas from Beyond the Hammer by Brian Gottlieb: the greatest leaders don’t build through force — they build through belief. Real leadership is about seeing potential in people long before they see it in thems...

What if the missing ingredient in your team’s performance wasn’t accountability — but empathy? In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, George breaks down a leadership truth that many overlook: you can’t demand discipline from people who don’t first feel understood. Leaders who rush to enforce standards without connection end up managing compliance, not commitment. Through personal reflecti...

What if the real measure of greatness wasn’t how high you rise — but how long you can keep showing up when no one’s watching? In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we strip away the hype and get brutally honest about what greatness actually looks like in real life — the early mornings, the unseen hours, the boring repetition, the emotional fatigue. Because here’s the truth: greatness isn...

Who Do You Want to Become? How identity, humility, and disciplined action shape your path to real greatness. This episode goes straight at a question most leaders avoid: Who are you becoming—on purpose? Not your title, not your goals, not your possessions. Your identity. Because until you define that, you’ll keep chasing outcomes that don’t change who you are. Drawing from Ryan Holiday’s Ego Is th...

Episode 115: “Don't Be the Reason They Quit” What happens when the same kid, with the same talent and love for the game, goes from loving a sport one year… to hating it the next? It’s rarely about the sport. It’s almost always about the coach. In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show , we unpack the raw truth about leadership — that the person leading can either ignite passion or extinguish...

Motivation Fades. Inspiration Doesn’t. What if the reason you keep losing momentum isn’t discipline—or even motivation—but the kind of fuel you’re running on? In this episode, I break down one of the biggest misconceptions in performance, leadership, and life: the idea that motivation is what moves us. The truth? Motivation burns out. Inspiration endures. This isn’t another pep talk about working...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show , we confront one of the biggest barriers to growth — the permission trap . Most people are sitting in the audience, waiting to be chosen. Waiting for validation. Waiting for someone to notice their effort, hand them the opportunity, and tell them it’s “their time.”  But here’s the truth: nobody’s coming. The spotlight isn’t handed out — it’s taken. D...

In this episode of The DeadThree Coaching Show , we explore one of the most overlooked — yet defining — qualities of elite leadership: the ability to inspire instead of manipulate . Too many leaders rely on pressure, titles, or authority to drive results. But true leadership? It’s not about forcing people to perform — it’s about inviting them to believe. It’s about inspiring ownership, purpose, an...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show , we unpack one of the most underestimated skills in leadership: awareness . Too often, leaders believe their job is simply to make decisions. The truth? If you don’t understand yourself, your people, and your environment, every decision is just a guess. We break awareness into three levels: Self-Awareness: Knowing your blind spots, your triggers, and...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we go deeper than the typical “values on a wall” conversation. Values aren’t just inspirational words slapped on a mouse pad — they’re the standards you live, the non-negotiables that guide your actions, and the silent forces that either strengthen or erode your culture. I share a personal story from my own community — about a man whose life embodied...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we tackle a season every leader knows too well: when everything feels cloudy—direction, roles, priorities, energy. Clarity won’t magically appear. As Ed Mylett says, “clarity is the child of courage.” It’s your job as a leader to create it. Pulling from Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage , we break down the difference between smart organizations (strat...

In this special walking edition of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we kick off Q4 with a hard truth: goals alone aren’t enough. You can write them down, tape them to your wall, or even frame them — but without systems, standards, and daily execution, they’re just words on a page. In this episode, I share exactly how I’m approaching Q4: building clarity, using AI as my accountability partner, and turn...

In this episode of the DeadThree Coaching Show, we get brutally honest about what most folks won’t say out loud: greatness is exhausting . It’s not built on hype or highlight reels—it’s paid for in the boring, repetitive, uncelebrated work you do when nobody’s clapping. We talk about why exhaustion is not a red flag but a receipt for the price you’re paying, how elite teams keep standards high whe...