Larry Shyatt: Why Great Followers Matter

What makes a great follower? And why might developing great followers matter just as much as developing great leaders? Larry Shyatt has spent more than four decades in basketball as a head coach, assistant coach and mentor. Along the way, he served as an assistant to three Hall of Fame-caliber coaches—Rick Barnes, Billy Donovan and Rick Carlisle—even though Larry was older than all three. In this episode of Uncommon Impact, Larry shares why he never thought of himself as working for those coaches, but instead as serving the organization and the people around him. We talk about the courage required to challenge a leader when necessary, the curiosity shared by great coaches, and why Larry once told Billy Donovan he would join his Florida staff only if he made one dollar less than the assistants already there. Larry also tells the story behind the coaches clinic he has helped build for nearly four decades—an event centered on freely sharing ideas with people who may soon compete against one another. His philosophy is simple: sharing can help preparing. We also explore giving players ownership, why the people who care about us sometimes tell us what we don't want to hear, and Larry's reflections on the family time he sacrificed during a long coaching career. Now retired from full-time coaching, Larry continues to invest in coaches, friends and family—and to live out a simple philosophy: give more and take a little less. About Nathan Whitaker Nathan Whitaker is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, former NFL executive, Super Bowl champion, leadership speaker, and executive coach. Learn more: https://www.nathanwhitaker.com Subscribe for new episodes of Uncommon Impact every Thursday. Uncommon Impact explores the people, experiences, and principles that shape extraordinary leaders and teams. More episodes of Uncommon Impact: https://nathanwhitaker.com/podcast/