
The Three Things Every Leader Needs to Build a Confident, High-Energy Team
From DeadThree - Coaching and Leadership Development by George Evjen
December 9, 2025 · 28 min · Episode 129
About this episode
This episode discusses the essential elements leaders need to foster confidence and energy in their teams, using a basketball analogy.
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 O’s. It was about belief, confidence, and the energy a leader chooses to bring to their team. We break down why your team’s confidence and energy are a reflection of you — not your slide decks, not your strategy documents, but your daily presence. Using lessons from Duke basketball, High Performance Habits, Ego Is the Enemy, and Beyond the Hammer, he walks through three non-negotiables every IT leader (and any leader) must master to build elite, high-performing teams. You’ll hear: Why belief in your people matters more than their last “miss” How Coach Scheyer’s decision to trust an 0-for-7 shooter is the model for how we lead at work Why your team feels your energy long before they hear your words How your emotional state becomes the culture your team lives in The three energy standards…
People in this episode
Host: George Evjen
Topics covered
- leadership
- team building
- confidence
- energy
- high performance
Keywords
- leadership
- team energy
- confidence
- high-performing teams
- emotional state
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Duke, Florida
Books & works: High Performance Habits, Ego Is the Enemy, Beyond the Hammer
More episodes of DeadThree - Coaching and Leadership Development
- Let the Room Raise You: Standards, Consistency, and Belonging · January 6, 2026 · 43 min
- The Room Will Raise You: Why Growth Demands Discomfort in 2026 · December 22, 2025 · 38 min
- Accountability Without Micromanagement: Trading Control for Clarity · December 4, 2025 · 31 min
- The Silent Accountability Crisis: Resetting Standards Before 2026 · December 1, 2025 · 29 min
- My Jerry Maguire Moment – Part 2: Drawing the Line for 2026 · November 29, 2025 · 26 min
- My Jerry Maguire Moment: Stepping Out of the On-Deck Circle · November 24, 2025 · 29 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the DeadThree - Coaching and Leadership Development podcast page.