Episode 14: Maddie Davis Tully. Seek First To Understand: The Coaching Mindset That Transforms Teams

About this episode

Maddie Davis Tully discusses the coaching mindset that transforms teams by focusing on energy management and authentic leadership.

In this episode of the Lead Change, Dr. Mary Mulcahey sits down with leadership coach and former national champion rower and collegiate head coach Maddie Davis Tully to explore what high-performance sport teaches us about sustainable leadership. Maddie shares her journey from Princeton lightweight rowing to coaching at Stanford, Ohio State, and Boston University, and ultimately to executive leadership coaching. The conversation centers on a critical shift for high achievers: moving from time management to energy management. She explains how protecting finite energy—not just scheduling time—allows leaders to perform at a high level without burnout. Drawing on her experience as a young head coach, Maddie discusses the evolution from performative toughness to authentic leadership, emphasizing the importance of empathy, trust-building, and seeking to understand before being understood. The discussion highlights how discipline, role clarity, and celebrating small wins drive long-term success in both athletics and medicine. The episode also explores lessons from leading through COVID as president of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association, including leveraging crisis for innovation…

People in this episode

Host: Mary Mulcahey

Guest: Maddie Davis Tully

Topics covered

• leadership
• coaching
• energy management
• high-performance teams
• authentic leadership
• empathy
• crisis management

Keywords

• leadership coaching
• energy management
• high-performance sport
• authentic leadership
• empathy
• trust-building
• COVID-19
• team performance
• discipline
• role clarity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association, Princeton, Stanford, Ohio State, Boston University

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