In sports, there are players who are happy just to make the team — and then there are those who push relentlessly to win championships. If you’ve played or coached any sport at a high level, you already know: Talent matters, but mindset and chemistry are what win. The same is true in business.
Building a great company is a team game. No founder wins alone. And like a coach assembling a championship squad, our job is to recruit, develop, and retain top talent capable of playing at the highest level.
We all eventually hit a point (maybe you already have) where the team we start with isn’t the team we know will take us where we’re going. I’ve seen it again and again. Early hires are often loyal and hard-working, but as your company begins to scale, you have to ask yourself, “Can my people thrive in the arena we’re entering?” That shift — recognizing that building a business is a competitive team sport — is often the moment a company begins to evolve into something truly capable of greatness.
Today, I want to explore what it means to think like a coach when building a high-performance team — and the three traits that matter most: talent, mindset, and teamwork.
1. Start With Talent
Talent is table stakes — it gets you on the field. In business, just like in sports, you can’t compete without it. You can have a compelling vision and all the heart in the world, but if your team can’t execute at a high level, you're just going to keep running in place.
I’ve watched founders try to scale with mostly B- and C-players out of loyalty, fear, or convenience. But eventually reality hits: You can’t outwork a talent gap. Great coaches know this. They scout obsessively, build pipelines, and aren’t afraid to make tough cuts when there are players requiring more than their fair share of attention and energy. As business leaders, we should be doing the same.
But here’s the thing: Talent isn't about prestige or credentials. The best talent isn’t always the person with the longest or loudest résumé in the stack. (In fact, it usually isn't.) It’s the person who shows ownership, precision, and judgment in moments that matter. They make complex things simple. They get the job done under pressure. They make everyone around them more effective. True talent isn't just productive — it's high-impact. And one great hire can shift the momentum of a team and even an entire organization.
That’s why it’s worth having a high bar. If someone doesn’t clearly elevate your team, keep looking. Hiring fast may feel like progress, but filling roles with mediocrity slows you down more than waiting ever will. Steve Jobs warned us, “B players hire C players, and C players hire D players.”
Talent is contagious — for better or worse. We need to set a high bar and protect it because the people you choose will determine whether you build something that lasts.
I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.
2. The Champion’s Mindset
Every team has players who are just happy to be there — and others who are there to win. I’ve literally interviewed over nine thousand people over the years, and I always listen for one thing: Are they content with the role, or are they hungry to change the game?
In sports, this mindset is easy to spot. A new recruit either blends into the pack or trains harder than everyone else. In a scaling company, it’s no different. A great hire doesn’t play on easy mode after small wins like launching a product feature or closing a deal. They ask, “What’s next?” They keep pushing, raising the bar for everyone.
This is what I call a champion’s mindset — a relentless drive to improve, an unwavering commitment to growth. And it often matters more than raw talent.
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s research backs this up: Driven learners who believe they can grow with dedication, knowledge, and effort consistently outperform those who rely on gifts alone. In my experience, that mindset — not skill set — is what sets top performers apart.
Think about Tom Brady. He was drafted 199th, with average physical stats, and spent his rookie season on the bench. But he outworked, outprepared, and outlasted just about everyone. What made him great wasn’t luck or genetics. It was obsession with being the best. That mindset — one that wouldn’t let him settle for “middle of the pack” — turned him into one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
We need people like that — the ones who seek feedback, embrace challenges, and push their limits every single day.
3. Teamwork Wins Championships
Talent and mindset are essential. But teamwork is what turns individual strengths into collective greatness.
In sports, even the most stacked roster falls short without chemistry. The same goes for growing companies. No matter how skilled your people are, if they don’t trust each other, communicate clearly, and align around a shared vision, they’ll stall out. Organizations thrive when individuals combine their abilities into something greater than the sum of their parts.
That’s why we hire not just for skill but for cultural fit — in how someone makes their team better. Do they share information freely? Can they give and take feedback? Do they show up with a team-first mentality, ready to block so someone else can score?
Championship teams are full of players who know their strengths and elevate those around them. On high-performing teams, that’s the person who fills a gap without being asked. Who amplifies a teammate’s idea instead of competing with it.
At Ninety, we live this principle every day. One of the core practices we teach — and run on — is right person, right seat. That means each team member is aligned with our Core Values and has the Competency, Commitment, and Capacity to thrive in their Seat.
We’ve seen firsthand how putting in the time to make sure we bring the best people on board creates the conditions for real teamwork. It’s the shift from stepping on each other’s toes to elevating each other’s game.
When you build an agreements-based culture with a shared language for performance, accountability, and alignment, everything accelerates — not just output, but resilience, creativity, and connection. That’s when people stop playing defense and start building something great together.
Because when you get teamwork right, it becomes a force multiplier. Execution speeds up. Trust compounds. People take bigger swings knowing someone’s got their back.
That kind of environment doesn’t just happen. We have to create it. And it starts by hiring the kind of people who make everyone around them better.
How to Recruit Championship Players
Thinking like a coach means recruiting like one. You’re not just hiring résumés — you’re building a roster. And every Seat matters.
You need players who show up ready to compete, raise standards, and make the people around them better. In today’s Work, it’s not enough to fill roles. You need impact players at every position.
Here’s how to find them:
- Prioritize passion and drive over pedigree: A coach would rather take a walk-on with hustle than a natural who slacks. Ask candidates to tell you about a goal they've worked tirelessly to achieve. Championship players talk about persistence and passion. They’ve faced hard things and grown because of it. That’s the kind of person who stays steady and performs under pressure.
- Hire for cultural fit: Hire people whose values align with your culture. Look for those who live your Core Values, take feedback seriously, and consistently get smart stuff done. The right people bring energy, focus, and a sense of shared ownership — not just for their role, but for the team’s success.
- Use auditions, not just interviews: In sports, tryouts reveal who can perform when the stakes are high. In hiring, use practical tests or working sessions to do the same. Give candidates a real problem to solve and watch how they approach it. Championship players show curiosity and initiative and ask smart questions. You’ll also see how they collaborate — and whether they raise the energy in the room or fade into the background.
- Never compromise on quality: One mediocre hire can lower the bar for everyone on your team. If someone doesn’t clearly strengthen the team, move on. It’s not about perfection — it’s about whether they help your organization grow stronger.
- Develop your talent: Even top picks need development. Invest in people who show the right mindset and then lean in. Give them coaching and room to grow. And don’t be afraid to move on from those who slow you down. The rest of your team deserves to be surrounded by others who inspire them.
This kind of recruiting takes discipline. But it’s how you build a team that performs with focus, grows through pressure, and stays committed to the long game.
Building a Dynasty
Building a winning team is about more than résumés and technical skills — it’s about finding people wired to compete at the highest level. You need people who care deeply about the Work, bring discipline to their craft, and raise the bar for those around them. Every hire should add strength, not just in what they can do but in how they show up.
But assembling a team filled with A-players isn’t enough. As founders, our job is to create the conditions where excellence becomes the norm, not the exception.
Think like a great coach: Celebrate wins, but never let them be the finish line. Push for growth, not perfection. Support your team relentlessly. Hold everyone to a high standard, including yourself.
Great companies aren’t built overnight. But with the right people — those who are hungry, resilient, and aligned — you won’t just grow. You’ll dominate. So ask yourself: Am I building a team that’s ready to compete at the highest level, or are they just happy to scrimmage?
The right people. The right mindset. The right environment. That’s how great teams come together — and dynasties are built.
