THE LEADERSHIP BLOG
Reflections on Leadership, Clarity, and Growth
Derek’s blog is where he shares reflections on leadership as it is lived: practical insights, real moments, and ideas leaders can return to when they need perspective. Many ideas shared here connect directly to Derek’s books, speaking topics, workshops, and the Lead on 3 framework. Readers often use these reflections as a place to pause, reset, and refocus.
The Star of the Team Is the Team
During my time as Coordinator of Basketball Operations at Marquette University, there was a banner associated with our program that carried a simple message:
THE STAR OF THE TEAM IS THE TEAM.
Tom Crean used the phrase, and I've never forgotten it.
One Team, One Canoe
Different departments naturally experience the organization from different seats. Sales has goals and pressures. Operations has its own. Clinical Care sees things through another lens. Each group has responsibilities, expertise, and priorities that legitimately matter. Problems begin when people become so focused on their seat that they forget they're sitting in the same canoe.