Win More, Live Better

After his conversation with Dr. Paul Zak, Zach dives deeper into the science of trust and what it means for coaches and leaders. Drawing from Zak’s research on oxytocin and high-trust organizations, this After the Whistle episode explores eight leadership behaviors that strengthen connection and performance inside teams. If you want to build a culture where people feel trusted, valued, and motivated to give their best, this episode offers a practical framework to start.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Today I'm joined by Dr. Paul Zak, a distinguished university professor at Claremont Graduate University, a pioneer in the science of trust, and one of the world’s leading researchers on the neurobiology of human connection. 

He holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and is ranked in the top 0.3% of the most cited scientists globally. Over the course of his career, Dr. Zak has published groundbreaking research on trust, oxytocin, and the biological foundations of cooperation, leadership, and human flourishing.

A sought-after speaker and thought leader, he has delivered talks in more than 30 countries and is a six-time TED speaker. His work has been leveraged by globally recognized organizations and audiences including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, the Association for Talent Development, ING Bank, and HSM. Through his research, writing, and speaking, Dr. Zak helps leaders better understand how trust, connection, and emotional fitness shape performance and strengthen organizations.

In this conversation, we explore the science behind trust and relationships in high-performing teams, the role of psychological safety and challenge in leadership, and why social connection may be one of the most powerful drivers of both performance and thriving. Dr. Zak also shares insights from his research on emotional fitness, why humans are biologically wired for connection, and practical ways leaders can design environments where people can perform at their best, while also living well.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:
[4:44] — Research Into the Neurobiology of Human Connection

[8:46] — Trust Is the Lubricant of Team Performance

[15:15] — Emotional Awareness for Leaders

[20:58] — Pushing Performers to Failure

[29:09] — Two Key Building Blocks for Trust

[34:33] — Emotional Fitness

[42:50] — Connection Is Essential to Winning

[48:50] — Invest in Human Beings, Not Human Capital

[52:34] — Lead From Love

[58:24] — Social Connection Is Key for Recovery

[1:05:26] — Kids and People Need "Time Ins" (Not Timeouts)

Learn More About Dr. Paul Zak:

• You can learn more about Dr. Zak and his work on his website here.
• You can check out his Six Emotional Wellness app here.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

In a world obsessed with shortcuts and hacks, the reality is the path to mastery is often much simpler (and much harder) than we'd like to believe. Regardless of your industry or chosen craft, a universal and timeless principle is that greatness is usually built through an accumulation of a lot of purposeful reps and effort. Inspired by a story with comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld, this episode offers a reminder to all of us to keep working so the results eventually compound for us.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Have you ever had a moment with someone you know where something just felt off? Maybe their tone was different, their energy seemed lower, or they reacted in a way that didn’t quite match who they normally are. In this episode, Zach explores why understanding someone’s “normal” is a valuable skill for coaches and how great leaders become pattern recognizers.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Obsession often fuels excellence, but what happens when the thing that makes you great becomes the only thing that defines you? In this episode, Zach reflects on his conversation with former Division I head coach Matt Doherty and explores the tension between an all-in obsession with your craft and your identity. How do we pursue mastery without tying our entire sense of self to something we can lose? This episode is a deeper look at identity, ambition, and building a foundation beyond your job title, role, or position.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

In this episode of Win More, Live Better, Zach sits down with Coach Matt Doherty, an executive leadership coach, keynote speaker, and former Division I head coach for a candid conversation on leadership and the art of rebounding forward.

Matt’s leadership journey began as a starter on the 1982 National Championship team at North Carolina, playing alongside Michael Jordan under the legendary Dean Smith. He later became the Head Coach at Notre Dame and North Carolina, leading UNC to the 2001 ACC Regular Season Championship and earning AP National Coach of the Year honors. 

He also served as head coach at FAU and SMU, and has worked with ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, and the Atlantic 10 Conference. Today, he guides corporations, C-suite leaders, sales executives, and sports coaches to strengthen leadership skills, culture, and team dynamics. Committed to his personal mission to “Learn & Grow” every day, Matt has further sharpened his leadership lens through experiences at the UVA Darden School of Business and The Wharton School.

In this conversation, Matt reflects on the lessons behind his book Rebound, unpacking the realities of public pressure, identity loss, and resilience for coaches. He shares practical leadership frameworks including his “Six Knows” and the organizational triangle of talent, systems, and culture.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:
[4:17] — Rebound Forward

[10:25] — Landmines in Coaching

[15:06] — What I Do vs. Who I Am

[23:49] — The "Six Knows" of Leadership

[35:41] — The Organizational Triangle

[44:27] — Every Leader Needs a Coach

[49:48] — Morning Routines & Coach Yourself First

Learn More About Matt:

• You can learn more about Matt and his work on his website here.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

If the people you lead anonymously graded you today, what would they say? Every year, the NFL Players Association surveys players across the league. While organizations are graded on dozens of categories, head coaches are evaluated on only two components. In this episode, we break down what that means for coaches, executives, and leaders at every level including practical audits you can run immediately to improve buy-in and commitment inside your organization.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

More choices don't always help us make better decisions. In fact, most of the time, more choices not only hinders our speed with decision-making, it can also hinder our commitment to them. Drawing inspiration from Hick’s Law, Zach explores how cognitive overload can slow reaction time and undermine trust. If you’ve ever seen athletes hesitate under pressure, this episode will invite you to rethink complexity, commitment, and the power of simplicity in execution.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

When Snoop Dogg received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said something that caught people off guard. In this episode, we unpack his lesson on gratitude and why high performers often forget to recognize one critical source of strength. If you’re a coach, athlete, or leader who constantly raises the bar but rarely pauses to acknowledge what you've achieved, this conversation will challenge how you think about gratitude.

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Most coaches don’t burn out from workload, but rather because they get disconnected from their purpose and why they're coaching in the first place. In this After the Whistle segment, Zach unpacks Tracy Slusser’s perspective on proactively defining your leadership identity before the “house is on fire.” Discover how clarifying your mission, values, and principles can anchor you during chaotic seasons and help you sustain energy, purpose, and impact over the long run. 

Learn More About Zach:

• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/