028: What If the Rock Star Team You Want… Isn’t the One You Hired?

In this episode, Erik drops the hammer on one of leadership’s biggest illusions: that great teams are discovered, not developed. He challenges listeners to let go of the fantasy of “perfect hires” and instead master the craft of building greatness from within. From training and development to retention and real-time coaching, Erik lays out a clear, repeatable path to elevate every player on your team—starting now.

❓ The Big Question

What if your job isn’t to find great people—but to build them?

💡 Key Takeaways

• You likely didn’t hire a team of rock stars—but you can still build one.
• Training, development, and retention are the three levers that turn potential into performance.
• If you’re the best performer on your team, you’re not done leading yet.
• Feedback loops don’t have to be awkward—they just need rhythm.
• 60-Second Coaching is the most underutilized leadership tool in your back pocket.

🧠 Concepts, Curves, and Frameworks

• The 3-Part Talent Flywheel:
  1. Training (knowledge + tools)
  2. Development (application + feedback)
  3. Retention (alignment + purpose)
• 60-Second Coaching Script:
• “Thanks for bringing this to me. I have a few ideas, happy to share—but you’re closer to it than I am. What’s your take?”
• The Development Timing Curve: Pre-action coaching > post-action correction
• Feedback Mechanisms:
  • Observed feedback
  • Requested feedback
  • Problem-solving invitations

🔁 Real-Life Reflections

• Erik recounts his early leadership role with 16 direct reports and a three-bullet job description—where talent development was literally job #1.
• He calls out the corporate myth that we can sniff out greatness in an interview, especially when we don’t even run the full hiring process.
• A powerful reminder: talent leaves not just for more money, but for better alignment.

🧰 Put This Into Practice

1. Assess your rhythm: How often are you giving meaningful developmental feedback?
2. Practice 60-Second Coaching: Build the muscle by using it in low-stakes moments.
3. Set a feedback cadence: Weekly, monthly, or quarterly—pick one and stick to it.
4. Shift from solving to scaling: Stop giving answers. Start leveling up others' thinking.
5. Get ahead of the moment: Coach before action, not just after mistakes.

🗣️ Favorite Quotes

“You want to be the worst performer at the thing your team does. That’s the goal.”

“If all you ever do is training, the ceiling is low. Development is what unlocks greatness.”

“Don’t lie to people with fake encouragement. Build them up honestly.”

“The moment people realize they can get helpful feedback from you—they’ll want more.”

“You don’t need a perfect draft. You need a system for leveling people up.”