One Shining Moment
It’s no secret that I love college basketball.
Every year when March Madness rolls around, I get fired up for three weeks of incredible games, compelling stories, and the crowning of a new champion. Selection Sunday might as well be a holiday in our house.
As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the newspaper to arrive so I could cut out the bracket and start making my picks. I’ve been running a pool since I was in 7th grade. In college, we turned our tiny living room into a full-on watch party with multiple TVs and “stadium seating.”
And now, I get to share it with my son, Ajay. We went to games in Denver last year, and he might have been even more excited than I was to track his bracket predictions this year.
LET’S GOOO!!
But my favorite part comes at the very end. After the championship game, there’s the three-minute highlight montage set to Luther Vandross singing “One Shining Moment.” It captures the intensity, the emotion, the heartbreak, and the joy of a tournament that starts with 68 teams and ends with one cutting down the nets.
It’s a reminder that what we’re really watching isn’t just basketball. It’s the culmination of years of effort, sacrifice, and growth. Sports are a great microcosm for leadership, and the tournament brings a few lessons into focus for me each year.
Preparation Meets Opportunity
Less than 5% of NCAA basketball players go on to play professionally, and even fewer make it to the NBA or WNBA. Yet most have spent years preparing for that possibility.
What we see in March are the moments. What we don’t see are the early mornings, the repetitions, and the discipline it took to get there.
As leaders, our biggest opportunities rarely come with advance notice. They show up unexpectedly, and we either are ready or we aren’t.
The question is: Are you preparing even when no one is watching?
Composure Under Pressure
March Madness is full of tight games, buzzer beaters, and high expectations. In those moments, the teams that succeed are the ones that stay composed.
Leadership is no different. There will always be pressure, deadlines, challenges, uncertainty. The best leaders don’t eliminate pressure, they manage their response to it. Their calm becomes the anchor for the team.
When things get chaotic, your team is watching how you respond.
Moments Matter
“One Shining Moment” reminds us that it’s not just about who wins the championship. It’s about the journey along the way.
The small plays.
The breakthroughs.
The setbacks.
The growth.
Great leaders understand that culture is built in those moments. They celebrate progress, recognize effort, and help their teams see the meaning behind the work so that it will be remembered for years to come.
And while only one team gets to cut down the nets…
we all have the chance to create our own shining moments along the way.
Congratulations to the Michigan Wolverines on winning the tournament this year. And if you haven't seen it (or want to watch it again like I do) you can check out the 2026 One Shining Moment video here.
P.S. Create your shining moment in leadership. Join us at our MIBE Workshop May 12th - 13th.
