EP206 - The #1 Trait That Makes or Breaks Your Team with Matt Doherty
In this episode of The Tyler Dickerhoof Show, host Tyler Dickerhoof welcomes former UNC head coach, bestselling author, and leadership coach Matt Doherty for a raw and riveting conversation about failure, identity, emotional intelligence—and what it really takes to lead at the highest level.
Matt opens up about the meteoric rise and public unraveling of his coaching career—from AP Coach of the Year to an unceremonious exit at the University of North Carolina. He unpacks the crushing weight of public scrutiny, the trauma of losing his dream job, and the deeply personal journey that followed: a leadership awakening forged through pain, introspection, and radical accountability.
Through his signature storytelling and unfiltered honesty, Matt reveals the brutal gap between being a great tactician and being a great leader. He shares the hard lessons he learned the hard way—why high performers often fail as leaders, how culture will always outlast strategy, and what happens when you don’t mine for the truth inside your organization. From the emotional blindspots that wrecked his staff culture to the power of 360 reviews, Matt offers a masterclass in self-awareness and organizational transformation.
Together, they explore why knowing yourself is the first step to leading others, how to turn trauma into a leadership tool, and why the most dangerous thing a CEO can do is stop asking real questions. If you've ever felt the sting of failure, the weight of being in charge, or the hunger to lead with more clarity and compassion—this episode will shake you up, build you back, and remind you that rebounding isn’t just possible—it’s the whole point.
Matt Doherty
Coach Matt Doherty is a nationally recognized motivational speaker, best-selling author, media personality, and executive coach. He appeared on New to the Street on Bloomberg TV in 2023-2024 and on The Rebound with Matt Doherty on The First TV. Currently, Coach Matt appears regularly on WBT Charlotte and his own YouTube channel featuring The Rebound.
In addition to his keynotes and trainings, he guides corporations, C-suite managers, sales executives, and sports coaches to develop their leadership skills, culture and team dynamics.
As a starter of the 1982 National Championship team with Michael Jordan at UNC, he began his leadership journey under the legendary Dean Smith. He went on to be the Head Coach at Notre Dame and North Carolina, and in 2001 led the team to the ACC Regular Season Championship and was named the AP National Coach of the Year.
Coach Doherty also was the Head Coach at FAU and SMU, in addition to working with ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, and the Atlantic 10 Conference. His mission is to “Learn & Grow” every day and his leadership journey took him to the UVA Darden School of Business and The Wharton School. He is s committed to sharing universal teachings and lessons from the basketball court to the boardroom, all with actionable ideas that will work for you.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 From Notre Dame to UNC: The Journey and Fallout
04:28 How One Misstep Turned Into Public Shaming
06:33 What Coaching Basketball and Running a Business Have in Common
10:03 Why Talent Alone Won’t Save a Broken Culture
15:08 How Great Players Handle Feedback Differently
20:04 Don’t Confuse Competence With Leadership
27:44 Every Leader Needs a Truth Teller
32:14 Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honor—It’s a Red Flag
38:05 Learn How to Get Lazy
40:57 The Hard Truth About High-Speed Leadership
43:59 The Best Leaders Serve—Not Score
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Follow Matt:
https://www.dohertycoaching.com/
https://www.instagram.com/coachmattdoherty/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmattdoherty/
https://twitter.com/DohertyMatt
The Tyler Dickerhoof Show
https://www.youtube.com/@impactdrivenleader
https://www.instagram.com/thetylerdickerhoofshow/
Subscribe to the newsletter:
https://impactdrivenleader.beehiiv.com/
Tyler is on:
https://www.tylerdickerhoof.com/
https://www.facebook.com/tyler.dickerhoof.3
https://www.instagram.com/tyler_dickerhoof/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-dickerhoof-1960351b
About the Tyler Dickerhoof Show Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
Rate, review and subscribe here on Apple Podcasts or subscribe on Stitcher and Spotify.
