Matt Doherty — NCAA Champion Basketball Player and Former North Carolina Head Coach on the 6 Principles of Leadership
This is the final episode of Sideline Sessions season 3, also simulcast on The Authority. I speak with Matt Doherty, former head coach at Notre Dame, the University of North Carolina, Florida Atlantic, and SMU.
As a starter on the 1982 National Championship team at UNC, with his teammate Michael Jordan, Matt began his leadership journey under the legendary Dean Smith. As a coach, he was the 2001 AP National Coach of the Year after leading UNC to the ACC regular season championship. After his coaching career, Matt worked with ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, and the Atlantic 10 Conference. He’s also author of the book, Rebound: From Pain to Passion.
Hear about:
- Who Matt learned from, as he played for and worked for Hall of Fame coaches, played with HoF athletes, and coached many great athletes
- What he wishes he learned sooner
- His mission statement
- Leadership is a learned behavior
- Putting yourself in position to learn
- 6 principles of leadership
- Adversity: What went wrong? Why did this happen? How do you prepare for your next opportunity?
- Gaining perspective on the things outside your control
- Culture and culture-building
Connect with Coach Doherty at https://dohertycoaching.com
About the host
Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on LinkedIn or Bluesky.
Creators and Guests

Host
Ross Romano
Co-founder, Be Podcast Network; Founder, September Strategies. Edtech strategist, performance coach, and podcast host.

Guest
Matt Doherty
1982 NCAA National Champion, former head coach at UNC, Notre Dame, FAU, SMU, author of Rebound
