When UCLA Women’s Basketball Head Coach Cori Close led her team to its first national championship on April 5, the story was not just about the win. It was about the kind of team that made that win possible.
Her mantra, “Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us,” captures something many leaders talk about but often don’t know how to achieve: creating a culture where people care as much about the team’s success as their own. In a time when talented people often have reason to focus on personal recognition, UCLA showed what can happen when a group chooses something bigger.
That happens not by accident, but because a leader creates the conditions for it. There have been lots of stories circulating that reveal how Close leads. One of them was her habit of collecting recyclable cans and bottles after practices and games, along with the team, and turning that small act into support for causes the players care about. On the surface, it may seem minor. But leadership often shows up in the small, repeated choices that signal what matters. Humility. Service. Shared responsibility.
Just as important, Close has built a culture where players seem to know they are valued as people, not just performers. There was another story that when a player was in the hospital, Close stayed for several nights with her, sleeping in a chair in the hospital room. That may be the most important lesson for healthcare leaders. People will give more of themselves when they feel seen, supported, and loved. They are far more willing to sacrifice for the good of the team when they trust the person leading it—and when they know that leader is willing to sacrifice for them.
By all accounts, UCLA had no shortage of star power. Several players could likely have stood out more elsewhere. Instead, they chose to be part of something more collective. They shared roles, minutes, credit, and responsibility. That kind of buy-in is created by leadership that consistently puts the team first and invites others to do the same.
That’s another powerful lesson for healthcare. Strong teams are not built on talent alone. They are built on trust, clarity, shared purpose, and a sense that everyone’s contribution matters.
Leaders shape that environment every day by how they show up, what they reinforce, and what they model.
Plus, great leaders respect differences. They don’t expect everyone to lead, think, or work in the same way. That’s why I’m such a big proponent of Management By Strengths. These assessments help us leaders understand what each person does best and build around those strengths. They create teams where people know their value, use their gifts, and contribute in ways that make the whole team better.
This doesn’t happen overnight, and we shouldn’t try to force it. Healthcare leaders often feel pressure to move fast, solve problems quickly, and deliver results now. But culture is built over time, through repeated choices, daily consistency, and a clear commitment to people. That is true in basketball, and it is true in healthcare.
“Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us” sounds simple. But it asks a lot of leaders. It asks them to share credit, lead with humility, invest in people, and keep the mission bigger than any one person’s ego.
That kind of leadership does more than build better teams. It builds teams people believe in, teams people want to be part of, and teams capable of doing extraordinary things together.
