I work with coaches & teams who want to create a championship culture through transformational leadership, aspirational vision, & relentless discipline.

Kentucky, USA
Joined March 2024
Coaching beyond the X's and O's. One letter, every Wednesday, on trust, accountability, culture, and the conversations most leaders avoid. Free at ianpalmerleadership.com/news…
1
1
1
9,400
Think of the worst leader you have ever worked for. Does he know? I asked a room of lieutenants that question once and it took over the whole session. You cannot go anywhere until you know where you are. ianpalmerleadership.com/post…
23
Don’t Mess With Happy is officially out today! After years of thinking about writing this book, it’s pretty special to finally share these stories and lessons from my life in basketball. Hope you all enjoy it. Grab your copy at the link in my bio.
6
11
2
55
18,256
You can’t control whether you win or lose, but you can control how you lead, how you treat your people, and the culture you build. More from my conversation with Bubba Startz on Reel Biz. youtu.be/v5JOJNAD8dw?si=ggal…
1
19
Ian Palmer retweeted
Every coach needs to hear this from Pat Murphy. “Every kid I coach, they have parents who love their kid the way I love my kid.” We’re not just coaching athletes. We’re coaching someone’s son or daughter. Coach them the way you’d want your own child coached.
Pat Murphy says becoming a father completely changed the way he coached, and now every player he views and coaches as somebody else’s son “It’s got to be real, man. You can’t just say it. You’ve got to live it. When it’s about your kid, when you’re raising kids by yourself, you’re clueless, man. You don’t know what you’re doing. I don’t know what I’m doing. I didn’t have that kind of, my parents were way older than me, so I don’t know how to parent. I don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s really important to me.” “And I started thinking about it like, every kid I coach is somebody’s Kai Joseph. You know what I mean? Every kid I coach, they have parents who love their kid the way I love my kid.” “Wow, I’ve got to be a little mindful how I treat these guys. I’ve got to be a little mindful about, like, it’s my job.” “This profession isn’t about the wins and losses. This profession is about, how do I impact this person?
4
57
3
345
26,463
The thing about 24 that bothers me most is… Who is this for? It’s not because TV was begging for it. ESPN had to be convinced. It’s not for a boatload of new cash. Losing conf champ games is gonna make this a minimal gain. It’s not because the 22nd team has any shot at a natty. It doesn’t. It’s certainly not done with the health, safety, or academic success of the players in mind since they don’t even get a say in this. It’s entirely to appease the people donating the money that keeps a financially irresponsible business model afloat. It’s discounting success so schools can say “look what your donation bought.” It’s an industry hellbent on treating investors and bosses as the customer, and customers as an infinite resource that will keep coming back no matter what.
141
826
110
5,115
350,345
Can we get a "GO GUARDS" in the chat? 📢 #GuardsBall | #StandGuard
549
1,226
265
6,761
224,686
Transactional leadership: I value you to the extent that you produce for me. Benevolence: I want good things for you whether or not they show up on my bottom line. That is the line between transactional and transformational leadership, and your people sorted you long ago.
1
17
🗣️ @CoachKevinHovde and @connorigoe_ preview the 2026-27 season at @IvyLeague Media Day ⤵️ 📽️ Full Interview: gocolumbialions.com/watch?Ar… #RoarLionRoar🦁 // #OnlyHere🗽
4
1
7
711
Last month I spent the afternoon with the 2026 scholars of the Christopher Kelly Leadership Development Program at AIA Kentucky’s kickoff boot camp in Louisville. We worked through one question: is the group you work with actually a team? Many of the people in that room do not yet carry the title or the license. My challenge to them was that leadership starts the moment you see yourself as part of a team, whatever your role. CKLDP is volunteer-run and funded by the scholars themselves, and that kind of commitment showed in every conversation. Thank you to Shelby Brinker, AIA, Kelly Ives, AIA, and the advisory committee for the invitation. I’m looking forward to watching this cohort grow.
1
60
Ian Palmer retweeted
2
1
209
So many @KUHoops stories and memories in my new book Don’t Mess With Happy. I arrived in @Big12Conference at same time as my friend @CoachBillSelf & had front row seat for Jayhawks’ dominance. 1/2
8
7
274
24,506
To Tampa Bay we go. #GuardsBall | #StandGuard
145
1,644
172
7,561
207,504
Ian Palmer retweeted
Jonaz Walton into the game for Notre Dame at running back. If he wanted a couple more comparisons to Notre Dame's running backs last year, I got an idea...
37
8
9
615
78,253
Florida lost by 28. On Sunday, Jadan Baugh texted his coach to apologize, then apologized to his offensive line in person. His center refused it and took the blame himself. Nothing in recruiting either of them was built to measure that. ianpalmerleadership.com/post…
1
145
Ian Palmer retweeted
José Ramírez is one of the best players of his generation. Not a lot of guys who can take a 100-mph top-rail fastball out of the yard. Guardians are ahead in a must-win game, 3-2.
138
591
68
10,092
716,801
Thanks to Bubba Startz for having me on Reel Biz. Before we talk about how you lead, we talk about how you got here, because your story shapes how you see the world and how you lead your team. youtu.be/v5JOJNAD8dw?si=ggal…
2
111
The best! @brendansuhr
🏀 Brendan Suhr emphasizes the importance of quick, concise communication during games. 💡 Coaches can’t afford to give players long, drawn-out instructions mid-play — it must be one or two words or a clear hand signal that instantly triggers the correct action.
26
Ian Palmer retweeted
🎙️ NEW PODCAST: Coach @brendansuhr is joined by Joshua Adams of PIVOT Growth Strategies on episode 342 of the Coaching U Podcast pres. by @noahbasketball 🎧 Listen on your favorite platform: 🔗 coachingulive.com/pod 📺 Watch! coachinguplus.com/programs/e…
1
2
1,954
Defining your team's culture is only step one. The real magic happens when you over-communicate and enforce those standards every single day. Here’s why consistency is your best leadership tool. #Leadership #TeamCulture #ManagementTips #GrowthMindset @Mentors4Mil
2
1
36