What if the clearest path to becoming an unstoppable leader starts with getting radically honest about your own growth gaps? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson sit down with Quinn Harwood, known as Coach Q, a former Davidson college basketball player, professional certified coach, and author of the leadership fable Growth Time, for a conversation packed with practical wisdom on confidence, mission, and becoming the kind of leader who lifts everyone around them.
Coach Q opens with a powerful story from his Davidson days, sharing how a pivotal shift away from self-focus and toward team mission transformed not just his performance on the court but his entire approach to leadership. He explains why mission is greater than vision, and how getting anchored in a personal mission statement became the stabilizing force that carried him through career setbacks, a painful divorce, and reinvention during the COVID years.
The conversation digs deep into the concept of value driven leadership and why holding your team accountable to shared values rather than performance outcomes alone is what separates good leaders from truly transformational ones. Coach Q also unpacks the identity of the coach leader, explaining why emotionally intelligent leaders who ask powerful questions and stay present with their people consistently outperform those who rely on authority or motivation alone.
One of the most immediately useful segments of the episode is Coach Q's AAA framework for running one-on-one meetings that actually move the needle: alignment, attitude, and action. He breaks down how to structure conversations that create genuine ownership in team members rather than just checking boxes.
Coach Q also shares his three dimensional approach to self-leadership, physical, mental, and spiritual, and introduces the concept of the Midnight Mirror, a nightly reflection practice that sets the tone for the next day and keeps leaders sharp, grounded, and growth focused. He closes with a transparent and moving account of how faith became the foundation of his personal and professional growth story.
Whether you are an emerging leader looking for your footing, a business owner trying to build an accountable culture, or someone ready to close the gap between where you are and where you are meant to be, this episode will give you the tools, the mindset, and the motivation to get into your own growth time.
Connect with Coach Q on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinn-harwood-455517108/
Grab the book: Growth Time on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/GrowthTime-Coaching-Fable-Unlock-Leadership/dp/B0F1G847H4
Subscribe to Monday Movers Mindset: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/monday-movers-mindset-7252388937384525824/
