What do championship teams understand about trust, culture, and performance that most businesses miss—and how can leaders apply those lessons to drive real results?
Host Dave Bookbinder talks with Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and author Joel Goldberg about what business leaders can learn from nearly 30 years inside Major League Baseball organizations. Drawing from his books Small Ball Big Dreams and Small Ball Big Results, Joel shares behind-the-scenes insights from the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals.
This conversation explores how trust and culture drive high-performing teams, why listening and vulnerability are leadership advantages -not weaknesses -and how accountability shows up when it matters most. Joel also breaks down his concept of “small ball” – the consistent, repeatable habits that don’t show up in the stats but ultimately determine long-term success in both sports and business.
If you’re a business owner, executive, or advisor looking to build a stronger culture, improve leadership effectiveness, and create sustainable performance, this episode delivers practical insights you can apply immediately.
Key Topics Covered
- Business leadership lessons from professional sports
- How trust drives performance and team success
- Building and sustaining a strong organizational culture
- The role of accountability in high-performing teams
- Leadership communication, listening, and vulnerability
- “Small ball” habits that lead to long-term business success
- What business leaders can learn from championship teams
Who This Episode Is For
- Business owners and entrepreneurs
- Executives and managers focused on team performance
- Advisors to business owners (attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers)
- Anyone interested in leadership, culture, and organizational success
Why This Matters
Championship teams don’t rely on talent alone – they build trust, reinforce culture, and execute consistently. The same principles apply in business, where long-term value is created not just through financial performance, but through the strength of the organization behind it.
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About Our Guest:
Joel Goldberg is a two-time author, Emmy-winning broadcaster, and keynote speaker with 30 years of experience covering amateur and professional sports. As the longtime TV host for the Kansas City Royals, he’s interviewed baseball’s biggest stars and uncovered the leadership, trust, and culture that drive championship teams. Joel has covered four World Series, two Super Bowls, and numerous NHL playoff games, giving him a front-row seat to the mindset and habits of elite performers. But his work goes beyond sports. He translates these insights into powerful lessons on leadership, trust, teamwork, and culture that apply to business and life. His latest book, Small Ball Big Dreams, explores how small, intentional actions lead to big results in both sports and business. He’s the host of the podcast Rounding The Bases. Find Joel’s books and links at joelgoldbergmedia.com.
About the Host:
Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and their advisors reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.
Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.
He’s on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people’s contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company’s most valuable asset.”
Dave’s book, A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know, was recognized as a top new release in Business and Valuation and is designed to provide practical insights and tools to help understand what really drives business value, how to prepare for an exit, and just make better decisions.
He’s also the host of the highly rated Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder business podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.
🔸 Grab Dave’s Books: The New ROI: Return on Individuals | The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers | A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know
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