Loyola University Chicago Men's Basketball Head Coach Porter Moser cheers his team on. (Photo: Lukas Keapproth)

March Madness Porter's Tips

Leading by example

How were the Ramblers created by culture? Find out the secrets to Coach Porter Moser's leadership style.

There's no question that Coach Porter Moser has been a key component in the success of the Loyola Ramblers. That is, of course, because he knows his basketball; Moser is a real pro when it comes to winning on the court. But Rambler fans know there's more to it. It is evident in the way the team plays. It was on full display when Moser led his players to the Final Four in 2018. And it is clear from watching the continued success of the team that has carried them back to March Madness in 2021.

The secret to Moser's success is, to steal his own phrase, that the team is "created by culture." And that culture stems from a leadership style that extends beyond the court, shaping young men who will apply the lessons learned from Moser to athletics, business, or any field they choose to pursue.

That style has made Moser a popular speaker to a wide variety of audiences. Here are some tips he shared with students at Loyola's Quinlan School of Business, offering them advice on applying the coach's successful approach to their aspirations in the world of business.

1

Set the tone

The leader’s beliefs, values, behaviors, and habits set the tone for an organization’s culture, says Moser. He lives the culture he wants to create—from acting ethically to sharing credit. Moser also models his untiring commitment to the basketball program: he speaks at every freshman orientation he can and has even handed out hot dogs in the Damen Student Center to encourage game attendance.

2

Recruit and hire culture

To create the high-energy, high-character, team-focused culture that Moser wanted, he knew that he had select coaches and players who already embraced this culture. “I look for people who are winners and have strong characters on the floor and off,” says Moser.

3

Empower your people

“Leading is about more than just the person at the top,” says Moser. “Because my staff and team feel empowered to come to me with suggestions, they all work harder and make the program better.”

4

Be inspired by the past, and focused on the future

Moser returns to the 1963 Loyola championship team to motivate his team and himself. “I have a photo of the ’63 team surrounded by a sea of people on Sheridan Road welcoming them back to campus,” says Moser. “I wanted to return the program to that level of excitement.”

5

Be obsessed with getting better

Moser focuses on what he calls the “journey of learning.” Tapes of games and practices are called “Get Better Tapes,” and he expects his coaches and players to be lifelong learners. “You can’t win every game,” says Moser, “but if you capture the process that led you to success and set out to get better every day, you’ll have a huge competitive advantage.”

6

Leave entitlement at the door

Moser quotes legendary Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney: “Let the light that shines in you be brighter than the light that shines on you.” Moser challenges his players to not get caught up in what’s going on around them. Instead, he wants his players to focus on what’s inside them—from their team-first attitude to their pursuit of success—that earned them the national spotlight.

7

Do it the right way

“There is no bending on academics in my program or at Loyola,” says Moser. “We are doing it the right way with student-athletes.” In 2020, the NCAA recognized Loyola for its 99% Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for athletes, which tied Loyola with Harvard.