Staying In the Game: Leadership Lessons from Sports with Everett Harper

What does it take to stay in the game when life doesn’t go your way? In this engaging and deeply personal conversation, Space In Between host Leigh Morgan welcomes back longtime friend, noted technology leader, author, and fellow Duke University athlete Everett Harper for a conversation that begins on the playing field—but quickly expands into leadership, resilience, and what it means to stay connected in turbulent times.

Drawing on stories from their years competing at Duke—Everett as a national championship soccer player and Leigh as a standout point guard for the Blue Devils—they revisit memorable victories, painful losses, difficult teammates, legendary competitors, and the coaches who shaped them. Together, they explore how the lessons learned in elite athletics continue to influence the way they lead organizations, navigate adversity, and show up for others.

At a time when many people feel exhausted by polarization, uncertainty, and declining trust, Leigh and Everett offer a refreshing reminder that resilience isn’t a solo pursuit. Staying in the game requires agency, connection, humility, and the willingness to lean on teammates when the pressure is greatest. Through laughter, candid storytelling, and thoughtful reflection, they reveal why some of life’s most enduring leadership lessons were learned long before either stepped into the executive suite.

Key Messages

Resilience is a team sport. Lasting resilience is built through trusted relationships, not individual endurance alone.
High agency begins with choosing your next move. Even when circumstances can’t be controlled, people can choose how they respond.
Trust is built before the pressure arrives. Healthy teams create cultures where everyone contributes—even when they’re not in the spotlight.
Great leaders stay in the game. Setbacks, disappointment, and public failure don’t define leaders; how they respond does.

Practice: Staying in the Game

As you reflect on this conversation, consider where you may be feeling discouraged or tempted to step away. Ask yourself:

Where can I choose agency instead of resignation?
Who belongs on my resilience team?
What is one small action I can take today?
Where might I need to accept support instead of carrying everything alone?
How can I help someone else stay in the game?

Connection isn’t simply a source of resilience—it is resilience.

About Everett Harper

Everett Harper is a technology CEO, author, TEDx speaker, and former NCAA National Champion with Duke Men’s Soccer. His work helps leaders navigate complexity, build trust, and lead with courage in rapidly changing environments. Throughout his career, Everett has combined lessons from elite athletics, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership to help organizations thrive amid uncertainty.