This year’s March Madness captured the country’s attention for its climatic showcase of college basketball talent and for shining a spotlight on women’s college basketball like never before. Traditionally overshadowed by the media surrounding their male counterparts, women’s college basketball players soared in popularity, thanks, in part, to the phenomenal performance of Caitlin Clark.

While I could never personally cheer for Iowa, Clark’s achievements propelled her team and the entire women’s tournament to unprecedented heights, making the women’s tournament arguably more exciting and competitive than the men’s.

The women’s NCAA Final Four, a thrilling face-off between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes, underscored the indispensability of teamwork and strategic execution. Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team exemplified perfection, securing a national championship with a flawless record, illustrating the power of an unselfish team.

South Carolina’s strategy of not relying on a single star player but fostering a balanced team with depth and versatility resulted in a perfect season. Hidden inside Coach Staley’s team are crucial lessons for RIAs who also want to win. Let’s explore the importance of building a team that doesn’t hinge its success on individual greatness but thrives on the collective strength and talent of working together.

Key Steps for Building a Winning Team in Your RIA:

1. Coach Your Team: Your leadership will make or break how your team shows up daily. It’s not an accident that one of the best point guards of all time is now running the best program in the modern women’s basketball era.

When she was young, she learned the game, excelled, and knew what it took to win. She’s not out on the court shooting the ball now, but she’s assessing team capabilities, recognizing where they excel and where improvement is needed. You’ve got to do the same thing for your team.

You don’t have to be the one meeting clients, creating plans or placing trades, but your knowledge of what needs to be done and how it’s best executed must be communicated repeatedly to your team. Coaching and development are not just occasional needs but constant requirements.

2. Celebrate Wins with Everyone: When Dawn Staley coached her way to her first national title in 2017, she sent miniature trophies to everyone she played with in 1991 at Virginia—her team that lost to Tennessee 70-67 in double overtime after she fouled out.

When South Carolina defeated Iowa last week, she shouted out Caitlin Clark, the other team’s star player, for elevating women’s basketball. She has a natural ability to take the joy of success and spread it as far and wide as possible. That kind of celebration, including the people you’re competing against, will revolutionize attitudes as it galvanizes your team.

3. Continuously Recruit: The quest for talent never ceases. Team members move on to what’s next for them, and you can wish them well when you send them out, even if they are one of your star players. Fresh new talent is on the way who can bring ever-evolving ideas and energy to build your team’s next great achievement.

A proactive approach to recruitment, patiently waiting for the right fit and not just filling a gap, is essential for long-term success. Championship teams are built on cultures that welcome and seek excellence. Encourage an environment where talent thrives on the challenge and growth brought by equally talented peers.

4. Curate Your Future: It is paramount to understand and share a clear vision of what success looks like for your organization. It’s about crafting an outstanding client experience and embodying excellence daily, with every action taken toward winning that metaphorical trophy.

Success includes moments of achievement, but the path to fulfillment includes moments of failure, too. Would Dawn Staley be the exceptional coach she is today if she’d made the game-winning shot in 1991?

Maybe, but I bet it wouldn’t taste quite as sweet.

The lessons from this year’s March Madness testify to the power of unselfish teamwork, strategic foresight, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. As we move toward our offseason, let’s focus on building cultures that our teams and clients deserve.

Here’s to winning with your championship team.