Guy Molloy: Focusing On Simplicity

Welcome to the Great Coaches: Leadership & Life newsletter!

2025 is well underway and our first interview of the year is now live on all of your favourite podcasting platforms. This episode we’re joined by Australian Basketball’s Guy Molloy, the Head Coach of the Sydney Flames. Guy shared some fantastic insight with us during the interview, and we hope that you enjoy listening to it just as much as we enjoyed recording it.

In other news The Great Coaches is now also on WhatsApp, making it even easier for you to share our inspiring insights with your friends, colleagues, and family members. Keep reading below to find out how you can get involved!

Intricate Simplicity With Guy Molloy

Our very first podcast episode of 2025 features an interview with Guy Molloy, the Australian Basketball coach currently leading the Sydney Flames.

Guy is someone who has really put a lot of effort into his own growth and development, both as a leader and on a personal level. He’s a man who records himself speaking during practices and games in order to review his own work and locate areas for improvement. He’s also someone who places a focus on the establishment of a growth mindset, understanding the need to review, learn, and implement change in the context of competitive cycles.

One thing that he spoke about during the interview that particularly stood out was “intricate simplicity”. Intricate simplicity is how Guy refers to the philosophy he holds centred on work ethic; a philosophy that places a focus on the basics and aims to remove complication from game plans. Through this simplified approach, Guy has identified a way of leading teams that lowers anxiety, rather than raising it.

There are a number of fantastic leadership insights to be found in this week’s episode, including the important lesson about culture that Guy learned early on in his career and his words on what makes a Great Coach different. I really hope you’ll give it a listen — I’m sure you’ll find it as interesting and thought-provoking as I did.

Listen Now: Apple | Spotify

This Week’s Guest

Guy Molloy is an Australian Basketball Coach.

Guy’s professional career began back in 1989 when he took on a position coaching the Canberra Capitals in the Australian Women’s National League. From there he moved on to coach the Perth Breakers and was still with them when he was named Coach of the Year in 1995. During this time, Guy was also serving as an Assistant for the Australian National Team.

After some time coaching the Cairns Taipans in the Australian Men’s National League, Guy took up a position as an Assistant for the South Dragons before returning to the Australian Women’s National League in 2013 and leading the Melbourne Boomers to the championship in 2022.

In 2018, Guy took on the role of Head Coach with the Tall Ferns (New Zealand’s national women’s team) and led them to a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games that same year.

Guy is presently the coach of the Sydney Flames in the WNBL.

(Re)Defining Leadership

How would you define leadership?

Here at the Great Coaches, we’ve interviewed more than 200 inspiring leaders from around the world of sports. Each and every one of our guests has brought a unique perspective to the discussion, sharing their own definitions of what great leadership looks like and involves.

As we begin a new year, now is a great time to reflect on your own definition of leadership and how you personally approach your position and role. How would you describe a great leader, and how closely do you honestly feel that you meet that definition? What skills and abilities could you work on this year to help you improve the way you lead in your office, community, and family?

In this clip from a previous episode, rugby coach Jack Clark shares his definition of leadership.

If you’re looking to further develop your own leadership skills and ability, then make sure to head over to our website. For an annual cost of just $4.50 USD, Great Coaches members can access more than 1,800 clips, 30 special lessons, and more great content designed to help them become better, more effective leaders.

In Case You Missed It…

Behind The Scenes With Andrew McQualter

Being an effective public speaker is an important skill for all leaders and coaches to possess, particularly when it comes to team meetings.

Whether you’re a sports coach or a corporate leader, it’s vital for you to be able to efficiently set the tone for meetings, motivate your team and communicate your expectations. Yet, for those who are new to the role, it can be difficult to understand just how to begin.

In this short clip from the AFL West Coast Eagles, you’ll hear senior coach Andrew McQualter open a daily team meeting with a great reminder of the expectations that he (and the team’s many supporters) hold for his squad.

It’s only just over a minute long, but will hopefully give you some inspiration for approaching your own team this coming week.

Challenge Yourself with the Macquarie MBA

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Find out more: https://www.mq.edu.au/macquarie-business-school/