Why do some leaders thrive under pressure while others lose momentum when life gets hard?
In this episode of The Navigating Leaders Podcast, Gabriel Griess sits down with championship-winning coach Corey M. Henderson Sr. to explore what it really takes to build a winning culture, lead through adversity, and stay committed when success doesn’t come overnight.
From losing his corporate career to building one of the top basketball programs in Texas, Corey’s journey is filled with hard-earned lessons on leadership, resilience, discipline, accountability, faith, and long-term vision.
If you’re feeling stuck, facing setbacks, leading a team, or pursuing a goal that feels out of reach, this conversation will challenge the way you think about success and reveal what separates champions from everyone else.
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RESOURCES
🌎 Website: navigatingleaders.com
👀 Vision Engine: navigatingleaders.com/vision-engine
📖 The Results Tree — A Proven Path to the Life You Really Want: TheResultsTree.com
📖 Invictus by William Ernest Henley
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ABOUT COREY HENDERSON SR.
Corey M. Henderson Sr. is the head boys basketball coach and an admissions officer at the Episcopal School of Dallas, where he has served for over 23 years. A 4-year letterman at Texas A&M University, Corey played professionally in Perth, Australia before transitioning into coaching. He built the ESD basketball program from the ground up, earning three consecutive state championships and developing players who went on to compete at the collegiate and professional levels, including Phil Pressy of the Boston Celtics. Corey also served on staff at Kobe Bryant Academy for approximately six years. He leads the Campfire Program at ESD, a mentorship and guidance initiative for student athletes.
📸 Instagram: @cmhe_32
👍 Facebook: @coreymichael.henderson
CONNECT WITH GABRIEL
🎥 YouTube: @navigatingleaders
📸 Instagram: @navigatingleaders
👍 Facebook: @navigatingleaders
🎵 TikTok: @navigatingleaders
🗣️ LinkedIn: @navigatingleaders
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ABOUT GABRIEL
Gabriel Griess is a retired US Air Force officer, the CEO of Excel Medical Staffing and MedForceX, and the founder of Navigating Leaders. A graduate of the elite Air Force Weapons School, he has spent decades leading teams in high-pressure environments and equipping others to reach their full potential. As a combat veteran and an entrepreneur, Gabriel helps individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to create lasting impact.
An internationally sought-after keynote speaker, he addresses audiences on personal transformation, strategic leadership, and veteran empowerment. The Results Tree is the framework he lives by, and when applied, it will unearth your destiny.