Teaching Defines Your Leadership

Intelligent and talented people who are motivated can learn how to become winners if they have someone who will teach them.
Leadership, at its best, is exactly that: teaching skills, attitudes and goals to individuals who are part of your organization. Most things in life require good teaching.

Bill Walsh On Handling Setbacks--Do's & Don'ts

I have always been impressed by the coaching and leadership of Bill Walsh. But the more I read and study about him the more impressive I become. The following are from his book, "The Score Takes Care Of Itself."

He talks about how when pursuing ambitious goals there are going to be setbacks. In order to reach those goals we have to learn how to manage those setbacks. Here are his suggestions:

Do's

1. Do expect defeat--it's a given. If you're surprised, you're dreaming and dreamers don't last long.
2. Do force yourself to stop looking backward and dwelling on the professional "train wreck" you have just been in.
3. Do allow yourself appropriate recovery--grieving time.
4. Do tell yourself, "I am going to stand and fight again," with the knowledge that often when things are at their worst you're closer than you can imagine to success.
5. Do begin planning for your next serious encounter.

Don'ts:

1. Don't ask, "Why me?"
2. Don't expect sympathy.
3. Don't bellyache.
4. Don't keep accepting condolences.
5. Don't blame others.

Passing Out Of A Trap

A few thoughts about passing out of a trap:

• Never throw over an athlete.
• Use the crackback.
• Pass around the trap.
• Fake a pass to make a pass.

Steps To Building A Successful Team

• Surround yourself with good people.
• Surround yourself with passionate people.
• Surround yourself with people who believe in servanthood.

The road to greatness says--> "I have very little

ability to finish anything on my own but

if we get together, we can accomplish much."

• Do not allow anyone to come in and break up the family unity of a TEAM must be protected and nurtured.

Internal Leadership

As we head into our Fall Workouts, one of the keys to our development is internal leadership. Here are a few thoughts:

1. First, we all must understand how important internal leadership is to our success.
2. If we don't have players who can lead internally, we'll have problems.
3. Veterans must teach our rookies.
4. We need echo yells.
5. Warren Buffet's 3 things he looks for when he hires: Work ethic, intelligence and character. The first two without the last one will kill you.

Wooden's Essentials For Internal Leadership

1. Less self, makes you selfless.
2. Don't draw attention to yourself. Don't be like the guy who coughs just before he puts his coin in the collection plate at church.

Making Sure Players Know What Is Expected

We want our players to play on automatic in games, not on manual. We believe that players will play on their heels unless they know what is expected of them. For example, we make sure they understand the reasons they come out of a game. Because, generally players feel they are being "yanked" for 1 mistake. So, we define and make sure they understand for example:

1. Multiple mistakes
2. Loaf
3. Match-ups
4. Hanging head, sulk, etc.
5. Fatigue
6. Fouls

Training The Everton Way

I'm the first to admit that I know very little about soccer. However, a recent article in ESPN magazine caught my attention. It is titled, "The Everton Way". It gives great insight into their teaching and player development. It is a great reminder for all of us as we are preparing for our fall IDW's.

"There are no secret mantras or exotic drills in the Everton Way; most of the training techniques are identical to those used at other major soccer academies around the world. The difference is in the details, or more precisely in the club's commitment to paying close attention to them.To the extent that the Everton Way has major tenets, they are as follows:

1. The best coaches should teach the youngest players, because lifelong habits are formed early;
2. All instructors should coach according to their expertise;
3. Winning doesn't matter until the kids are about 16; what does matter is TECHNIQUE and DEVELOPMENT.

Michael Jackson On Leadership

What can Michael Jackson, A Basketball Blog and John Maxwell have in common?

Actually, a lot. As I was running this morning, Michael Jackson's song, "Man In The Mirror" came on. It reminded me of playing AAU in Huntington, WV for James Hopkins. He would always say, "You need to be like Michael Jackson, 'Take a look in the mirror and make a change'". We would always make fun of him, but he's right and the lesson has stuck with me.

John Maxwell throughout his leadership series, discusses the principle that the first person we must lead is ourselves. To do so, requires many things and above all being honest with ourselves--the best way to do it--is to look in the mirror. I've included some of the lyrics below:

I'm gonna make a change,

For once in my life,

It's gonna feel real good,

Gonna make a difference

Gonna make it right...

I'm starting with the man in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change his ways,

And no message could have been any clearer,

If you want to make the world a better place,

Take a look at yourself,

And then make a change.

Belichichick Defines Leadership

"When a player comes to work in the morning, he is PREPARED, READY TO GO, READY TO GO, READY TO IMPROVE as a player, READY TO HELP the team, ALERT, AWAKE, and has a GOOD ATTITUDE. You couldn't have any more leadership than that. That's what a true leader does, and believe me, some of the best leaders on the New England Patriots would never ever in 100 years stand up in front of the team and say, "Oh guys, we've got to do this or that."

Focus

FOCUS:

• On what I WANT to do
• On what I NEED to do
• Not wasting time on things I can't control
• Intensely committed to the task at hand
  

From Good To Superb Player

GOOD PLAYER, GREAT PLAYER, SUPERB PLAYER

Positioning, Anticipation and Technique give Quickness; Therefore, you can always get quicker.
A Good player knows where he is on the court.
A Great player knows where everyone is on the court.
A Superb player knows where everyone is on the court and what everyone is going to do.

--Jerry Meyer

Bill Gates Philosophy For Success

In Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like A Champion" he discusses Bill Gate's philosophy of success listed below:

1. Set your goals
2. Believe you can achieve them
3. Maintain a positive attitude
4. Understand the team concept
5. Plan
6. Sacrifice
7. Compete
8. Communicate
9. Finish

This philosophy sounds very simple. The problem is that too often we simply do not take the time to follow these 9 simple actions. John Maxwell says that the two hardest things to get people to do are to think and do things in order of importance.

Coach Wooden on Developing Leadership

I am continually amazed when I read from John Wooden's books. I have read and re-read them all. But, each time I find that something hits me a little differently. Just today, I was going through some notes from Coach Wooden's book, "Wooden On Leadership". Several things just jumped out at me. I'll share some over the next few days. Here's the first:

"I believe leadership itself is largely learned.

Certainly not everyone can lead

nor is everyone a leader destined for glory,

but most of us have a potential far beyond

what we think possible."

Coach Wooden goes on to say that whatever coaching and leadership skills he possesses he learned through listening, observation, study, and then trial and error along the way.

Mike Ditka On Discipline

While on vacation, I flipped through and re-read some of "Game Plans For Success" by Ray Didinger. I came across the chapter on Mike Ditka. I loved his description of discipline:

In pro football, as on Wall Street, discipline

means showing up on time for meeting,

working hard in practice or at your desk,

carrying out your assignments, and

not committing stupid errors.