John Harbaugh Describing Leadership

John Harbaugh's Description of Leadership:

Leadership is about grand principles. It’s about honor and about raising each other up. It’s about forgiveness and redemption. That’s what life is about. That’s what leadership is about.”

Survivor's Mark Burnett on Tenacity

The following is taken from the Executive Producer of the TV show “Survivor”, Mark Burnett’s book Dare to Succeed—How to Survive and Thrive in the Game of Life

“I’m comfortable with risk—it’s synonymous with tenacity and never letting go. Mere tenacity can overcome enormous odds. When combined with a healthy fear of failure, goals can be achieved instead of dropped by the wayside. Dreams are realized. Failure is never fatal, merely a setback. Tenacity empowers me to do anything (within moral and ethical limits) to succeed. I knew that tenacity, combined with my desire to succeed, would eventually get me where I wanted.”

Wooden's Advice To His Leaders

Coach Wooden's Advice To His Leaders:

1. Be our hardest workers

2. Take care of the stuff off the floor

3. Leave everything else to the coaches

The Back of Our Team Notebook Re: Arete

Re: Arete

There are moments like this when I feel I possess that elusive quality known as class. More frequently, I am certain I don’t. But I am aware that it is always available to me. Anyone can have class. It’s character is nonetheless elusive.

In talking about class and trying to define it, one runs the risk of sounding silly and snobbish. For one thing, not only is class difficult to define, it is much more evident in its absence. Since part of class is not boasting about it, the no-class people stand out. For every class athlete you see, you can name any number of spoilsports, showboats, alibiers and cheaters.

The Greeks have a word for it. Arete means the best. Arete also contains the idea of something, whether it be an object or a creature, doing exactly what it was made for. Arete means being the absolute embodiment of what it was designed to be. It is not being better than something else; it s the best of what it is. Arete is me being the best possible ______ I can be.

The important thing about actions is not what you do but the way you do it. “Every calling is great, said Oliver Wendell Holmes; “when greatly pursued.” It is the old refrain all over again. Have no care for the outcome. Play the game to the hilt. Show a little class.

The great ones, whether they are mechanics or cardiologists, waiters or housewives, always do. They have all the virtues and qualities that go with class. They believe the way they do something matters, and in the long run that is all that matters.

The distinction between life lived as a success and life lived as a failure as I see it, is a matter of class. Class is a product of body and mind and spirit. I suspect that for me it begins with an all-consuming desire to do my best, a compulsion that everyone has felt from time to time for different activities. My task it to do it to everything I do.
--Taken from This Running Life
By George Sheehan

The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
By John C. Maxwell

THE PRICE OF TEAMWORK

SACRIFICE
There can be no success without sacrifice. James Allen observed. “He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much.”

TIME COMMITMENT
Teamwork does not come cheaply. It costs you time—that means you pay for it with your life. Teamwork can’t be developed in microwave time. Teams grow in a Crock-Pot environment

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Your team will reach its potential only if you reach your potential. That means today’s ability is not enough. Or to put it the way leadership expert Max DePree did: “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” That is why UCLA’s John Wooden, the greatest college basketball coach of all time, said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

UNSELFISHNESS
If a team is to reach its potential, its players must put the team’s agenda ahead of their own. And if you give your best to the team, it will return more to you than you give, and together you will achieve more than you can on our own.

Process of Excellence--Intentionality

Process Of Excellence
Intentionality
• Vision is the pictures we put in our heads. We want to live these pictures out.
• Attitude is a muscle to keep pushing and developing.
• Keep your eye on what you want vs Having your eye on what you don’t want (the things that we don’t want are “clutter”).
• Keep putting in our heads over and over what we want.
• Our eyes should always be looking for opportunity.

Notes From Herman Boone's Speech

Herman Boone (born October 28, 1935 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina) is a former football coach at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. In the year 2000, Boone was honored with the Walt Disney production of \"Remember the Titans,\" starring Denzel Washington. Boone graduated from the now closed Booker T. Washington High School in Rocky Mount in 1954 and attended North Carolina Central University. He coached high school football in Virginia and North Carolina and was subject to controversy when he accepted the head coaching job at T. C. Williams High School. The school had recently taken part in court-ordered integration and the coach at the time Bill Yoast lost his job to Boone. The incident and the integration of the football team are the subject of the film Remember the Titans. Boone was portrayed in the movie by Denzel Washington.

• “When you win the race, don’t forget to contribute to society.”
• “Trust becomes the glue that binds us together.”
• “People are going to watch you when you take a stand or become controversial.”
• “You have to find ways to tear down the brick walls that lay in front of you.”
• “You don’t have to always like your teammates but you have to respect them.”
• “Knowledge is a prerequisite to harmony.”
• “A team is a group of people with one vision and one heartbeat.”
• “God works in mysterious ways.”
• “Beliefs lead to…. Thoughts, which lead to….. Words, which lead to…. Actions, which lead to…. Your Character”
• “We are the engineers that build bridges for people to cross new boundaries.”
• “We need to be part of a color-neutral society.”
• “Losing is a part of winning.”

Bill Walsh's Perspectives On Coaching Values And Responsibilities

Bill Walsh’s Perspectives on Coaching Values and Responsibilities
From Coach Walsh:

“To ultimately become the best in your field you need time and experience to gain wisdom. And being inquisitive, having an ongoing interest in your own growth, and being able to communicate well. That’s vital.

I think the key to gaining respect as a coach is to be extremely competent yourself. Really, the true measure of your competence as a coach is in your technical knowledge and your ability to verbally exchange that with people.

In coaching, learning, speaking and writing proper English and being able to express yourself publicly are all extremely important. You should be able to openly engage in an exchange with anyone and everyone associated with your sport. The ability to communicate is really critical and without it you’re either not going to be a teach or you’re not going to be able to gather others around to support the program. "

Lou Holtz-- 10 Keys To Excellence

Lou Holtz-- 10 Keys To Excellence

1. The Power of Attitude
The attitude you choose to assume toward life and everything it brings you will determine whether you realize your aspirations. What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How well you do something is determined by your attitude.

2. Tackle Adversity
You are going to be knocked down. I have been on top and I have been at the bottom. To achieve success, you are going to have to solve problems. If you react positively to them, you’ll be stronger than ever. If you react to setbacks more quickly and positively, you gain a distinct. advantage. I’ve never encountered a person who achieved anything worthwhile that didn’t require overcoming obstacles.

3. Have a Sense of Purpose
Understand what you are trying to do. Stay completely focused on your primary purpose. Don’t get sidetracked. Give a first rate performance every day.

4. Make Sacrifice Your Ally
You can’t be successful without making sacrifices. Most losing organizations are overpopulated with people who constantly complain about life’s difficulties. They will drain your enthusiasm and energy. Take pride in making sacrifices and having self-discipline.

5. Adapt or Die
Things are always changing, so embrace the fact that your life and career are always in transition. Yes, you will achieve goals, but don’t fall into the trap o not thinking you don’t need to go further. Even when you reach the top, remember to stay focused on the fundamentals.

6. Chase Your Dreams
All great accomplishments start with a dream. Dreams fuel your enthusiasm and vision. They will give you a burning desire to get up and achieve.

7. Nurture Your Self-Image
A positive self-image grows out of having strong character. To be trustworthy, committed to excellence and to show care for others are the underpinnings of a successful person.

8. Foster Trust
Relationships are based on trust. Many people have ruined tremendous opportunity because they didn’t have the discipline and decency to do what’s right. Continually ask yourself, “Is this the right thing to do?” Do what you feel is right regardless of peer pressure or personal desires. Success and confidence will follow close behind.

9. Commit to Excellence
Do everything to the best of your ability. Everyone wants to be associated with people who set and maintain high standards. When you lower standards, you only invite mediocrity.

10. Handle with Care
Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Process Oriented Thinking Examples

As we continue to study and work with our team on process vs result oriented thinking using various resources I went back to some notes from the book Influencer.

Process Oriented Thinking Examples

From the book, Influencer—The Power To Change Anything

By setting small goals (daily monitoring and recording) and meeting them, people will now focus on things that they can see and control. This enhances their sense of efficacy.

Influence masters have long known the importance of setting clear and achievable goals. First, they understand the importance of setting specific goals. People say that they understand this concept, but few actually put the concept into practice. For example, average basketball players set goals to improve their “concentration” (exactly what is that?), whereas top performers decide they need to practice shooting the basketball by holding a high one second follow-through—and they understand each element in holding a proper follow-through.

As part of this focus on specific levels of achievement, tip performers set their goals to improve behaviors or processes rather than outcomes (Process thinking vs Outcome oriented thinking). For example, top basketball performers set process goals aimed at receiving the ball with two hands, with two feet in the air and land in a jumpstop. Mediocre performers set outcome goals such as winning scoring so many points or playing so many minutes.

Another example, players who routinely hit 70% or more of their free throws tend to practice differently from those who hit 55% or less. How? Better shooters set technique-oriented goals such as “Keep elbow in,” or, “Hold a high follow-through”. Players who shoot 55% and under tend to think more about results-oriented goals such as, “This time I’m going to make ten in a row.”

Leadership Questions For Rising Seniors

QUESTIONS FOR NEXT SEASON’S SENIORS

1. Who is going to control the locker-room next year?
a. Who needs to step up and take some control over the lockerroom and off-court stuff next year? Who will other people listen to?
2. Who will be the best practice player?
3. Who will be the toughest player coming back?
4. Who are the potential problems coming back? Why?
5. Who would be in your fox-hole? Who is out?
6. Who will be our best…?
a. Defender?
b. Rebounder?
c. Team Attitude?
d. Leader?
e. Scorer?
7. How can we get better in the weight room? What needs to be emphasized more?
8. What else should the coaches be worried about for next year? Any other potential problems with players, recruits, etc?

Skill Development--Passing

It sounds so simple but the ability to pass and safely receive the basketball is an essential but often taken for granted skill. We are working in our IDW's on this skill as we prepare for next season. Listed are a few of the points we are emphasizing with our passing:

a. On time and on target
b. Pass away from the defense
c. Timing + Accuracy + Quickness + Deception
d. Pass fake, shot fake, go against momentum
e. See it all, Vision, Scan like John Stockton
i. A good player knows where he is on the court.
ii. A great player knows where everyone is on the court.
iii. A superb player knows where everyone is on the court and what everyone is going to do.
f. Hit the first open man
g. No Last Resort passing = dribble until you have exhausted every shot opportunity for yourself and then you pass
h. Give the ball to a three pointer at three and in rhythm