Chapter 28
“Don’t worry about being better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can be. You have control of that, not the other.”
Chapter 28 Reflection: What message does your behavior send to your team, colleagues, and the world around you about your values and focus?
This can be influential if it is distracting, or inconsistent. My intentions on the sidelines are to be consistent with who I am as a coach and person to the rest of my team. To the world outside our huddle, I tend to be indifferent regarding their thoughts on my actions considering that I am actively conscientious that my behavior reflects our program. So, if someone thinks I am animated or apathetic, yet my student-athletes see me as consistent I am content.
I do think demeanor can play an infectious role to the surrounding group given the situation. This I hope continues to grow with experience the more that I am put in a variety of situations. I have found myself pumped up following big plays, as I have found myself frustrated during disappointing results. These are things that create learning opportunities for me as a coach to reflect from the moments and evaluate to adjust.
My mannerisms on the sideline could be described as engaging, challenging, and from my own admission too active (verbally or physically). I have always admired the coaches that found a way to just sit still and observe, leaving their instruction for dead-balls or timeouts. During each game, I force myself to sit the start of every quarter and gauge how long I can stay seated before getting up to be involved.
Chapter 29
“Every event in life provides an opportunity to learn and grow.”
Chapter 29 Reflection: Is your process of reviewing, evaluating, and studying performance based on what your team needs or what you want?
Not sure, if there is a deeper meaning behind this question. But, any of our decisions as a staff are prioritized with two thoughts: where our team stands and the direction that we need to go in order to improve.
Chapter 30
“Kaizen! The Japanese word for improvement. In their business culture, it refers to the activities of continous improvement that all members of an organzation take part in.”
Chapter 30 Reflection: What are some commitments you can make to help bring more meaning into your conversations with others and to help grow and nurture those relationships?
Daily interaction can go a long way. The relationships our staff can develop with the locker room comes with time and authenticity. And these relationships are molded throughout the time these guys develop over the years.
My objective each day during the season is to make some sort of interaction with each player prior to the start of practice. It could be as small as a high-five to a conversation about school. Any form of communication allows me to make face with the player, in addition to trying to get an early impression of how they are doing on that given day. There are two things that I think come into consideration when it comes to relationships with younger athletes.
- They are far more intuitive/observant than we often give them credit
- They want attention – even those that are shy – in the way that makes them most comfortable. Expand briefly, for some they want simply basketball devotion (i.e. skill development and game feedback). Others are looking for stern leadership almost extended family investment. No matter the kid, they want to be recognized.
Chapter 31
“Great leaders don’t remove painful experiences, but they support their people through them.”
Chapter 31 Reflection: Do you model the strength and courage to see challenges and failures as opportunities to learn and grow?
Some days better than others.
Chapter 32
“Don’t quit. All effort, all the time.”
Chapter 32 Reflection: When people achieve, do you praise the process or the result?”
Both. If the result is indicative of the process, or if the result reveals a way to improve the process. Both will be recognized. Any accomplishment that is reflective of our objective or represents our program in the right way will be acknowledged. This can get circular, but if there is an unintended result (a loss or poor conduct) then the process gets put under the microscope. Even following wins we acknowledge that while the result was what we hoped to accomplish, where do find ways to strengthen in order to sustain those results.
Chapter 33
“To my team, thank you for allowing me to lead you.”
Chapter 33 Reflection: Think of one of your greatest failures or setbacks in life. How did it shape you into the person you are today?
Where do I start …
Coach's Climb 