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Notes for Improving Your Team

Here are some of my takeaways from 2016

From Jack Clark, Cal Rugby Coach
(From an article written by Jen Sinkler)

“You and I could go to the sports page today and open it up and see some sports team calling themselves a family. It’s what everyone does nowadays — they call themselves a family. In reality, it grates on me a little bit because my concept of family is unconditional. There’s my screw-up brother down in Huntington Beach. I love him, but you don’t want him on your team, I promise you. Family means unconditional, whereas high-performance teams are highly, highly conditional organizations.”

“I think what matters most — outside of talent — would probably be the culture of the team: developing a really resilient, embedded team culture around performance. It’s like anything else: You’ve got to rep it. You’ve got to talk about it on day one and day five and in the middle of the season and at the end of the season.”

I think this is an underrated and overlook part of culture. I once heard Doc Rivers say, “You have to protect your team culture. This battle is waged daily.”

In other words, culture, to be successful must be intentionally thought out, planned and executed by all those involved

“We believe in constant performance improvement. We say it’s not just enough to win. That’s kind of an old thing. If you go back to legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, you can get some performance over results. It’s there. We believe that and we believe that we should be getting better. We think that we should accept that burden. If we’re going to work at this as hard as we’re working at it, then we should be getting better from week to week, month to month, match to match. There should be improvement.”

You can read the entire article by clicking here

Kevin Eastman

Special athletes hold themselves accountable…

…don’t blame others first; instead, they look first for what they contributed (or did not contribute) to the situation.

…don’t complain; instead they look for ways to correct things that aren’t working.

…don’t procrastinate; get things done now.

…always give more than they ask of others.

…always look to take on as much as they can handle, rather than look to pass things on to others all the time.

…are constantly trying to improve their game as they can bring more to the team and constantly fulfill their role.

…are self starters and study the game (and themselves) enough to know what needs to be done; then do about doing it.

…do the un-required work, knowing that it simply needs to be done — extra reps, extra weights, extra film watching, etc. without constantly needing to be told by a coach.

…hold others accountable for their jobs and roles because they know the importance of accountability as it relates to winning; this creates a collective responsibility.

…always be among the most trusted players on the team — by coaches and players.

Characteristics a coach needs. One or more are characteristics that I think may be overlooked.

1. Respect -‐ I believe that the greater respect the coach commands, the easier it is to ensure buy-‐in from his or her players. And the more often you can get your team to buy in, the more you’re going to see them do what you want them to do. I’ve always tried to gain respect by outworking others in the business and trying to learn as much as I can at the place and position I’m in. Work ethic and this continuing search for knowledge have been keys to my ability to gain respect.

2. Relationships -‐ I believe relationships are the foundation for success in any field. As a coach, you need to get to know your team, get to know about your team, talk to your players in good times and bad, let your players know you care about them, and develop a trust with your players.

3. Curiosity -‐ It seems to me that the most successful people in any business have an insatiable intellectual curiosity about their field. They talk to the best in the business, they read about others, they listen to CDs and DVDs, they want to know what the best are doing and how it can relate to them and their programs, and they are curious to know what you know and how it can fit in to enhance their program or business.

4. Ability to motivate -‐ Motivation is an aspect of coaching that requires coaches to constantly “read” what’s needed for their team and any given player on a daily basis. It also requires a great deal of thought and study in order to find new ways to accomplish these tasks. Find out what makes a player tick and then create ways to motivate him to get the most out of him each day. And be able to recognize when it’s a new day that needs a new motivator -‐-‐ even for the same player who responded yesterday!

“No matter how much we know on any subject, there’s always more to learn. Make the time to read, to study, and to think; each of these is important to your development. We all need to keep up with what’s going on in our field, too. I’ve found that news and magazine articles can be as helpful as books in this regard. The key is to keep searching so that you stay gain knowledge, improve, and stay relevant!”

Coaches expect and demand things of our players — especially those things they can control like attitude, effort and intensity. And then he talked about how we must demand it of ourselves first:

1. Coaches must maintain their intensity everyday.
2. A coach can never get bored.
3. The intensity that a coach brings to the floor helps the player have a more intense workout.
4. Coaches have body language too. Be careful of your body language, and how it could be interpreted by your players.

These are a few of my takeaways from my latest reading on Texas A & M women’s assistant Bob Starkey’s HoopThoughts. If it is not on your regular reading list, I recommend to add it. There are great articles on all aspects of coaching basketball.

Being and Developing Mentor Leaders

I just finished reading “The Mentor Leader” by Tony Dungy. I have listed some of my takeaways in this post.

If you are interested in finding out more about the book or reading a sample, you can do so on the Amazon web site by clicking on the book cover on the left.

The Colts placed character at the forefront of the player-selection process. They eliminated players—even talented “difference-makers”—from consideration in the draft if they possessed questionable character flaws.
The team is committed to purposeful, effective communication.
Dungy rarely displays a visible reaction to uncomfortable situations.
Assistant Jim Caldwell asked him whether he was inclined to demonstrate a show of force in response to a discipline incident. Dungy’s reply – “It is not about me” – Caldwell stated that Dungy’s response “Resonated with my spirit, and it is one of the most profound lessons I learned from him.”
Tony was more interested in what was most important for the team and the franchise than himself.

According to Caldwell The Level 5 leadership concept from Jim Collins Book “Good to Great” sums up Dungy’s DNA as a leader: The qualities of a level 5 leaders are: Embody a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will, Display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated. Attribute success to factors other than themselves., Display a workmanlike diligence—more plow horse than show horse. Set up their successors for even greater success.
Dungy was an active participant in the development of the players and assistant coaches, He checked his ego at the door each day.
Coach Dungy nurtured and cultivated both players and coaches, molding without pressing, nudging without pushing, and leading without dragging.

Don’t be fearful of empowering those around you.
“If all you’re about is winning, it’s really not worth it. I’m after things that last.” – Keli McGregor
It isn’t a structured program that makes the difference. The difference is made moment by moment by leaders who care for others,
Positive, life-changing leadership is an acquired trait, learned from interaction with others who know how to lead and lead well.
Leadership is not an innate, mystical gift; rather, it’s a learned ability to influence the attitudes and behavior of others.

Mentor leaders seek to have a direct, intentional, and positive impact on those they lead. Mentoring is about building character into the lives of others, modeling and teaching attitudes and behaviors, and creating a constructive legacy to be passed along to future generations of leaders.,
Its not possible to be an accidental mentor.
The primary focus of mentor leadership is to shape the lives of people right in front of them, as they lead, guide, inspire, and encourage those people.
Coaches often model the behavior of successful coaches—sometimes with detrimental results.
Mentor leadership focuses on developing the strengths of individuals.
People are watching us and learning from us whether we’re aware of it or not.

Mentor leadership is about shaping, nurturing, empowering, growing, relationships, integrity, and perpetual learning. Success is measured in changed lives, strong character, and eternal values rather than in material gain, temporal achievement, or status.
It is primarily concerned with building and adding value to the lives of people in the process.
Unity of purpose and a desire to make other people better must start at the top if these goals are going to ripple through an entire organization.
After a while, people see through the talk when it doesn’t line up with the walk.
Shortsighted leadership focuses primarily on the bottom line.

Influence, involvement, improvement, and impact are core principles of mentor leadership.
Simply stated, leadership is influence. By influencing another person, we lead that person.
When it comes to effective leadership, it’s not about you and what makes you comfortable or helps you get ahead. It’s about other people.
Mentor leaders look beyond themselves, focusing on the people they lead and where they should be going together.
Keep the vision out front. Don’t let your team – wherever it is – quit early.

Craft a mission to the best of your ability, encapsulating the items that make your family or team unique, and then run with it.
Values tell us and others what is important to us – as leaders, as an organization, and as individuals.
Truly serving others requires putting ourselves and our desires aside while looking for ways and opportunities to do what is best for others.
Mentor leaders desire to help those they are privileged to lead to be better in whatever roles and responsibilities they have.
Servant leadership flips the world’s model upside down: leaders who serve – not just when it’s convenient, neat, and acceptable, but when it’s timely, needed, and right.

An Athlete’s Inventory of Success

Some thoughts to share with your team on what it takes to succeed in all areas of life, including athletics…

Successful athletes earnestly want to succeed, and they do something about it.
They set goals for themselves.
Successful athletes realize that everything worth having in athletics has a price-tag in terms of training and competitive effort. They understand that success has its cost, but they pay their way knowingly, keeping their eyes on their goals.
They realize their future success in the final analysis will depend upon their own personal efforts.
Successful athletes consider work a privilege, not a chore.

They accept personal responsibility for their own success.
Successful athletes don’t depend upon luck, They Know that success goes only where it’s invited.
They know that willpower, not magic, turns dreams, into reality.
Successful athletes have a high frustration tolerance. They don’t become discouraged at temporary setbacks. They learn from these setbacks and look ahead to the next competition with optimism.
They don’t waste time thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. They don’t complain about what they haven’t got. They develop to the maximum what they have.

Though willing to change for the better, successful athletes do not flit from one training method or technique to the other from day to day. They determine a long-range course of action and follow through on it with faith in its effectiveness.
Successful athletes profit by their own mistakes, and they profit by the mistakes of others.
They avoid negative thoughts and defeatist thinking.
Successful athletes don’t have head-trouble, but they do have guts.
They are totally reliable and responsible in training matters.

They don’t alibi. They know the best excuse is the one you never make.
Successful athletes set examples for others.
They are cooperative with both coaches and teammates.
Successful athletes are by far the easiest to coach.
They are not injury prone. They have far fewer injuries than the less successful.
Successful athletes are enthusiastic. They generate their own enthusiasm. They don’t grumble, moan, groan, and complain.

Athletes who fail tend to be cynical. They believe their coaches are not leading them properly. They are unwilling to be impressed or inspired. This is expected of the phony, the snobbish, the pseudo-intellectual, … but it dooms an athlete when the coach tries to inspire him/her and he/she just sits there saying this is a lot of nonsense. The good athlete does not ridicule the capacities and the ideas of the coach … SHE RESPONDS!

Your Worth to the Team

Some good questions for coaches to ask their athletes and to use as an accountability list to their teammates.

To check your value to our team, ask yourself these questions:

Am I mature enough to work at things seriously?

Do I observe the rules of our sport?

Do I expect and respect authority?

Do I conform to all training rules?

Am I willing to sacrifice for the team? And for myself?

Do I work hard in practice to improve my fundamentals?

Do I recognize correction from the coaches as an effort to help me to improve rather than as a criticism of my performance?

Do I help and encourage my teammates when they are striving to improve?

Do I stand up for the team or a teammate when I hear criticism?

Do I tell a teammate to stop complaining?

Do I report any dissension among players to the coaches?

Am I dedicated to the point where I’m willing to make any sacrifice which will improve our team, improve myself, or improve the image of our team?

Do I recognize the fact that while on or off the field/court my actions and performances are a reflection on my family and on the team?

Do I take pride in my actions, dress, and speech on and off the field?

Do I have a spirit of cooperation with other team members and the coaches?

Do I have a burning desire to win?

Do I continually work to improve—never being satisfied with my present development?

Do I have the self-discipline and mental toughness to fight back when the chips are down?

Am I all business before and during the game?

Am I a hard loser? That is do I profit from my mistakes by thinking and talking over the cause of defeat and make sure the same cause never defeats me again? (There is a great difference between a hard loser and a poor loser)

Do I recognize the privilege and honor of being on the team?

Am I eager to learn more?

Do I spread enthusiasm to others through my enthusiasm and eagerness?

Do I set an example for younger players which will make them eager to become the same kind of player and person as I am?

The Winning Attitude

Some thoughts on the mindset of a winner to share with your athletes. I hope you can find a few that are useful…

What makes one person a winner and other people losers? How they think! Your self image determines your ability and your success. You will be ready mentally if you are thinking success. For instance:

A WINNER is always ready to tackle something new… a loser is prone to believe it can’t be done.

A WINNER isn’t afraid of competition… losers excuse themselves with the idea that the competition can beat them.

A WINNER makes a mistake and says, “I was wrong”… a loser makes a mistake and says, “It wasn’t my fault,” and blames someone else.

A WINNER is challenged by a problem and goes through it.. a loser does not want to face it, tries to go around it, but never gets by it.

A WINNER realizes there is no time like the present to get a job done… a loser is prone to procrastinate with the hope that things will get better tomorrow.

A WINNER thinks positively, acts positively, and lives positively… a loser usually has a negative attitude and a negative approach to everything.

A WINNER says “Let’s find out…” a loser says, “Nobody knows.”

A WINNER makes commitments… a loser makes empty promises.

A WINNER says, “I’m good, but not as good as I should be…”· a loser says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”

A WINNER learns from those who are superior… a loser tries to tear down those who are superior.

A WINNER credits his “good luck” for winning-even though It isn’t good luck; a loser blames “bad luck” for losing-even though it isn’t bad luck.

A WINNER knows how and when to say “Yes” and “No”; a loser says, “Yes, but’ and “Perhaps not” at the wrong times, for the wrong reasons.

A WINNER Isn’t nearly as afraid of losing as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.

A WINNER works harder than a loser, and has more time; a loser Is always “Too busy” to do what is necessary.

A WINNER shows he’s sorry by making up for it, a loser says, “I’m sorry,” but does the some thing the next time.

A WINNER knows what to fight for, and what to compromise on; a loser compromises on what he shouldn’t and fights for what isn’t worthwhile fighting about.

A WINNER listens a loser just waits until it’s his turn to talk.

A WINNER, would rather be admired than liked, although he would prefer both; a loser would rather be liked than admired, and Is even willing to pay the price of mild contempt for It.

A WINNER feels strong enough to be gentle; a loser Is never gentle-he Is either weak or petty tyrannous by turns.

A WINNER feels responsible for more than his Job: a loser says, “I only work here.”

A WINNER says, “There ought to be a better way to do It,” a loser says, “That’s the way It’s always been done here.”

A WINNER paces himself; a loser has only two speeds: hysterical & lethargic.

A WINNER works hard to achieve his goals, a loser just gets by.

The Winner is always part of the answer; The Loser is always part of the problem.

The Winner always has a program; The Loser always has an excuse.

The Winner says,”Let me do it;” The Loser says;” That is not my job.”

The Winner sees an answer for every problem; The Loser sees a problem for every answer.

The Winner says,” It may be difficult but it is possible”; The Loser says,”It may be possible but it is too difficult.”

Winners have dreams; Loser have schemes.

Winners say,” I must do something”; Losers say,”Something must be done.”

Winners are a part of the team; Losers are apart from the team.

Winners see the gain; Losers see the pain.

Winners see possibilities; Losers see problems.

Winners believe in win/win; Losers believe for them to win someone has to lose.

Winners see the potential; Losers see the past.

Winners are like a thermostat; Losers are like thermometers.

Winners choose what they say; Losers say what they choose.

Winners use hard arguments but soft words; Losers use soft arguments but hard words.

Winners stand firm on values but compromise on petty things; Losers stand firm on petty things but compromise on values.

Winners follow the philosophy of empathy: “Don’t do to others what you would, not want them to do to you”;
Losers follow the philosophy, “Do it to others before they do it to you.”

Winners make it happen; Losers let it happen.

SO IF YOU, WANT TO BE A WINNER, THINK LIKE A WINNER… ACT LIKE A WINNER… AND SOONER THAN YOU THINK, YOU’LL BE A WINNER TOO!