By Dr. Cory Dobbs

KERI SANCHEZ

Women’s Soccer Coach
University of Texas

Former Head Coach, Claremont Mudd Scripps

By Cory Dobbs, The Academy for Sport Leadership

After the Chicago Bulls “three-peated” winning the NBA Championship in 1996, Michael Jordan reflected on how he and his teammates made this happen.  “We set our eyes on the title, we knew what we had to do to get things done, and we just took care of business.”   The fact is that Jordan and his mates simply set the goal of winning another championship the moment the second championship was won.  By setting this goal they activated a championship mindset.

Winning starts with setting goals.  That is, an outstanding team, whether on the playing field or in the corporate meeting room, is more than just of group of people working together.  Building a great team is tough to do.  It takes a clear sense of direction, passion, commitment, clearly defined roles, and clearly defined goals.

Keri Sanchez played collegiately for the most storied soccer program on this planet—the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.  While under the tutelage of legendary coach Anson Dorrance, Sanchez learned the value of goal setting as a way of promoting growth and development as well as evaluating performance.  As a four-year starter Sanchez experienced first-hand how goals are like the eyes of the organization: they enable people to see where they are headed and what it will take to get there.

Goals are vital because they define what the organization strives to achieve.  Setting goals is crucial because it activates a mindset by engaging people in three ways.  First, goals help set direction.  Second, they inspire passion.  Third, a goal provides meaning and purpose.    While goals are as varied as people and organizations are, they let people know the direction the team will take to bring the organization’s mission to fruition.
The North Carolina teams Sanchez played on were four for four—that is they won four NCAA championships in the four years she played.   It was there she learned the importance of a goal setting system.

“Goal setting is an important part of measuring individual and team effectiveness.  In addition to general team goals, it’s important to have a number of goals for each player to strive to reach—to reflect the individual’s growth and development as a player.

Leadership in its simplest form has been described as the ability to influence people toward the achievement of goals.  Wherever people come together to do things you’ll find goals embedded in the process of motivating people, evaluating performance, determining outcomes, and ultimately the satisfaction of the individual.  Today we accept that the foundation of an effective motivation program is proper goal setting.

“Because the college season is pretty lengthy, here at CMS we split the season into four quarters. 

We have a preseason, a non-conference season, our first round of conference opponents, and then second round conference and playoffs.  At the end of each stage we reflect on where we are in relation to where we want to go. 

“When I played professionally I had a coach who told us that the season is a marathon not a sprint.  The college season is very long.  So splitting into quarters allows us to evaluate our growth and development.  This allows us to stop at each quarter and gauge our growth and development.  Using goals we are able to identify how we are doing and where we need to improve.  It sounds simple, and it is, but it requires discipline.”

A discussion on goal setting always invites a reference to the insightful conversation between Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat.  When confronted with the need to make a choice among crossing routes, Alice encounters Cheshire cat and asks which path she should choose.  The Cat responds by asking Alice where she is heading.  To which Alice replies “I don’t much care where.”  Seeing that Alice had no destination in mind the Cat informs her that “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

SETTING DIRECTION

One important factor in creating effective teams, of course, is the role of setting and pursuing goals.  One of the most important aspects of any team leader’s job is the ability to identify worthwhile and realistic goals and then concentrate on providing resources and constructive and timely performance and behavioral feedback.

” At the beginning of the season we focus on the team’s goals.  We set team goals and ask each player “What’s it going to take to get there?”  Players then set individual goals and we work hard on them, but the focus is really on the team’s goals.

We value sacrifice which means putting the team above the individual, but this doesn’t necessarily mean having to sacrifice the individual’s goals.  It’s important that they know how we want them to prioritize goals.

“Each year we set a team mission statement of what we want to accomplish.  We then reflect along the way on our actions by saying, ‘Is this helping us with what we’re trying to do?’ 

Simply stated, goals give you direction.  A well-thought out goal helps you to define where you want to go.  Once you set a goal you have a direction.  Goal setting is really strategic planning.  The organization plans because it needs to visualize what has to be accomplished and how it will be done.   A well-thought out goal planning system includes the steps necessary to reach desired results.

“Goals are important for motivation.  Players need to know the reasons why they’re working so hard—what’s in it for them.  I think it’s important to identify meaningful goals because people need something important to go after.  It gives them direction.  If you don’t have direction why would you expect to perform well?  This applies to the team as well as the players’ individually.”

“We want our goals to be realistic, well-defined, measureable, and achievable.  It’s okay to set lofty goals—such as winning the national championship.  But then we should have some below that that are achievable.  Step goals that we know we can achieve with hard work.”

The principles are the same in every organization, whether the business is soccer or selling insurance.  Together coaches and players—leaders and team members—develop goals.  And together they make things happen toward the team goals, consistent with the mission, while developing oneself in the process.

“Our players are sincere in their efforts to do well.  They all want to succeed.  It’s just that sometimes they need to be reminded of what it takes to get where they want to go.

“To achieve our vision requires aligning goals with our value system.  We value a work ethic, we want players that will work hard for the team as well as for themselves.  Our goals help keep us grounded in a work ethic.”

A CALL TO ACTION

Goal setting has both a strategic and a personal side—one for the team the other for the participants.   These are sometimes called, respectively, hard and soft.  Organizations have traditionally emphasized goals and goal setting as a strategic process because the people side is much more difficult to measure.

Yet, every company desires to beat their competition, to get ahead.  And to do this requires growing and developing the people.

A competitive advantage can be gained from the personal side of goal setting.  Most people inside organizations are caught up in their day-to-day activities.  The daily grind often holds people back from setting aggressive goals.  They have too many things on their mind to set and chase goals.  But that’s a mistake.  Performance goals and growth seeking goals are necessary for aiming high and engaging people.  The right goals set in the right way can get people excited.

“Our players do get excited when they have success in achieving goals.  They are doing things again and again, and hopefully each time seeing more and more improvement and growth.

“Goal setting has pushed me to continually get better as a coach, the same way as when I was playing.  Goals provide me direction too.  They get me to work harder.  So by setting goals myself I model for my players the value of goals.”

The most successful leaders have a single-minded focus on what they want to do to win.  Very little else matters and they don’t let things get in the way.  They are focused, have a direction they want to go and take steps towards their goals.  Sanchez, like the best corporate leaders, demonstrates a relentless and uncompromising personal will.

“For me being a leader is setting an example, setting the standards for what I think it will take us to be a good team.  It means being a role model; providing the players a picture of what can happen when you aim high, focus, and take action towards your goals.

Goals take time to set but they take great courage pursue.   To pursue goals you have to overcome barriers and challenges.

“We want players that want to compete at a high level.  I don’t want players thinking they’re ‘settling’ to play at the Division Three level.  I want players driven to become better players and students.”

“ The academics here at Claremont are tough, so the players that play at this level are already able to handle the academics.  I want them to have the mindset of playing at a Division One school.  I tell them I’m going to coach them the same way I would if we were a Division One school.”

“At North Carolina we approached each season wanting to be the National Champion.  For us the season was a failure if we didn’t win it.  The program’s tradition kind of imposed this goal on us.  But we never took it for granted.  We knew each season would bring different challenges.”

MOBILIZING TEAM PERFORMANCE

Goal setting requires teamwork.  The desire is to blend personal ambition on the one hand, with cooperation, communication, and concern for others is always a very challenging aspect of leadership.  The paradox of team leadership is that it is through the weaving together of individual talents you achieve high-performance.

“Often there is little difference between high performers and ordinary performers.  The differences appear in attitudes and the work ethic.  

“Playing time is always an issue.  We’ve got 30 players that want to start, but only 11 can.  It’s important to us how those other 19 handle the situation.  You don’t want them to be satisfied not starting, but they need to understand their role.  I share my experience with them.  The successful teams I played on were those that found a healthy balance between individual and team goals.

“We expect those not starting or getting less playing time to not be satisfied because the team needs them to push the players in front of them.  We let them know that if they whine, they are selfishly taking away from the team’s goals they help set.  We need them to support their teammates.  Likewise, if you’re starting you can’t be satisfied either.  You need to push those that are pushing you.”

Once team members have confidence in the leader, it is then possible for that leader to identify goals that the team can achieve and levels of performance to which members can aspire.   The effective leader is able to shape desired behavior in subordinates by helping set specific goals, measure those goals, and providing timely and meaningful feedback.  Effective leaders have the respect and commitment of team members.  To that end, team members are more likely to “buy into” the team’s goals and the individual goals of their teammates.

“The great thing about the student-athlete at Claremont is that they want practices that make them reach, stretch themselves.  We put them in uncomfortable situations to get them to stretch their comfort zone.  We like to get them to train on the edge, trying to get them to that point where improvement becomes possible.

“ I make sure they know if they’re not making mistakes, then they’re not doing it right.  In order to be better players they need to make mistakes.  That happens when they are at the edge of their skills.  It may mean doing a drill faster and faster until you start making mistakes.  Now if they continue working at the speed at which they’ve failed they’ll eventually succeed.”

The key is motivation, the drive that keeps people, teams, and organizations on track and getting results. Progress comes from focusing on the destination and from successfully moving through the various stages along the path.   The motivating potential of chosen goals is one of the reasons for setting goals.  Research has shown that performance and commitment to goals is a result of goals that are specific and appropriately challenging.

“I’ve found that goals help players focus on competing to get better, to not settle for mediocrity; to not be okay with living in the middle.  Too many people are okay with living in the middle.  We want players to strive to be better than that.

“In the end, we want people that are looking to be a part of something special”

ABOUT KERI SANCHEZ

 

Sanchez is a graduate of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she majored in physical education while competing on four NCAA championship soccer teams. While at Chapel Hill she earned various honors as a player, including All-American for three years, and captain/MVP her senior season. She received a master’s in exercise physiology from the University of Oregon.

Keri Sanchez was a standout high school athlete at Santa Teresa High School, San Jose, California. She lettered in 5 sports over her career – cross–country, volleyball, soccer, swimming, and track and field. She excelled at both soccer and track.  In her senior year, she made her first call up to the senior US Women’s National  Soccer Team where she played in the first World Cup qualifying tournament in Haiti. Upon graduating, Keri accepted a scholarship from University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. While there, she played soccer for 4 years, and ran track for 2 years.

Keri was a 4–time National Champion in soccer and 2–time ACC performer in the 400m hurdles. She was a co–captain of the soccer team her senior year and an Academic All–American.

During her freshman year in 1991, the Tar Heels won 24 consecutive matches and Sanchez earned All-ACC honors en route to an NCAA Championship.  The following season, the team posted a remarkable 25-0 record and won its seventh consecutive NCAA title.  In Sanchez’s junior season, North Carolina went 23-0 season and added another national championship. She was named an All-American and earned a second-team selection by Soccer News.

As a senior Sanchez was named team captain and led her Tar Heels team to a 25-1-1 record. The team capped the season with the fourth championship in her collegiate career. Sanchez was named team MVP and she was named to the All-ACC team. She graduated with a degree in physical education.

During her time at North Carolina, Sanchez also trained as a member of the U.S. National Team pool, under the direction of Tar Heels head coach Anson Dorrance. She was a member of the Youth National Team from 1990-1992 and played with the U.S. Senior National team from 1991-1995 and again in 2001.  Sanchez played in World Cup qualifying in Haiti in the spring of 1991 and played a total of 13 games for the women’s Senior team over her career.

Keri graduated in 1995 with a BA in Physical Education. She started a coaching career at University of Oregon in 1996 as an assistant women’s soccer coach. While there, she earned her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. The first women’s professional soccer league (WUSA) was started in 2001. The Boston Breakers drafted her in the second round. She accepted her first head women’s soccer coaching position in 2004 at Claremont McKenna–Harvey Mudd Scripps Colleges in Southern California and where she’s still currently coaching.

To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including a Leader in Every Locker that this post was taken from, Click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

This article was written by Cory Dobbs, Ed.D., President of The Academy for Sport Leadership.  The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

About the Author

Cory Dobbs is the founder and president of The Academy for Sport Leadership, a national leader in research‐based curriculum for coaches and student‐athletes. Dr. Dobbs is a college educator, a coach to successful coaches (helping coaches attain a higher level of success), and an accomplished human performance specialist whose expertise is in the field of leadership, team building, and creating a high‐performance culture in the arena of team sports. Cory blends social‐personality, psychology, and applied social psychology, which means he studies how people’s thoughts, behaviors, and preferences are influenced by both who they are and the situations they’re in. He uses Teamwork IntelligenceTM to help teams explore how the mix of perspectives brought by their individual members influences their work together.

About The Academy for Sport Leadership

The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

The Academy for Sport Leadership’s underlying convictions are as follows: 1) the most important lessons of leadership are learned in real-life situations, 2) team leaders develop best through active practice, structured reflection, and feedback, 3) learning to lead is an on-going process in which guidance from a mentor coach helps facilitate learning and growth, and 4) leadership lessons learned in sport should transcend the game and assist student-athletes in developing the capacity to lead in today’s changing environment.

By Dr. Cory Dobbs

JENNY BOUCEK
Former WBB Coach
Seattle Storm

Successful leaders are aware that leadership is really as much, if not more, a relational process as it is about vision and mission. For these leaders business is about more than simply getting people to perform tasks effectively.  These leaders are caring stewards of people.

It may seem hard to believe today, but there was a time not too long ago when people were treated as “hired hands” or as a “cog in the wheel.”  However, this outmoded approach to managing people has fallen into disfavor.  Yet most people will tell you few  leaders are adept at the human side of  leadership.  Here’s the catch: people bring their lives to work.  As much as some leaders want to dismiss this human factor, they do so at their own peril.  Simply, the human side of leadership is all about relationships, and a healthy relationship demands that we embrace the total person.

Great coaches know how to bring out the best in those they lead.  As you will see, Jenny Boucek’s ability to capture the hearts and minds of her players creates a sense of loyalty and trust that moves players to passionately follow her. To make a lasting difference it matters how well you work with others—how you serve others.

Boucek has been involved in the WNBA from its very beginning; first as a player, now as a coach.  Boucek began her coaching career as an assistant with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.  Her leadership journey includes several stops as an assistant coach prior to taking the lead role as head coach with the Sacramento Monarchs from 2007 through 2009, and now as the Associate Head Coach with the Seattle Storm.

CLEAR CONVICTIONS

One clear leadership trend over the past 20 years has been a shift away from command and control, where employees serve the leader, to the more compelling practice of leaders serving their people.  In sports and business, it’s become a standard leadership responsibility to care for those you lead.

The servant leader dedicates herself to uplifting followers, bringing them closer to achieving their full potential. The end goal of servant-leadership is for those served to grow and develop as a player, as a teammate, as a worker, and as a person.

“My job as a leader is to do everything I possibly can to help each player reach her full potential and whatever it takes for our team to reach its potential.  As someone who cares about people I want to be able to help each player contribute her best to the team.”

Servant leadership emphasizes the role of the leader as one who paves the way and provides support allowing followers to function at their best.  The leader creates an environment that cultivates and nourishes the growth and development of each team member.  As a servant leader Boucek pays attention to each individual’s needs for achievement and growth by acting as a coach, mentor, facilitator, counselor, confidant, and teacher.

 “Whatever it takes, I’m working hard to cultivate an environment conducive to maximal growth.  It’s hard at times, but putting the needs of others before your own needs, for the greater good of the team, that’s my job as a coach.”

To develop others to their full potential requires a special relationship.  Boucek gives players the practical tools and coaching they need to be successful.  She is intentional in her actions, creating an individualized framework for relating to each player as an individual.

“Any time you’re dealing with people, it’s the nature of the individual relationship that matters.” 

 “No two people are the same.  So I treat each player differently.   No relationship with two people is the same.  I embrace the uniqueness of each relationship.  And every day is unique.  We don’t know the challenges that may emerge, but we need to have a relationship that can withstand them; benefit from our working together to overcome the daily adversities.”

“There is no formula when it comes to relationship building.  I think that’s what makes relationship building fun.” 

Whether you are developing a new team or looking to reenergize a team of veterans, relationships matter.  In an increasingly interdependent world, it is essential that leaders discover how to build deep, trusting relationships with those they lead.

PRIORITIZE PEOPLE

More than ever, today’s organizations demand that people come together to work on increasingly complex projects and solve confusing dilemmas while operating in an environment of dizzying ups and agonizing downs.  We no longer have simple problems.  Rather, the day-to-day challenges we face in our groups, teams, companies, and communities are quite complicated.

Whether your business is coaching basketball or leading a sales team, developing your people is vital to winning.  Indeed, leaders must find ways to elicit the best from people—their talents, intelligence, and passions—so that they can successfully make positive changes in the midst of an ever-changing world.  To do this demands prioritizing people over products or processes.

For Boucek, leadership is not simply about winning—it’s about improvement.  It’s about making people feel important, not inferior.

“My emphasis is not on winning, but on helping each player become their best.  I’ve found that negative emotions such as fear or insecurity are alleviated when players focus on becoming the best they can become.  Players seldom win by comparing themselves to other players. 

When players work to become their best they become freed up from a fear of failure.  The fear of failure is found in mistakes.  I don’t want players fearing making mistakes.”

“We want the players to be motivated by what they can contribute to the team—what the team needs from them—not what they can’t contribute, but what they do well.”

The best organizations, companies like Microsoft, Google, GE, and REI, understand that success depends on creating an environment where everyone can grow and develop into their best selves.  These organizations nurture a culture where people are valued and are presented opportunities to learn, to improve, and to enjoy the entire work experience.

“I think many organizations miss the point, they go off to a retreat with the mantra of something like “less of me for a better we.”  I disagree.  I’d change it and say ‘a better me for a better we.’  We want players to get better at what they do best.  The player’s goal should be to be their best.”

“Furthermore, the only time we’re going to grow, individually and as a team, is when we’re outside our comfort zone making mistakes, stretching to the point of pain.  If we’re not making mistakes we’re wasting our time.” 

Great companies and teams focus on developing and leveraging the unique talents and skills of its members—the source of sustainable competitive advantage.

 “You can’t be your best, as an individual or a group, unless you know who you are—what you’re good at.  What we’re good at.  Players need to know what separates them from other players.  You can’t be good at everything.  So the successful players recognize and internalize ‘This is what I’m good at.’  You won’t make it in the WNBA if you don’t know what got you here.”

Leadership is not a basket of tricks and tactics.  Rather, it depends on the subtle personal qualities one possesses, the values and beliefs one holds and uses to guide the decisions they make, and the bold actions one takes to get the right things done at the right time.  If there is one underlying principle many great leaders share, it is this: the key to effective leadership is prioritizing people.  After all, it is people that produce the results.

Boucek is a remarkable coach and an outstanding leader.  She inspires others through nurturing highly personal relationships.  Her leadership and passion has a rippling effect.  This past season the Seattle Storm, minus its two best players, maximized its potential by each player working everyday to transform themselves and each other.  Taking to heart Boucek’s philosophy of a better me for a better we.

Prior to the first game of the season the team’s two stars went down with injuries.  For most team’s this would signal a quick end to high expectations for the season.  Not for Boucek and her team.  Winning teams have players who make things happen.  And for Boucek and the Seattle Storm, prioritizing people and building a “better me” had a positive impact on every player and the team.

THE ESSENSE OF A TEAM

If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place.  –Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

When we think about a great team, invariably the image we conjure up contains a great player.  Perhaps it’s true that great teams have a great player.  But when we dig deeper we find such things as teamwork, trust, cohesion, and commitment to one another as driving factors in a team’s success.

Our tendency is to assign greatness to players that achieve great results—produce statistics that provide evidence of skill, ability, and performance capability.  But it is the way people work together to generate a collective product, accomplish a shared mission, and commit to one another that is the essence of a team.   The long-haul winners are those organizations that rely on true teamwork.

As the quote from Mead advises, a richer culture will emerge when we weave together diverse human gifts.  That process of weaving together diverse human gifts is the essence of a team’s work.  There are no magic potions for success, but teamwork sure does come close.

The process of weaving together the unique personalities and skills is the domain of coaching.  For Boucek, the first task of leadership is to promote teamwork.

“No one player holds the key to our team’s success.  Part of my role as a coach is to help players recognize that part of being a team is learning to collaborate—to work together to make the whole.  We have diverse parts that do what they do well, and when we come together we’re able to create a dynamic team.” 

This simple, but profound operational value is a vital factor in the success of any team. Take for example what a leading corporate CEO recently said: “When we are at our best, we are a mosaic of people and ideas.  Each unique piece fits with the others, and contributes significantly to the whole.  The whole mosaic is far more stunning and clever than any one piece.”

One of the most important aspects of leadership is competence and the intelligence to use relational skills to build a culture of trust, loyalty, and high performance.  Boucek sees a team’s culture as a derivative of team leadership—that is leadership provided by players; what she calls “indigenous leadership.”

“I firmly believe that the best leadership comes from within.  That is, players are really influential in creating the culture.  Peer pressure is a strong force and can be used for the good of the team.  It’s certainly not easy to lead one’s peers, but it’s essential to building a positive team culture.  Sometimes I’m surprised by the ones that influence the best. They are not the one’s you or I would have envisioned as leaders.”

The striking difference between good teams and great teams resides within its indigenous leadership.  The nature of team sports is such that the stronger leaders are those with highly developed interpersonal skills, possess emotional intelligence and truly care about those they lead.  In general, the more mature players are those with the insight and experience to navigate the tumultuous environment of high performance.

“A natural hierarchy tends to emerge, one in which younger players look up to veterans, and veterans want to teach their younger teammates to lead.  At times we want our best players to be the leaders, but if they’re the younger players they may not yet be leaders.”

Leadership expert John Maxwell asks, “Everyone knows that teamwork is a good thing: in fact, it’s essential!  But how does it really work?  What makes a winning team?   Smart business leaders will do well adopting Boucek’s idea of indigenous leadership.  Leadership from within is a good start to answering Maxwell’s questions.

THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

The Black Eyed Peas front man Will I. Am, following his attendance at White House Gala, made an appearance on the esteemed weekly political show Meet the Press.  The moderator, David Gregory, asked Will how the 2014 star-studded political gala differed from the one he attended in 2008.

Will I. Am noted that what stood out for him was that the attendees—politicians and other powerful and highly visible people—were spending their time engaged with their cell phones texting and tweeting, rather than mixing and  mingling.  Hmmm…

Here’s an enlightening question: how does the external environment influence your organization?  On the one hand, in a broad sense, our culture is vast and complex.

On the other hand, the ways in which we now relate to one another has changed tremendously as a result of the proliferation of such things as the use of the smart phone that Will I. Am experienced at the White House.  Far too often people are oblivious to the physical environment they’re in, because they’re somewhere else mentally.

Many social commentators today express concern over the lack of team players to be found in the youth cohort many call Generation iY; those youth that have grown up with the Internet and whose lives are defined by technology.

If we are to harness the capacity of this generation we’ll need to understand and learn to lead this group in a different manner.  Author, researcher, and youth leader Tim Elmore coined the term Generation iY.  Elmore did so because “Theirs is a world of the iPod, iBook, iPhone, iChat, iMovie, iPad, and iTunes.  And for many of them, life is pretty much about ‘I.’ And these young “I” focused people do graduate and go to work.

“The spirit of entitlement is strong in our youth culture.  Our culture breeds a sense of entitlement in young players.   We need to root it out.  It’s a serious problem.   What we want to do is to get something started, and it’s hard to do.  But what we want our veterans to do is to initiate the rooting out process.”

“Older players need to communicate to the younger players that ‘You are lucky to be here.’  You are fortunate to be here and be a part of this team.  When we root out the spirit of entitlement then everyone is thankful to be here.  They understand that they are in a special situation.”

Social scientists are in agreement: human behaviors are to a great degree shaped by the environment and the actions of the people around them.  It is crucial that as a leader you explore and understand how the external environment is influencing your environment, your organization, your team.

“Don’t give them things before they’ve earned it.  They’ve got to earn their playing time.  They’ve got to earn their way.  And it doesn’t matter how talented they are.  They’ve got to live up to the standards of how we do things and why we do what we do.”   

“It happens quickly for some, but younger players have to earn their way—and they’re not entitled to such things as playing time.   It’s not about being disrespectful or degrading; rather it’s about learning to value the opportunity they have to be a part of something special.”

“It’s like that statement: Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country?  Apply this to your team: ask what can you do for your team?  You’ve got to work hard to change minds and get that serving mentality into your culture.”

GETTING RESULTS

Let’s face it, the pace of change has taken over our lives.  This is partly because of the ups and downs of our economy; but also the relentless technological advances that continue to embed themselves into the world we live in.  It cannot be overstated that building and maintaining a winning organization in this environment is no easy task.

In today’s organization, the capacity to lead others, to influence the way people think, feel, or act is crucial for high performance.  And the best leaders do this authentically.  They truly care about the long-term outcomes of their actions, especially when it comes to people.  For these leaders it’s about being the kind of person that others want to follow.  For Boucek it’s about acting with strong values and integrity, being someone others can count on—especially when it counts.

“As a leader you need to be authentic.  You can’t expect qualities from your people if you don’t possess those qualities yourself.  So if you’re not honest, how can you expect others to be honest with you?”  “When people choose to follow you, it’s because you represent who they want to be like.”

Leadership is also about expressing belief in others so strongly that their appreciation of your belief in them inspires them to rise to new heights.

“In reality, it’s leading not driving.  As a leader, people will follow if you’re going in a direction that they too want to go.  They want to know if you know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there.  People will follow because they want to get there too, and they trust that you’ll help them get where they want to go.”

People have a deep-seated need to be valued, to know that they matter—that what they do has meaning.  People need to feel that they are more than a cog in the wheel, a replaceable part that simply shows up for work and collects a paycheck.  If the human spirit is shut down, how can your team—your company—be competitive and successful?
 “It’s the responsibility of the coaching staff to set in motion a culture, to nurture the values and behaviors you want to live with.   I want to cultivate a culture conducive for maximal growth.  So I serve the team to find ways to help everyone reach standards of excellence.  And to do this while serving one another.”

Outstanding teams are more than just a group of people working together.  You see, building a great team and winning championships is tough to do.  It takes a clear sense of direction, passion, commitment, clearly defined goals, and clearly defined roles.  High performing teams value the contributions of each member in pursuit of a shared purpose.  In this context the exceptional team player is willing to commit to team goals even if they conflict with her personal goals..

“We want the players to want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  When players recognize this they work hard to contribute to the team.  When the player say’s ‘I know I need to do my part for this team to do well’ and “I truly care about my teammates,’ it’s a completely different level of motivation.  And that will trump everything else.”    

This emphasis on creating results manifests itself in a very simple team reality: when players accept, support, and encourage each other they improve the team’s performance.  Together, they embark on a journey in pursuit of worthwhile goals, and along the way they develop a deep commitment to building a great team.

THE NET EFFECT

In the words of Ticha Penicherio, WNBA All-Star

Jenny Boucek was one of the best coaches that I had in my career. Some words that define her are: passionate, dedicated, hard working, competitive, knowledgeable, great leader, intelligent, charismatic…all important characteristics to succeed in sports and in life. 

The thing that I was most impressed about Jenny, is that at such a young age and with big responsibilities she was able to teach us not only to be the best players that we could possibly be, but also the best people that we could be. 

She used basketball to teach us about real life situations and showed us how they are both related, in a way that made us more mature. I can honestly say that Jenny did not only developed me as a player, but most importantly, I feel like I’m a better person, friend, leader, daughter, sister and human being. So thank you Jenny for your dedication to this game we both love (basketball), but most important, your mission to be a good person in this world. You have definitely rubbed off on me in an amazing way and I will be forever grateful.

About Ticha Penicherio
In 1998, Penicheiro joined the Sacramento Monarchs as a rookie, finishing third in the WNBA Rookie of the Year award voting. She is a four-time WNBA All-Star.

Penicherio is the all-time WNBA leader in assists and holds the WNBA single-game record for most steals with 10.  Penicheiro is well known for her consistently flashy style of play. In 2005 she helped the Sacramento Monarchs win their first ever WNBA championship title.

ABOUT JENNY BOUCEK
Most recently head coach, Seattle Storm.   Boucek served as an assistant coach for the Storm under Anne Donovan during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons and was an integral part of the 2004 WNBA championship team. Additionally, Boucek served as the head coach for the now defunct Sacramento Monarchs and compiled a record of 40-41 during her two-plus seasons (2007-2009) with the organization. With her title in Sacramento, Boucek became the first person in WNBA history to be a player, assistant coach and head coach in the league.

Boucek was an advanced scout for the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics, the first woman to hold that title within an NBA organization.

After beginning her WNBA coaching career began in 1999 as an assistant with the Washington Mystics, Boucek spent three seasons as an assistant with the Miami Sol. She played professional basketball for two years before joining the coaching ranks. In 1997, the WNBA’s inaugural season, Boucek was a member of the Cleveland Rockers.

Boucek also played in Iceland in 1998 and was voted the country’s best player after averaging 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists. She returned to Cleveland for the 1998 season but was forced to retire due to a career-ending back injury.

A four-year starter at the University of Virginia (1992-96), Boucek helped lead the Cavaliers to four regular-season ACC Championships and three NCAA Elite Eight appearances. She was a two-time GTE Academic All-America team member and two-time ACC selection. Boucek twice earned team Defensive Player of the Year honors and finished her career at Virginia as a member of the 1,000-point club. She also competed in the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1993.

To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including Coaching for Leadership, click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

This article was written by Cory Dobbs, Ed.D., President of The Academy for Sport Leadership.  The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

About the Author

Cory Dobbs is the founder and president of The Academy for Sport Leadership, a national leader in research‐based curriculum for coaches and student‐athletes. Dr. Dobbs is a college educator, a coach to successful coaches (helping coaches attain a higher level of success), and an accomplished human performance specialist whose expertise is in the field of leadership, team building, and creating a high‐performance culture in the arena of team sports. Cory blends social‐personality, psychology, and applied social psychology, which means he studies how people’s thoughts, behaviors, and preferences are influenced by both who they are and the situations they’re in. He uses Teamwork IntelligenceTM to help teams explore how the mix of perspectives brought by their individual members influences their work together.

About The Academy for Sport Leadership

The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

The Academy for Sport Leadership’s underlying convictions are as follows: 1) the most important lessons of leadership are learned in real-life situations, 2) team leaders develop best through active practice, structured reflection, and feedback, 3) learning to lead is an on-going process in which guidance from a mentor coach helps facilitate learning and growth, and 4) leadership lessons learned in sport should transcend the game and assist student-athletes in developing the capacity to lead in today’s changing environment.

Jane Albright

Former WBB Coach
University of Nevada

By Dr. Cory Dobbs

The coach-athlete relationship can be an intense interconnection that ignites change in both parties.  In the case of Jane Albright and her players this certainly holds true.  Albright doesn’t necessarily set out to change her student-athletes, but it happens because of the ways in which she goes about building relationships.

Relational leadership begins with a fundamental belief that people are more important than processes, strategies, and tactics.   The best leaders truly care about people.   And while it might be a cliché, it’s true that when people know they’re cared for, they willingly bring the best of their talents and gifts to a relationship.  More than most of us realize, care and concern for others can make all the difference.

Jane Albright is deeply committed to providing her players opportunities for personal growth and development.   She walks alongside them, helping them attain their goals no matter what challenges emerge.

Coach Albright deploys a simple model that serves to shape her coaching practice and  the growth and development of her players.  This simple model holds her accountable for coaching the whole person; it’s kind of a balancing mechanism to ensure she doesn’t overdevelop the athlete at the expense of the student or the person.

 “To me, coaching is about more than knowing the game, the X’’s and O’s.  It’s about how you use the game to teach life lessons to a young person.  We want to put our players in a position where we develop them as athletes, as students, and as people.”

“We want to try to develop each of our players in all three areas.  They’re going to be a student for four years, an athlete for four, but they could get injured tomorrow and they’re no longer a player.  We honor the fact that they’re going to be a person far longer than the other two.  Oh, we want to win, but this model keeps us grounded in winning in every phase—student, athlete, and person.”

This framework helps Albright articulate a set of values for the team.  It provides a template for talking through life events and encourages her coaching staff and players to apply the values in their choices and actions.  And finally, this straightforward model serves as a guide for Albright in critical reflection of the values to make sure they are appropriate for the team and the individual.

SETTING THE TONE
Building a high performance team is only possible with committed partnerships—an extraordinary relationship in which leaders and followers commit to the success of each other.   When this happens both leader and followers understand that the team’s performance requires deep commitment to shared purpose and goals, yet, done so while honoring the uniqueness of each individual player.

“Many years ago I asked John Wooden ‘how will I know if I’m good at this.’  He smiled and said ‘Jane you won’t know for about twenty years.’”

Leaders make a real difference in this world when they are willing to build vibrant and positive relationships. An imperative of team leadership is that the leader has to set the tone for the quality of relationships.  If she doesn’t care about the quality or well-being of relationships, everybody catches on quickly.  But if she cares deeply, everybody is quick to recognize that too.

“I haven’t had to suspend a lot of players, but in the early years of my coaching I had to suspend a young lady.  I sat with her to talk through why we had to suspend her.  She thought she was getting suspended for getting caught. That if she hadn’t been caught there wouldn’t have been any consequences.  That was a huge lesson for me, walking her through why it was wrong.” 

“What she was taught growing up shaped her thoughts on right and wrong.  I learned that how I define ethical behavior is not how someone else might; that not everyone was brought up under the same ethics.

Leading by and with purposeful values is a practical and philosophical imperative because it builds the type of trust that builds loyalty that builds enduring relationships.  A leader must be able to anticipate, recognize and empathize with the varied wants and needs of her team members.  This only happens when trust is the foundation of relationships.  It takes great courage to invest one’s self in understanding others.  But when you do trust emerges.

Teams succeed and sustain success when trust flourishes.  In his book, Trust, political scientist, Francis Fukymaya says that trust functions as a form of social glue binding people and organizations together.  But that trust does not stem from authority, rather from one’s words and actions.

“I use the game to teach life lessons.  Knowing the game is of great importance, but I use it to teach life lessons. But to successfully teach life lessons my players have to trust me.  I have to live my life by values.  They have to see that or my lessons won’t mean anything.” 

John Wooden was the ultimate example of leading by one’s words and actions.  Coach Wooden modeled this in every relationship.

“Years ago I asked Coach Wooden ‘How did you win all those games?’  He chuckled and said ’Jane, I had better players.’  I’m sure that’s not why, it’s certainly not the only reason.” 

“You do have to have people who can produce, and you do have to provide ways for them to produce.   I do believe you have to have a baseline of talent, but also character and attitude are factors in a team’s success.  I think that’s why Coach Wooden chuckled.”

 

CONNECTING TO PURPOSE
To build a great team you need to invite people who are very different from you—skills, abilities, perspectives—to contribute and help grow the team members and develop the team.  And in Coach Albright’s world she willingly extends trust to those in support positions, allowing different voices and perspectives to serve her team.

“To keep players aligned with our mission, vision, and values you have to use a lot of people to do that.  We have a support system made up of other’s within the university.   I think it takes a whole village to raise one of these athletes.  It can’t be just me.”

You have to willingly look in the mirror and rigorously examine your motives for asking others to follow.  Often, the mirror is another person.  Through relational dialogue we open ourselves to understanding others, and being understood by others.

“I help my players understand that I don’t get to write ‘your’ story for you, you do.  You may not value things that I do, and likewise I may not value things you do.  As individuals writing their own story they don’t have to agree with each other on personal things, but they have to agree to respect one another. 

“For example, my faith may be important to me, but not to you.  However, you have to respect my faith and I have to respect that you don’t have a belief system like mine.  I let them know that I’m not going to change them as individuals.  But we have to have team values and team standards that we all agree to.”

In today’s workplace teams are a fundamental way of organizing people to get things done.  Sports teams, like businesses and other types of organizations, orient their activities to pursue or achieve a stated purpose.  The primary difference is that businesses direct their activities toward earning money, while a sports team directs its activities toward winning contests.

Albright finds purpose in serving her players, helping them mature and grow as a person.

“For me the purpose of leadership is to create a culture where individuals can thrive and reach their potential.  Sometimes you put them in situations where they’re scared and help them through that…help them go to places [physically, emotionally, and mentally] that they’ve never been and do things they’ve never done.”

A traditional way of thinking about coaching is to emphasize the importance of achieving results.  Results matter.  But how you achieve those results is the focus of Albright’s coaching.

“We’re not a sorority, we are an athletic team and our goal is to win games and compete at the highest level.  That’s what we train for.  However, success—winning and whatever else we consider success—is the by-product of doing the right things and doing so with character.”

When you have a purpose, and that purpose is clear, then everyone is more likely to connect emotionally and socially.  Purpose provides an emotional and motivational connection that is often overlooked, yet it has enormous influence on the team experience. The bottom line is motivation

In today’s workplace teams are a fundamental way of organizing people to get things done.  Sports teams, like businesses and other types of organizations, orient their activities to pursue or achieve a stated purpose.  The primary difference is that businesses direct their activities toward earning money, while a sports team directs its activities toward winning contests.

Albright finds purpose in serving her players, helping them mature and grow as a person.

“For me the purpose of leadership is to create a culture where individuals can thrive and reach their potential.  Sometimes you put them in situations where they’re scared and help them through that…help them go to places [physically, emotionally, and mentally] that they’ve never been and do things they’ve never done.”

A traditional way of thinking about coaching is to emphasize the importance of achieving results.  Results matter.  But how you achieve those results is the focus of Albright’s coaching.

“We’re not a sorority, we are an athletic team and our goal is to win games and compete at the highest level.  That’s what we train for.  However, success—winning and whatever else we consider success—is the by-product of doing the right things and doing so with character.”

When you have a purpose, and that purpose is clear, then everyone is more likely to connect emotionally and socially.  Purpose provides an emotional and motivational connection that is often overlooked, yet it has enormous influence on the team experience. The bottom line is motivation comes from working with people we care about and doing things we’re passionate about.

 “These are the values that we use in everything we do as a team.  We call it All the Right STUPH.”

S-servanthood
T-thankfulness
U-unity
P-passion
H-humility

 

STEWARDSHIP

Legendary football coach Bill Walsh, attributed a good deal of his success to what he called the “Standards of Performance.”   Walsh said, “It was a way of doing things, a leadership philosophy that has as much to do with core values, principles, and ideals as with blocking, tackling, and passing.”  Walsh considered these “organizational ethics” to be crucial to a team’s ongoing success.

Like Walsh, Albright too asserts a sense of organizational ethics.  She does it by establishing what she calls the “Negotiables and the Non Negotiables.”

“For our team setting we have what we call “negotiable” and “non-negotiables” that are a part of our standards and expectations.  We have them in basketball and in how we run our team.  So for basketball a negotiable might be how many days this week are we going to practice, and how long to practice.  So we can talk about such things—they’re negotiable.” 

“ Non-negotiables would be like we’re going to sprint back on defense, not sometimes but at all times.  Those are the kinds of things that we’ve determined are non-negotiable.  Graduation is a non-negotiable.  It’s a standard and an expectation that we’ve all agreed to.  We’ve agreed that honesty is a non-negotiable.  If they’ve agreed to the things we consider non-negotiable then I can hold them accountable.  I’ll say ‘did that align with what we’re trying to do as a team?’  They’ve already bought in because as a team they’ve agree that that is our standard.”

Leaders are stewards.  Great leaders are great stewards.  Stewardship is based on a simple but profound idea: that people are responsible for the world and should take care of it.

Coach Albright is a steward.  She has a robust conviction for helping take others to the limits of their potential.  In order to perform stewardship you have to help others see the value of taking care of their world.  As the leader you have to help others understand what the team is trying to accomplish, why we’re here, and where we’re going.  That’s not always as easy as it sounds.

“We tell them the person is first, the student is second and the athlete is third.  They stand on all three, but we prioritize treating them as a person.  We work to develop them to their potential in all three areas.  So, again, if graduating is non-negotiable and as a student you’re failing I might say ‘don’t come to practice’ or not take them on a road trip letting them know they need to take care of the class.  And they can’t say anything about it.” 

“Years ago while I was coaching at Wisconsin I had a young lady ask me if she could pledge her sorority on the same day of a game.  It was really important to her that she go through the sorority rush.  We were traveling to play Iowa that night and she asked if we’d fly her the next day to Columbus for our game with Ohio State.   I wanted to say ‘Are you kidding me?  What world do you live in?’  But I couldn’t say it.  I had to honor my commitment to her as a person first.  I said ‘Absolutely’ and we flew her to Ohio to meet up with the team.”

 

EARNING TRUST
Every generation has its share of social, political, religious, and business wrong doings—events of ethical lapses that lead to a national wake-up-call.  That said, the pervasiveness of reckless unethical behavior in recent years has been astounding.

Study after study reveals the sad fact that increasingly people distrust organizations, the government, leaders, and people in general.  The world today is one in which distrust dominates and dishonorable dealings and public scandals are the norm.

On a daily basis we seeing lives affected by poor judgment and indiscretions of those we trust to lead.  People have grown cynical and weary of organizations and the leaders running them.  Former Harvard Business School professor and author Shoshana Zuboff says, “The chasm between individuals and organizations is marked by frustration, mistrust, disappointment, and even rage.”

No doubt about it, leaders today are on the hot seat.  More and more we are looking for leaders to provide moral and ethical courage—to stand for positive values, fulfill commitments, and demonstrate moral leadership.  We want, and desperately need, leaders that can create an ethical climate by prioritizing transparency and accountability.   People will flock to leaders that are authentic and ethical, that live up to their values and lead with a bent on serving others.

Coach Jane Albright is such a leader.  She is comfortable setting the example she would like to see her players live by.

“Great leadership starts by being who you say you are.   As a team we talk about values and character all the time.”  “We take stories from the national news and discuss such things as unethical behavior as a team.  I want the players to think about how to learn from others mistakes.  Not to judge them, but to learn lessons and then apply them.”

It is virtually impossible to earn trust if you aren’t honest.  In fact, research consistently shows that followers expect honesty from their leaders.   Leadership writers James Kouzes and Barry Posner write, “If people are going into battle or into the boardroom, they first want to assure themselves that the person is worthy of their trust.”  So, if you show people through your words and actions that you have their best interests at heart, they just might trust you.

“What matters is the person behind the action.  My role as a leader is to be an example to my players.  A person of character.  They need to see character in my action and hear character in my words.  They need to see it, hear it, and then do it.”

The truth is that what goes on at the top trickles down through the organization.  Earning trust, and this is no little thing, requires being truthful—in all aspects of your actions and communications.  The leader must set the moral tone.

 “I strive to tell the truth to my players.  I try to do it in a way that they will accept it.  I do have to be truthful and that means saying things they might not want to hear, but doing it in a way that they will accept it.   It may be a lot easier to sugar coat things because none of us like conflict, but they expect me to be truthful.

“They expect trust from me.  They expect consistency in how I behave as a leader.  They expect communication, and love from me.  Sometimes that’s a tough love.”

To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including Coaching for Leadership, click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

This article was written by Cory Dobbs, Ed.D., President of The Academy for Sport Leadership.  The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

ABOUT COACH JANE ALBRIGHT

Jane Albright is one of a select group of coaches to reach the 500 win mark as a collegiate head coach.  She began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant to Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee from 1981-83. She assisted with UT’s first NCAA Final Four team in 1982. After Tennessee, she spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati in 1983-84 before earning her first opportunity as a head coach at Northern Illinois.

Albright went on to become the winningest coach in Northern Illinois history with a 188-110 record in 10 years from 1984-94, Albright’s Huskie squads turned in five 20-win seasons and four NCAA Tournament bids. Northern Illinois also won three conference championships and had three runner-up finishes during her tenure.

Albright had tremendous success in turning around the program at the University of Wisconsin. She left the University of Wisconsin as the winningest coach in Badger history with a 161-107 record (.600) from 1994-2003, Albright led Wisconsin to seven postseason appearances in nine seasons, including five trips to the NCAA Tournament. Her 1999 team was the runner-up in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, while the Badgers won the WNIT in 2000.  After leaving Wisconsin, Albright coached the Shockers of Wichita State University for five seasons.

About The Academy for Sport Leadership

The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

The Academy for Sport Leadership’s underlying convictions are as follows: 1) the most important lessons of leadership are learned in real-life situations, 2) team leaders develop best through active practice, structured reflection, and feedback, 3) learning to lead is an on-going process in which guidance from a mentor coach helps facilitate learning and growth, and 4) leadership lessons learned in sport should transcend the game and assist student-athletes in developing the capacity to lead in today’s changing environment.

Coquese Washington: The Relational Leader

By Dr. Cory Dobbs,

COQUESE WASHINGTON
HEAD BASKETBALL COACH
PENN STATE, 2007 – PRESENT

In his best-selling book, First things First, organizational expert Stephen Covey opens with an essential leadership question:  “If you were to pause and think seriously about the ‘first things’ in your life—the three or four things that matter most—what would they be?”

Coquese Washington, women’s basketball coach at Penn State, has thoughtfully answered this demanding question.  As a coach of a major college women’s basketball program, a former professional player and collegiate student-athlete, Washington has pulled resources from her vast experience to bring together a set of principles that, while not necessarily complex, are very practical.  Stressing a family approach to team building and a leadership focus on excellence, Washington is clear on her “first things.”

For Washington, relationship building is exalted as one of the most important factors in driving performance and ultimately the success of the team.  In the interest of putting first things first, Washington establishes the relationship building process at the very beginning—recruiting the right people to join her program.

“Relationship building starts right away.  For us relationship building begins in the recruiting process.  We put a lot of effort into identifying what kind of players we can coach well.  There’s a certain type of player I can coach well, given their temperament, personality, and such things as what’s important to them.  We try to do a great job identifying players that can come into the Penn State culture and thrive in the larger community—and in our women’s basketball community.  It’s imperative that we bring in players that are a good fit for the culture here.”

These days the demands on leaders can be crushing.  To survive, many leaders simply look to fill positions with people qualified to perform the work, not necessarily a fit with the organization’s culture.

The problem with hiring only for skills and ability rather than for fit with culture is illuminated in the dynamics of the team building process.  When personalities clash, rather than click, and the culture of your team won’t inspire cooperation and collaboration, you’re likely to end up with a dysfunctional team.

“We have a humorous way of looking at recruiting to our culture.  We say we don’t like to manage drama, so we don’t recruit drama.”

Ultimately, team dynamics will determine the environment in which work happens, and to a large extent, the quality of a team’s results.  For success to be experienced everyday interactions must meet a test: Is the way we communicate together helping or hindering the team’s ability to make progress?

“For us, relationship building—developing relationships—is every bit as important as the game.”

It’s evident, that for Washington, it is the quality of relationships woven into the fabric of teamwork that makes all the difference.  The inherent tension that exists as individuals work to become a team is accounted for and used to develop positive and enduring relationships.

“For me communication is about connecting and building strong relationships.  To connect with my staff and my players I try to communicate in a manner that is respectful and honors who they are.  It’s important to be respectful and honorable even when I disagree or we have different viewpoints.”

Washington’s family approach reduces the complications of bringing together unique personalities and skill sets.  At Penn State, it is the unity that multiplies the strength of the individual.  The team lives together, works together, and wins together.  One thing is clear, unity matters.

A DEEPER LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP

There are basically two ways to execute one’s leadership practice.  One way is that of an order-giver order-taker exchange.  In this relationship the employee serves the interests of the boss.  The other way to execute the practice of leadership is for the leader to serve her followers.  Either way of leading requires aligning actions and values.  The difference lies in the values the leader is aligning.

“Being a leader to me means helping others achieve their goals.  It means being a resource—providing resources or knowledge to help others reach their goals and dreams.  Sometimes it’s setting a vision for the person, and other times it might be serving as an example.”  “You can serve as a model, demonstrating how to do things.  I learned a great deal from Muffet McGraw (women’s basketball coach at Notre Dame).  She provided me an example of how to be a working mom in this business.  We didn’t sit down and have meetings on how to be a mom.  I watched how she lived it.  She provided an example for me to model.”

Relational principles of leadership do not depend on what sector you work in.  In today’s world of work, people want to matter.  They want leaders to improve the team’s performance while raising the quality of life inside the team.  Sport psychologist and leadership writer Jerry Lynch says, “To be a good coach, mentor, and teacher you must be a good student and learn what needs to be known from the student (the athlete) in order to teach them what they must learn.”  Lynch also says that “the way to be a success is not just to win games but to win relationships.

“I can coach and mentor better when I know the person—know who they are.  I want to get to know them.  I’m spending a lot of time with them because I want to know what’s important to them.  What makes them laugh and cry, and what drives them.”

To anyone who cares to lead, whether as coach or a corporate manager, it should be obvious that building positive relationships is one of the foundations for building high-performing teams.  Too often we ignore our common sense when it comes to leading people.  If you want high performance, high commitment, and high involvement, put people first.  By developing deeper levels of relationship with those around us, we create an encouraging environment that shapes our future in a healthy and positive way. 

“So when we get into a rut in practice or a game, I’m going to get on them.  I’ll be very demanding—but never demeaning.  I will express displeasure at the lack of effort or focus or communication on the court. Because we have a strong relationship they trust me, and I trust that they’ll take my coaching as a way to correct problems and get better.  Again, I’m demanding, not demeaning.”

Washington’s commitment to relationship building is highlighted by her willingness to time to get to know her followers and, likewise, them getting to know her.

“We invest a lot of time in one-on-one meetings.  We do this so the players have an opportunity to give me their feedback in a safe environment.  I try to be very mindful of providing them an opportunity to give their opinion without any judgment.  Relationship building is something I’m always looking to do.”

LIVE TOGETHER

Management consultant and organizational expert Margaret Wheatley advises, “Relationships are all there is.”  She says, “We humans want to be together.  We only isolate ourselves when we’re hurt by others, but alone is not our natural state.”

In Western societies, the urge to set one’s self apart from other, to be different, is a compelling force.  However, this sets up a familiar contradiction of human nature.  That is we want both to belong and to stand out from the crowd.

To say that living together is a challenging endeavor does not undermine the desire to live together.  People will act in their self-interest until they see that cooperation with others is beneficial.  Teaming together, then, demands cooperation.  And the nature of cooperation is built on trust.  Washington knows the way to build a high-performing team is through trust.

“Trust for us is a big word.  We talk about it frequently.  I ask my team all the time, “Do you trust me?”  It goes back to the relationship we built before they ever stepped foot on the campus.  They know they can trust me, and because they trust me they allow me to coach them.”

Trust starts when you extend it and communicate openly with your team.

“I frequently tell our team, you can count on me to be honest with you all the time and tell you the truth.  Because they know me and trust me, they can make the appropriate and necessary decisions and changes.”

“We have some really honest conversations.  Players tell us what they want, together we locate where they are and then discuss what we have to do to bridge the gap to get them where they ultimately want to go.”

You also need to make sure your employees are able to build trust with one another.  You do this by establishing a social climate of respect.

“I try to be respectful in my communications at all times.  I’m working on becoming a better listener. I think it’s important to understand what others are saying, but just as importantly what they mean.  And what they mean by what they’re not saying.”

“I tell our players that how you talk to each other matters.  The words you choose to use in conversations with each other really do matter.”

“Words have a huge impact—Huge!   Trust for us is a big word.  We talk about it frequently.  I ask my team all the time, “Do you trust me?”  It goes back to the relationship we built before they ever stepped foot on the campus.  They know they can trust me, and because they trust me they allow me to coach them.”

Trust starts when you extend it and communicate openly with your team.

“I frequently tell our team, you can count on me to be honest with you all the time and tell you the truth.  Because they know me and trust me, they can make the appropriate and necessary decisions and changes.”

“We have some really honest conversations.  Players tell us what they want, together we locate where they are and then discuss what we have to do to bridge the gap to get them where they ultimately want to go.”

You also need to make sure your employees are able to build trust with one another.  You do this by establishing a social climate of respect.

“I try to be respectful in my communications at all times.  I’m working on becoming a better listener. I think it’s important to understand what others are saying, but just as importantly what they mean.  And what they mean by what they’re not saying.”

“I tell our players that how you talk to each other matters.  The words you choose to use in conversations with each other really do matter.”

“Words have a huge impact—Huge power.  So why don’t we use words to uplift, empower, and encourage one another.  And not use words to belittle, demean, or tear people down.  We have that choice every time we speak.”

 “So if we choose our words wisely when communicating with the one’s we love, care about, and spend time with—we’re going to build a heck of a team.”

Rarely can you get the results you want without trust.  Yet, it takes a while to build trust.  Trust is about how people relate to each other.  But it’s also about the outcomes of relationships.

“These young women have to be nurtured, taught how to become adults.  We show them how to become championship students, players, and championship women.  We want them to become leaders who can go into their communities—no matter where it is—and make a difference.”

WORK TOGETHER

It happens all the time.  Teams with members deeply committed to each other out perform teams with superior talent.  For these teams, the whole greatly exceeds the sum of the parts

What brings these teams victory is that team members are selfless—focused on doing what’s best for the team.  They work together to win, submerging ego, statistics, and other personal gain for the opportunity to win as a team.  The coach is at the center of this; getting everyone and everything into alignment, ensuring that the team and its members get the support they need.

“To compete for championships we don’t need someone secretly harboring resentment toward a teammate.  We don’t want a player privately thinking ‘I hope she gets hurt’ or ‘I hope she has a bad game so I can play.’  We want to take that out of the mix.”

“With my staff I want companionship and camaraderie.  A cooperative group that doesn’t care who gets the credit.  We’re not into titles.   We all roll up our sleeves and get the job done.”

Shared values build trust and link team members together.  They establish a team’s identity and support its mission.  Shared values provide guiding principles that everyone on a team can aspire to put into practice every day.  When team members are truly in alignment with one another they create a culture where everyone can go home at night knowing the team is healthy and in good shape.

“We want harmony and camaraderie in the locker room.  We don’t want players feeling like they have to compete with someone else.  When that happens we don’t develop the chemistry we need to develop a competitive team.”

What do leaders have to do differently to build and lead effective teams today?  It’s the smart coach that takes advantage of the individual strengths of her players to develop a strong team.  A wise leader takes stock of what she has and develops and adjusts her plans accordingly.
“We really put a heavy emphasis on the fact that players are not competing with one another.  We want them competing against their best effort and what they’re capable of doing.”

“We recruit complementary pieces.  Everybody has a role.  Players are recruited for a specific purpose.  They are never in competition with anyone on the team.  They’re always competing against themselves, regardless of the position they’re playing.  They don’t compete against each other; instead they complete each other.”

WIN TOGETHER

The success of today’s best business leaders depends not only on inspiring and engaging employees, but finding ways to guide team members into powerful and productive relationships; the kind of relationships where one plus one equals three.

Rather than simply issuing commands and asserting power, outstanding leaders utilize influence to gain commitment and agreement.   Further, leaders like coaches, figure out how to build the next level of capability.  They do this by connecting team member aspirations to opportunities for development.  They know how to enable and support individual and team growth—and they make both enjoyable.

Today, you have to unmask yourself to your people in ways leaders never had to before.   People want leaders that demonstrate real- life vulnerabilities while relating in an authentic manner.  In the past leaders were formal and distant, removed from their people by a hierarchical-based facade.

That’s changed: your employees expect to relate to you in a more informal, egalitarian way—kind of like a family.

“A core value for us is excellence.  We strive for excellence in everything we do.  Another core value is family.  I don’t have a Penn State basketball family and a personal family.  We’re all one big family.  My children come to practice and travel with the team—as do my mom and my husband.  Family is really important to me.  We operate as a family.  We care about each other as family.”

A recent study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership sought to identify what distinguishes an effective leader from an ineffective leader.  After carefully sifting through mountains of data the CCL found one primary difference: effective leaders truly care about their people.   The most effective leaders are adept at showing they care by listening, publicly expressing positive emotions along with a deeper understanding and acknowledgement of how others are feeling.

“They know what to expect from me.  They know that what happens on the court does not impact how I feel about them and care about them off the court.  There’s nothing they can do on the basketball court that can cause me to love them less.”

Washington, like the effective leaders in the CCL study, understands that caring is best done one-on-one.  This means knowing what each member of your team needs to make her feel valued, appreciated, and unique.  Caring is a highly personal thing.  It’s different for each individual.

“I challenge the players all the time.  I can do this because I know they’re goals and dreams.   They allow me to challenge them.”

“We tell our players that the responsibility of earning playing time is on them.  Tell me what you want—where you want to go—and we will help you map out the road to get you there.  Then you need to put in the time and effort.  You’ve got to decide if you’re willing to put in the work to get where you want to go.”

People want to work for leaders they admire.  At the root of this admiration is showing people you care about their insights, their thoughts, their opinions, and appreciate all their sacrifices for the team.

“It’s important that we give the players opportunities to give their opinions and share their thoughts.  We ask frequently, if not daily, what they think of things.”

“In our team meetings we ask what they think.  I try to validate and honor their perspectives, even if I disagree.”

“I get feedback when I make decisions for the team, for the program.  Some might be minor decisions—others major.  I give them the opportunity to find their voice.  Not only to speak up, but to listen and negotiate and compromise.  These skills are critical to the development of a championship team.”

Effective leaders create strong cultures by putting people first.  They realize that the path to success boils down to deep, close, and trusting relationships creating competitive advantage through people and relationships.  This is the key to winning in basketball and in business.  And this is Coquese Washington’s playbook for victory.

To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including Coaching for Leadership, click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

This article was written by Cory Dobbs, Ed.D., President of The Academy for Sport Leadership.  The Academy for Sport Leadership is a leading educational leadership training firm that uses sound educational principles, research, and learning theories to create leadership resources.  The academy has developed a coherent leadership development framework and programs covering the cognitive, psycho-motor, emotional and social dimensions of learning, thus addressing the dimensions necessary for healthy development and growth of student-athletes.

About the Author

Cory Dobbs is the founder and president of The Academy for Sport Leadership, a national leader in research‐based curriculum for coaches and student‐athletes. Dr. Dobbs is a college educator, a coach to successful coaches (helping coaches attain a higher level of success), and an accomplished human performance specialist whose expertise is in the field of leadership, team building, and creating a high‐performance culture in the arena of team sports. Cory blends social‐personality, psychology, and applied social psychology, which means he studies how people’s thoughts, behaviors, and preferences are influenced by both who they are and the situations they’re in. He uses Teamwork IntelligenceTM to help teams explore how the mix of perspectives brought by their individual members influences their work together.

The Academy for Sport Leadership’s underlying convictions are as follows: 1) the most important lessons of leadership are learned in real-life situations, 2) team leaders develop best through active practice, structured reflection, and feedback, 3) learning to lead is an on-going process in which guidance from a mentor coach helps facilitate learning and growth, and 4) leadership lessons learned in sport should transcend the game and assist student-athletes in developing the capacity to lead in today’s changing environment.