Examining leaders exposes not only their strengths but their weaknesses. What drives them? What makes them who they are?
For example, Nick Saban's father pushed him to a standard of perfection whether washing cars at his father's service station or as quarterback for the Idamay Black Diamonds. In Monte Burke's book, Saban, the coach explained to his team how important it was not to embarrass yourself or the university. He explained colorfully that if he were caught cheating on 'Miss Terry', it would have to be with someone who had more to lose than he did. In other words, it wasn't going to happen. I'm sure that he is both furious and shamed by the revelations of the treatment of his player, Maurice Smith.
Leadership demands both character and competence. Warren Buffett noted the importance of intelligence, energy, and integrity. He noted that the former two, without the latter, was dangerous.
Being appointed or anointed a leader doesn't magically transform you into one. Position does not define performance. A title does not define achievement. Good leaders give respect to earn respect.
I carry a 'reminder' card.
Strong leaders serve their organization, their employees, and their community. They have mastery of their business, know their competition, and have clear vision and purpose. Strong leaders add value to those around them. They don't just identify problems; they solve them. They are unifiers not polarizers.
One of the strongest points about the Navy was that you knew that every decision would be made in the best interest of the organization. We knew that NMPC (Naval Military Personnel Command) also meant No More Personal Care. But in the coaching world, relationships and personal care (process) frequently define outcomes.
As coaches we can only lead as we serve. We have voluntary workouts outdoors on Sunday evenings...5:15 to whenever. It depends on the weather and the engagement of the participants. Last Sunday morning, it rained. The court doesn't drain well. I went to the court at 2 o'clock to brush off the standing water, expecting that the court (not far from my home) could dry in the next three hours. We got the workout in.
In his summary of The Inner Game of Tennis, L. Michael Hall notes "Our focus of attention is the secret to mastery...Focus is the quintessential component of superior performance in every activity, no matter what the level of skill or the age of the performer."
He also writes, "Success involves getting the clearest possible picture of your outcomes...in designing desired outcomes we therefore need to set goals about the performance and also learning goals and enjoyment goals."
Getting young people to "buy in" to higher order performance presents a challenge. When we make practice fun and competitive, we can turn constructive leadership into higher energy and better results. Competitive practice adds a little pressure so players become more focused and more conditioned to adversity.
When we encourage better habits, we change lives. "We make our habits and our habits make us." We don't have to change old habits; we constantly make new ones. Our job isn't just to lead but to create new leaders who will carry on the tradition.
