Decisions in the Heat of Battle

Interdisciplinary experiences help us train players and coaches to think, communicate, and perform at a higher level. Stories help us remember when they are simple and include credible, concrete facts, emotion, and unexpected components. 



The challenges we face during a basketball game may seem like life and death, but aren't.  We can draw enduring lessons from real life heroism. 

Performance is not static. It varies by task and is degraded by anxiety. Training shifts the "panic zone" to the right. 

Experience matters. Experienced fire team leaders perform better during high stress conditions while inexperienced team leaders struggle under high stress. (Figure from The Leadership Moment by Michael Useem). 

Wagner Dodge survived a nearly impossible situation by "inventing" an escape fire, thinking out of the box, when his life depended upon it. Unfortunately, most of his men, by virtue of communication breakdown, lesser training, and lack of trust during an extreme stress situation, broke ranks and perished. Dodge's experience allowed him to innovate and survive a life-consuming wildfire. 

Lessons from "The Leadership Moment" by Michael Useem

1. "Panic overwhelms smart decision making." 
2. "Experience is a critical foundation of leadership."
3. "It is your least experienced associates who will reach the panic zone first." 
4. "For well-formed, highly committed groups, the panic point is shifted far to the right."
5. "If your organization is facing a period of uncertainty, change, or stress, now is the time to build a strong culture with good lines of interior communication."
6. "Our actions today may make the difference between success or failure tomorrow. The challenge is to anticipate what problems lie ahead and what preparatory steps are required now." 

In basketball programs, we see the advantage of "senior leadership" both on the floor and on the bench. Winning or 'legacy' programs often have strong mentoring from both coaches and players that transforms younger players. Teams lacking effective communication will not shift the "panic point" to the right and experience more degraded performance. 

When we watch a game, we choose whether to be entertained or to study technique and situational play - e.g. BOBs, SLOBs, ATOs. Other coaches and players are constantly educating us...if we are open to receiving their lessons. Their teaching can translate to more effective coaching and play...or not. 

As a practical matter, this type of post is among the least viewed of those I write. Yet, it contains the more powerful and lasting lessons.