Coach Mike Krzyzewski stands among the leading college coaches in history. He built Duke into a perennial powerhouse and studied under Bob Knight at Army.
He shares many thoughts in Leading with the Heart, a bestseller on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week.
Here are select quotes from Leading:
"The principle that "we're all important" is also something that needs to be demonstrated immediately."
"I expect every player we recruit to graduate." (The book was published in 2000)
"The first rule is NOT DOING ANYTHING DETRIMENTAL TO YOURSELF" because that reflects on the team and the university.
"Your culture doesn't allow jealousy. That's what the best families are all about."
Coach K distributes laminated cards with everyone's phone numbers (including his and assistants) because he wants a support system so nobody is stranded.
"Stress honor in all things."
"You're only as good as your talent."
Coach K tells a story about getting mud on his shoes as a plebe at West Point. Initially, he was mad at his friend who had splashed mud and led to a royal reaming. But he realized that it was HIS choice not to go back and clean them up, leading him to remark,
"Embrace the hell out of personal responsibility." (I'm thinking that times may have changed as evidenced by Grayson Allen).
"Failure is part of success."
"Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do in the best possible manner at the time you are supposed to do it."
"Bonds have to form among all members of the team. An architecture of leadership has to be created so that the wheel is sustained if something happens to the hub."