He discusses "the Seven Deadly Realities" littering the path to Social Intelligence. And social intelligence (as part of emotional intelligence) parallels effectiveness and performance. We know them when we see them.
Envy. "Charity rejoices in our neighbor's good, while envy grieves over it." Thomas Aquinas
Chuck Daly remarked, "Every player wants 48 - 48 minutes, 48 shots, and 48 million." We don't know for sure why Kyrie Irving left the Cavaliers, but envy may have played a part. Be a champion in your role.
Conformism. We become what we strive to become. Find the continuum between chaos and disruption and creativity. A little chaos is good. Creativity demands discomfort. The Olympic gold medal figure skater endures 20,000 falls to become a champion. Within the team concept, individuals must find their muse. Yes, sometimes we have to go along to get along, like Bill Walton getting haircuts at UCLA, but seek to understand the individual.
Rigidity. "Be clear about your goal but be flexible about the process of achieving it." Zig Ziglar
"It's my way or the highway." Even authoritarians like Bobby Knight found ways to cede some freedom (e.g. time of day for practice) to players. Good ideas can come from anywhere. Flexibility allows us to find solutions "out of the box." Steve Kerr adopted videographer Nick U'ren's suggestion that the Warriors go small against Cleveland in 2015. Inserting Andre Iguodala helped lead them to a title. "The last fifteen minutes of a dictator's reign are always his worst" has proven true repeatedly.
Self-obsession. Ego is the enemy. Ego sees how events affect me not how it distresses us. The African proverb says, "We can go faster alone, but farther together." Ego begets drama and disharmony. Ryan Holiday shares the Bill Walsh line, “Confidence becomes arrogance, assertiveness becomes obstinacy, and aggressiveness becomes recklessness.” Ego takes leadership over the line. Ask General Custer or General Joseph Hooker, defeated by Lee at Chancellorsville. Find ways to build your program not your statue.
Laziness. The Zen aphorism, "Chop wood, carry water" applies. "Take care of your business" on and off the court. Industriousness is one of the cornerstones (along with enthusiasm) of Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success. "The magic is in the work." I intend to start tryouts with a couple of warmup laps but I'm focused on who doesn't cut corners.
Flightiness. Attention to detail, consistency, and commitment define us. Southwest Airlines thrives as "the low cost airline." Las Vegas boasts, "what happens here, stays here" but what happens at practice must translate to competition. Flightiness manifests as poor preparation, poor quality products or services, and bad habits. Flighty teams don't have strong cultures and consistent identity.
Passive aggressiveness. We employ passive aggressive behavior to maintain our status and status quo. The NCAA tried to kneecap Kentucky's John Calipari by short-circuiting the time period in which players could declare for the draft. Players undermine coaches with suspect injuries (Manny Ramirez couldn't say which knee hurt) or by refusing to practice ("It's practice."). Coaches don't cooperate with media. Bill Belichick is the passive-aggressve poster child.
Each of us can "relapse" into egocentric behaviors. But excellence isn't a foolish consistency; excellence models high performance. Players learn not by what we say but by our example.
Bonuses: two drills
