Alice Waters sets her table for guests with purpose and rituals. (From MasterClass.com)
Organizational level. Set an organizational table with standards of excellence at every level. Bill Walsh's The Score Takes Care of Itself presents the paradigm of purpose at every level of the organization. Geno Auriemma's UCONN Huskies are near the top of women's college basketball every year, on the court and in the classroom. Academic success is not optional.
Personnel level. Jim Collins in Good to Great shared the necessity of getting the right people in the right seats on the bus. Hire tough. Find people not only committed to doing the job right but whom you can work with comfortably. Value them by building their leadership skills. Leaders make leaders.
Coaching level. Set the table by serving our staff. Share high expectations and the means to achieve them. We need a clear philosophy, strong culture, and an identity in which we can take pride. "This is who we are; that is who we are not." Differentiate ourselves. Communication and integrity build trust; trust begets loyalty. Loyalty is earned not bestowed. "Make the big time where you are."
Practice level. Define your goals and how they're achievable at every practice. Time is our invaluable, limited resource. Teach without lecturing. Skill building demands discomfort. Decisions determine destiny through our rituals (habits) and repetition. Every activity needs to translate to game play. Efficiency comes from practicing at the highest sustainable tempo.
Player level. Players buy in when they get authenticity, compassion, and value. We're failing if they're wondering if we care. A "performance-focused, feedback rich" environment can sustain a culture where players can succeed in their role. Individual attention fosters mental (game knowledge) and emotional (resilience) toughness, athleticism, and skill.
Teammate level. Players impact each other continuously on and off the court. They decide how and what they share, their energy, and accountability. Everyone chooses whether to be a great teammate. Sherri Coale confided how her team saw a player withdraw when she wasn't scoring. The player's parent wouldn't talk to the young woman if she didn't score.
Setting the table well means having a positive attitude, making unselfish choices, and bringing relentless effort.
Lagniappe:
Bill Wuczynski shared the Boston College transition workout via Chris Oliver.