Basketball: Step Outside Yourself, The Origins of Leadership

During a recent halftime (3 minutes), I asked the girls (12-13 year-olds), aside from your parents, whom do you admire, especially women, and why? They need role models, exemplars who teach values and excellence. 

Maybe by happenstance, they came out with purpose during the second half, turning a 17-all score into 45-27 victory. 

Leadership combines character and competence, the former based on intent and integrity. 

Everyone can improve their leadership skills with work, growing verbal and nonverbal communication and understanding people. 

In Leading Minds, Professor Howard Gardner (1995) discusses elements germane to E.L. the exemplary leader. This follows his profile of eleven leaders, from Gandhi, to Lincoln, and Alfred Sloane. He also touches upon moral dimensions of leadership. "Leaders who have used their power and their pulpit to turn individuals against one another have wrought incalculable damage...one should not forget that Machiavelli and Hitler wrote two of the most influential tracts about leadership."

As coaches we lead but we also train leadership. "Leaders make leaders." What kind of leadership do we model, promote, and inspire? 

We live in an era where promoting ideology dominates over developing truths. For example, reintroducing dangerous carcinogens (asbestos) for economic gain tramples the known health hazards. Collision-avoidance systems grow in popularity versus eliminating impaired driving (alcohol) and cell phone use. As leaders, we have a responsibility to teach young people good habits and unsafe behaviors. 
 
Lagniappe:



Breaking down the run-and-jump in the backcourt...