I've read parts of Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power...summary within. Keep out of trouble and in favor. This video summarizes ten top laws.
Here are my top 5 from the video's top 10.
"Power is a social game." As coaches, we interact with many parts of community and learn how to play the game.
1. Be invaluable. Add quality that nobody else can add. Sometimes that means finding hidden problems or novel solutions. It could mean having the capacity to summarize data or information in ways that another cannot.
As a player, have an irreplaceable skill. Maybe you're a unicorn like Marcus Smart.
2. Always make the boss look good. I learned this early in the Navy. Favorable assignments often follow the ability to make the boss shine. Spending ten years at Bethesda Naval Hospital followed making others look good. Conversely, avoid activity that reflects poorly on the boss.
3. Protect your reputation. Avoid embarrassing ourselves or the organization. Do the work. Always be prepared.
"Greene emphasizes that reputation is absolutely fundamental to your power. If your reputation is strong, you will have influential power and the ability to intimidate. However, if your reputation is compromised, you become vulnerable and open yourself up to attack."
4. Be professional in all ways. In the Navy, they call it military bearing. People draw inferences from how we look, how we speak, and how we treat others. Work to be our best version every day in how we communicate and our presence.
5. Remember "What's in it for me?" from counterparties.
People often respond best to "self-interest." Asking for favors without reciprocity may doom us to failure.
Lagniappe. Billy Donovan calls it the "95", the 95 percent of the time you don't have the ball. Moving without the ball creates opportunities for teammates and yourself.
Lagniappe 2. Don't get caught ball watching.
Lagniappe 3. Share with your top players to make them even more effective.
Finish five can be particularly relevant and don't forget to use the glass.
