How do we measure success as ‘leaders’ of programs? Although not businesses, we can measure the progress and satisfaction of our constituents- players, community, supervisors.
Everyone sets our own metrics. Credibility demands some measure of success. Here are considerations:
- How was our teamwork (collaborative culture)? Leaders grow leaders.
- Did we improve? Be objective.
- Did we compete?
- Were we resilient?
- How was our preparation?
- Did we practice hard?
- How did players do at the next level, in life?
- How was our communication and feedback?
- Success and winning are not identical.
Don't mistake outside criticism with failure. Remind ourselves of the fundamental attribution error, blaming other's failures on flawed character and our own on circumstances.
Did we make the full effort to do the job right?
Did we keep the main thing the main thing? Everyone has their idea about what the main thing is. The main thing could be winning, development, or the experience.
With respect to winning, ask "what does our team need now?" As leaders, ask what do our players need forever?
Define our time horizon. My horizon is a generation.
Lagniappe (something extra): "Don't talk about how good you want to be. Show me how good you want to be." Practice defines whom we become.
- Change the equation to make practice harder
- Advantage-disadvantage (we routine practiced 5 v 7)
- "Change the score, change the rules."
Lagniappe 2. Old but great video with analysis by Gibson Pyper. Remember, he's discussing the NBA. Who are you playing? Do they have shooters? Do they have playmaking bigs (roll guys)?
We play the defense that our players can play. When I tried to introduce run and jump, our players didn't 'get it.' When I stubbornly stuck to man, we couldn't contain the ball. Our guards were so small that we couldn't trap because opposing guards threw over them.