Basketball: Exceptional Teams

Great teams forge elite collaboration. Coach K likens it to a fist, generating more power than a finger.

What makes exceptional teams? Reflect on personal observations, research, and artificial intelligence.

Personal Observations:

1. Talent. There's a literature of "Talent Is Overrated" but good luck winning without talent. In the technique, tactics, physicality, and psychology hierarchy, talent leads. Great teams have 'possession enders' who score, force stops, and rebound.

2. Technique. If one offense - DDM, Triangle, Princeton were best, everyone would use it and advantage would disappear. The same goes for defense. How you play matters more than what you run. Coherence, playing as one separates teams. 

3. Consistency matters, the ability to play more good possessions. Play harder for longer. 

4. Make moments in the big moments. Exceptional teams find an extra gear when needed.

5. Unity. Great teams have clear identity, clear communication, and work off the same script. 

Study greatness. And share. Don Yaeger interviewed over a hundred coaches looking for insights. 

Yaeger's search wasn't unique. Leadership author Simon Sinek asks, "what's your 'why'?" Put a team under the microscope. What do we see? Long before the Red Sox won anything, there was a saying, "25 guys, 25 cabs." Great teams win collectively, greater than the sum of their parts. 

When Coach Mike Krzyzewski coached USA Basketball, he showed them great teams - on military bases and on a trip to Arlington National Cemetery. The trips informed superstars about the meaning of sacrifice for a common goal. 

Yaeger asks, "what kind of a leader does our team need?" Can we be the type of leader the team needs or who we are? 

Exceptional teams have both high IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence). That impacts communication and self-regulation. 

To reach the level of great teams, reevaluate everything:

- Player development (individual and team actions)

- Strategy 

- Strength and conditioning

- Resilience and sport psychology

Winning becomes the result of great process. 

Great teams have great competitors. Competition can create conflict and selfishness. 

This reduces to "this is who we are together" and "that is what we do." 

Artificial Intelligence answer:

Great teams typically possess the following characteristics:

1. Clear communication: Great teams communicate openly and honestly, with respect for one another's perspectives and opinions.

2. Shared goals and vision: Great teams share a common purpose and vision, and are committed to achieving shared goals.

3. Trust: Great teams trust one another and have confidence in each other's abilities, which allows for collaboration and innovation.

4. Diversity: Great teams are made up of individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, which allows for a wide range of ideas and approaches.

5. Accountability: Great teams hold each other accountable for their actions and responsibilities, which creates a culture of ownership and responsibility.

6. Flexibility: Great teams are adaptable and flexible, able to pivot and adjust as needed to meet changing circumstances.

7. Positive attitude: Great teams have a positive, can-do attitude, and are motivated to overcome obstacles and achieve success.

8. Continuous learning: Great teams are committed to continuous learning and improvement, seeking out new knowledge and skills to stay ahead of the curve.

9. Supportive culture: Great teams create a supportive and inclusive culture that fosters creativity, innovation, and growth.

Overall, great teams are characterized by a shared sense of purpose, mutual respect and trust, diverse perspectives and skills, and a commitment to ongoing learning and improvement.

Lagniappe. Hard work and professional work live on separate planes.