Thursday, August 17, 2023

Basketball: North Star

Follow your 'north star'. It's the basketball equivalent of the seminal question, "why do you want to be President'?

1. Seek understanding not validation. Each of us needs purpose, our 'why'? In business, slogans might represent the vision, like "Southwest, the low cost airline." Reduce the frills, maintain quality performance, and reduce the costs for customers. 

Winning games isn't enough. How you win and represent yourself on and off the court matters. 

2. Help players and teams become the best versions of themselves. In Netflix's The Playbook, Coach Dawn Staley says that her success as a college student came when she realized she needed to put as much work into school as into basketball. That was her "light goes on" moment. 

My twin daughters played four years of high school basketball on teams that went 90-6. As important, their senior year, all six seniors made the Honor Roll and the twins were valedictorian and salutatorian. 

3. "Every day is player development day." Grow everyone. Driving the bus doesn't allow us to throw people under it. Everyone can improve although everyone won't get the same minutes, role, and recognition. 

Clarify what everyone must do to grow and become successful and must avoid to assure failure. 

4. "Model excellence." That doesn't require our players and us to be choir boys. A standard of performance and professionalism offers players and coaches sustainable competitive advantage in a demanding world. Preaching accountability means having a mission to meet daily high standards. 

5. Championship culture. Transforming individuals into a team never gets easy. The 'C word' gets abused. 

  • Make everyone a leader. Commit to doing the right things the right way all the time. 
  • Be professional. Be on time and be prepared. 
  • Be positive. You never get a positive outcome from negative attitude.
  • Always put the team first. One hallmark of military service is knowing the well-being of the team always comes before the well-being of the individual. 
  • Get everyone on the same page. UNC Women's Soccer has a sign in the locker room, EXCELLENCE IS OUR ONLY AGENDA To do your job, know your job and others'.
Everyone will have a different North Star. Be prepared to explain how you follow yours. 

Lagniappe. 


Lagniappe 2.  

Lagniappe 3. Set your personal best. 

 

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