Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Basketball: Be Eclectic and Choose Your Program Values and Priorities

Kansas State football coach transformed a football program, centering his approach around 16 behaviors. Players received a laminated card with these values. I imagine many still carry theirs around. 

Ask ourselves, can we consolidate and simplify these values. After all, it's hard to remember a list of 16. 

1. 49er coach Bill Walsh demanded a "Standard of Performance."

2. Don Meyer reduced his to PUSH-T, Passion, Unity, Servant Leadership, Humility, and Thankfulness. 

3. Kevin Durant awakens asking, "How can I improve today?"

4. Samuel L. Jackson informs, "Bring the best version of yourself today." 

5. Steve Kerr reduces his philosophy to MINDSET, CULTURE, and MENTORS.

6. Use the THINK model when speaking - is it TRUE, HELPFUL, INSPIRING, NECESSARY, KIND? 

7. Be mindful. Be present. Coach K says, "Next play." 

8. Investigative journalist Bob Woodward lives to "seek the best available version of the truth." 

9. David Brooks says focus on EULOGY VALUES over RESUME VALUES...a "moral bucket list." "I came to the conclusion that wonderful people are made, not born — that the people I admired had achieved an unfakeable inner virtue, built slowly from specific moral and spiritual accomplishments." Brooks described himself as a 'narcissistic blowhard'. 

10. Benjamin Franklin shared a list of virtues, unfortunately lengthy and equally difficult to achieve. 


The point? Everyone has a different set of priorities. Simple is hard. My suggestion? "Model excellence." Choose elements that resonate for you. 

Lagniappe. How much are we invested? 

Lagniappe 2. Some players see the world through the prism of "numbers." That needs retraining. 

3. Lagniappe 3. This is a bottom line business.  










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