Total Pageviews

Saturday, August 8, 2026

"Gods and Generals" - The Other Chamberlain

“In the end, a leader's fundamental job is to bring order out of chaos, whether it occurs on a battlefield or an a boardroom. Leaders must stay calm, never lose their temper, and strive to bring that sense of order to the team.” - R. Manning Ancell in The Leaders' Bookshelf

Basketball and leadership lessons can arise anywhere. 

Everyone here knows of Wilt Chamberlain, the most dominant athlete in NBA history. Chamberlain's power, athleticism, and size are legendary.

Similarly, almost everyone knows of the Battle of Gettysburg, but few know the unsung hero, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. The Bowdoin Rhetoric professor won a Congressional Medal of Honor for leading a decisive battle (Little Round Top) at Gettysburg. Learn how a young leader triumphed.

1. "I can learn." 

Colonel Chamberlain was a self-taught scholar of military history. He had no formal military education and unlike Robert E. Lee was not a son of West Point. 

When asked how his under-resourced Maine 20th regiment overcame the Alabama 15th with a ferocious bayonet counterattack, he explained, "I can learn." 

Learning and teaching the craft is a coaching obligation. Reading, video study, and deciphering the game are coaching basics. 

2. Aggression wins.

Facing a seemingly impossible situation near the bottom of the battlefield, out of ammunition and facing defeat, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet counterattack...leading to a decisive victory. 

Like lessons from General Hal Moore a century later, Chamberlain found one more thing, just as coaches change defenses, attack the basket, or profit from unexpected personnel changes. 

3. Build the team.

On short notice, Chamberlain integrated the rag-tag, "losers" of the Maine 2nd into his fighting force. The mutinous crew faced the choice of fighting or court-martial. Most fought. Chamberlain lacked the privilege of highly-trained, integrated forces. He did more with less.

4. Education is a competitive advantage. 

Chamberlain analyzed the terrain, adapted, and communicated. He knew his advantage - thinking. 

Exceptional teams don't just have skill and competitiveness, they play smarter. 

5. Know what must never be surrendered.

Know your 'why'. Chamberlain's position anchored the Union's left flank. Defeat there would have led to the main Union position being overrun. 

Just as Sun Tzu taught, "Utilize strengths and attack weaknesses," Chamberlain recognized that defending his position, overcoming enemy forces was non-negotiable. 

Basketball coaches know to prevent transition or perimeter hoops from "overrunning their position."

6. Courage is often making the least attractive decision.

Sometimes no decision appears attractive. Chamberlain's troops were out of ammunition with no retreat option. Waiting meant defeat. So he chose the "least bad option" and attacked. 

You might face a "better" team or "legacy program." Quitting is not an option. Prepare your team, emphasize shot quality, fierce rebounding, and ball security. "Simple can win." 

7. Every player deserves dignity.

Chamberlain understood that some of his Maine troops had lost both respect and dignity. He gave them a reason to fight and they responded with unusual gallantry.

"What does it feel like to be coached by me?" Aside from basketball, what life lessons do we convey to our players and their families? 

Chamberlain once mused, "In great deeds something abides." Childhood experiences on the court fashion the adults we became. Even when we're "out of ammunition" we might have a winning solution in our character.

Lagniappe. The best players impact others around them and impact winning. It's not enough to "put numbers in the book." 

Lagniappe 2. Kirby Scheff has shown the value of "multiple actions" to increase scoring.  

Posted by at