Corrections or additions?
This article by Joe Summers was prepared for the August 16, 2000
edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All
rights reserved.
In Basketball, As in Business
Notwithstanding all the corporate tie-ins at the recent
Senior PGA tournament at Jasna Polana, golf is not the only sport
that business people turn to for camaraderie and inspiration. U.S.
1 on several occasions has quoted former Princeton basketball coach
Pete Carril — especially from his book, co-written with Dan White,
"The Smart Take from the Strong." Duke University alumnus
Joe Summers (Class of 1949), a retired associate dean of graduate
services at Rider University, filed this summary of another insightful
book by a college basketball coach:
have thought a book by a college basketball coach would contain
nuggets
of management wisdom applicable far from the court? For starters,
anyone who follows Duke basketball, because to do that is also to
be aware of Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s philosophy. Not only does he
preach
it — he practices it, too.
With eight "Final Four" appearances, including back-to-back
national championships in 1991 and ’92, Krzyzewski inspires great
play from his team and, typically, player-reverence long after the
season. This happens for a reason. He knows how to make his players
feel special while still part of a team. His graduates thank him for
that.
Krzyzewski’s new book, "Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s
Successful
Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life," chronicles his
background in a Polish neighborhood of Chicago, where he was guided
by parents who demanded honesty and integrity. The coach reveals his
personal principles for leadership, from dealing with adversity in
life or on the basketball court, to learning how to trust your
heartfelt
instincts. It deals too with descriptions of how to build an
"emotional
bond of trust" that gives his players the confidence and freedom
to succeed "both on and off the court." The result is a book
that shows how you can be successful in any leadership situation.
Each chapter concludes with tips that would apply in the board room,
as well as the locker room. A "top 11" of these nuggets follow.
Reflecting classic management theory, they are bound to score with
management students and practitioners alike.
team and are coachable. Always try to get the best people possible,
but be sure they will fit in with the rest of your team and are
willing
to grow.
tremendously
as the level of trust rises. Mutual respect and trusting
relationships
are the cornerstones for success on any team.
detailed,
painstaking planning sets up the process that allows you to win.
Without
this preparation, winning is accidental.
excitement. Live it right. In all we do, the process is the key to
obtaining a good product.
skills.
Most people are unsuccessful on a team or on the job because they
can’t get along with others, not because they lack the skills to do
the work.
basketball
and life, success is usually a group effort; it seldom comes from
one person’s actions alone.
about.
Once all the facts are gathered, be brave, believe in yourself,
and make a decision. You’ll probably make the right move.
be ready to adjust. "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of
little minds," wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. Always be ready to
change
as situations change.
screen out all contrary opinions, you’ll probably miss the very point
that separates success from failure.
competition
is to disrespect yourself. Keep focused, don’t let up, play the full
40 minutes — or 40 hours — all out, always.
from the very good teams. There is always a way to win, and you must
find it.
of the year, making him the first college coach ever to win that
honor.
The magazine said, "On the court and off, Krzyzewski is a family
man first, a teacher second, a basketball coach third, and a winner
at all three. He is what’s right about sports."
— Joe Summers
Corrections or additions?
This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com
— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
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