In 2008, Pat Williams, the GM of the Orlando Magic and a tremendous motivational speaker put out a book, "The Ultimate Coaches' Clinic." It is a fascinating book because of the style Pat utilized. He surveyed over 1000 coaches and administrators for insights to what is important to successfully do their job. From time to time I will share a few but it is a great book to own and I highly recommend it. We thought it appropriate today to look at some thoughts from Coach Chuck Daly.When I succeeded Bob Couse as the coach at Boston College and again when I became head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, I said the same thing "What do I do now?"
You must learn on the job.
Keep a low profile early. Let the players be the show. As a coach, you are the director and the producer. Your prime job is to work behind the scenes and make the players look good.
People skills are important. You've got to know your players as people. Interview them and then write it down. Know their nicknames, their favorite foods, and their family histories. I was known as a players' coach, but I'd relate to the players better if I could do it over again.
Work with players to make them successful, and that includes a lot of individual work.
The bottom line of coaching is this: It's all about getting them to play for you.
Your players must know that you are running the team. Get tough when you have to.
Develop internal leadership groups built around your best players. Then you can go to them and ask, "What's going on here?"
Don't be afraid to ask your players questions. You don't know it all and you can't learn from them.
Coaching is a suffering business. At the end of the season, only one coach is happy and the rest are suffering. Never trust the happiness.
Let me tell you a story. I'm teaching a philosophy class at Duke, some students, some athletes. We met in a room between two handball courts and I am in there one day and I'm telling everyone, "You can get on the players -- that's okay. Because once you leave the court it's over. It's forgotten." This football players gets right up and says, "That's not right. It's not forgotten." Whatever you say is remembered. You can't get on a player one minute and expect him to forget in the next minute. The guy caught me by surprise, but that statement, what he had to say that day, has meant as much to me as anything I've heard in my life. I learned more in those few moments that at any other time in my life.
