COACH K: USING "MOMENTS" TO BUILD A TEAM

People want a recipe; they want a formula for how to build a team that we\ill serve it’s intended purpose. Recipes guarantee that if you follow these steps in this order, you will get a favorable outcome. But team building is not about a recipe, it’s about taking the necessary time to build this team for this purpose.

Many have said that I coached the Olympic team differently than I coach my Duke teams. Of course I did. If I’m doing my job right, I also coached my Duke teams differently each season. Your team-building plan must be personalized and specific to your personnel, your competition, your goal, and your leadership style.

The time you spend as a team is defined by moments: moments that unite, create understand, and allow you to discover your collective identity. These moments make you one, make you better, make you proud. Some moments are planned. You know they need to happen so you design them. But there are other moments that happen on their own, a natural by-product of team formation. Still other moments pass by unnoticed until you discover their importance later on. You come to realize what they really meant and how critical they actually were.

How do you build a team: Embrace moments. Plan for moments. There are moments of anger, moments of joy, moments of togetherness, and sometimes just moments of awareness. Learn how to recognize them, facilitate them, reevaluate them, and most important, share them. They are the lifeblood of your team.

From "The Gold Standard"
By Mike Krzyzewski