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. Today is one of my favorites, Dale Brown. Coach Brown and Pat Williams are very close friends and you know why — because they are both extremely optimistic and very enthusiastic. Coach Brown’s thoughts deal on the coach from the perspective of a leader.1. Leadership is difficult. It is a lonely responsibility. The best leaders are servants. It is always about others.
2. The best leaders are masters of articulating an appropriate vision of the future. They have the ability to see things not yet there and relay that vision to others.
3. A leader is more than just a leader. He is:
—A mentor: People want to be appreciated and understood. Be honest and sincere with them.
—A psychologist: You have to find out what make them tick and focus on what’s important to them.
—A disciplinarian: You are dealing with incredible egos.
—A motivator: You care more about their success than they do.
—A friend: Take time to be a good, active, and patient listener. It is important to develop loyalty among your people.
Remember these words from John Wooden: “As a leader, you will receive a large amount of praise and criticism and you should not unduly affected by either.”
