•Communicating is not just about giving great speeches. It’s about allowing others to express themselves. Often a strong, dominant leader is the worst listener. He or she is too busy telling everyone else what to do and what to think. The more I have listened to our players, the better I have known them and understood them, and the easier it has been to know the right things to say to them. While you are listening to someone, don’t just take in the words. Study the speaker. Be aware of the speaker’s voice and mannerisms. Notice what his effect is on you. Become aware of your own voice and body language too.
•Coaching, parenting, and working in an office are all alike in one respect. To be credible, you must be consistent. Any sign of inconsistency and you instantly lose credibility.
•Your competitors make you better. Having worthy adversaries stimulates your work ethics, and bring out qualities you may not have known you had. So don’t resent them. You should love your competitors. And you should thank them.
•People will perform so much better if they understand their specific role and what is expected of them. It’s like the potluck dinner: It doesn’t work if it’s disorganized and unclear. If people don’t know what they’re supposed to bring, you don’t get a good dinner. Some people bring too much, others bring nothing at all.
