JOHN MAXWELL ON PLANNING

Here are some great thoughts on planning from John Maxwell from :

If you've ever gone whitewater rafting, then you know the importance of planning. Whenever the raft approaches rapids, the guide has to plan the best route to navigate safely through them. If the guide fails to plan, then the raft can easily smash into a rock or capsize.


Four Types of Planning
Passive planning happens when leadership allows the raft to travel downstream at the mercy of the current rather than steering, rowing, and turning. This kind of non-planning eventually leaves you unprepared to face whitewater rapids. Worse yet, in the absence of a plan, the current may take the raft over the edge of a dreaded waterfall.

Panic planning happens only after the raft is in trouble. At this point, all of the organization's resources are scrambled in a reactionary pattern in an attempt to solve the problem. With panic planning, you may or may not come out alive and well, but you are guaranteed some bumps and bruises.

Scientific planning is viable, but can be laborious, mechanical, and often ends up abandoned in the process. Imagine if a raft guide constantly tried to measure the depth of the water, the distance between rocks, the wind speed, and the water current. Although the information might be helpful, oftentimes the water would be moving too swiftly to take the measurements. In a like manner, leaders often have to respond to change in an instant. There's no time to collect scientific data on all of the variables before deciding which course of action is best.

Principle-centered planning is the key to effectiveness. It is the artistic or leadership approach. Principle-centered planning recognizes that life in general (and people in particular) can't be graphed on a chart, but sees that planning still remains essential.

Reasons Why People Don't Plan
You don't have to be in leadership very long to learn that planning pays off. Even so, many people don't plan. Here are four reasons why people neglect planning.

1) They don't possess planning skills or knowledge.
Some people don't have an innate ability to project themselves into the future. They've never been taught to prioritize their day or to prepare for tomorrow.

2) They're caught in the tyranny of the urgent, and they believe that they don't have time.
Some people allow themselves to be pulled into the vortex of minutiae. As a consequence, they end up buried under a sea of details, and they can't pull their heads above water long enough to plan.

3) They don't like the perceived hassle of planning.
Instead of planning one event at a time, they become overwhelmed by the mountain of things to plan.

4) Many people don't plan because the outcome varies greatly.
"After all," they say, "When I do make a plan, it normally doesn't end up happening, so why bother?"

Why Planning Is Essential
We all have desires and dreams, yet we'll never accomplish our dreams in life just by wanting them bad enough. Planning bridges the gap between our desires and dreams by calling us to action. As noted by William Danforth, ""No plan is worth the paper it is printed on unless it starts you doing something." A concrete plan supplies us with tangible steps to take in the direction of our dreams.

Qualities of Principle-Centered Planning

•Principle-centered planning allows us to be flexible without losing focus.

•Principle-centered planning allows us to be creative without losing concentration.

•Planning is the structure. Principle-centered planning is the flesh.

•Planning is the roadmap. Principle-centered planning is the movement.

•Planning is the idea. Principle-centered planning is the action.

•Planning is the paper. Principle-centered planning is the power

THE DUKE ON YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in

life. Comes in to us at midnight very clean.

 It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself

in our hands, and hopes we've learned

something from yesterday."

John Wayne

KEVIN EASTMAN ON TRANSITION DEFENSE: PART II

8 “Musts" in Transition D

1. Must have a transition defense mindset

2. Must sprint back and be back

3. Must take away the early strike (for them, it's the first 6 seconds)

4. Must make them throw at least 2 passes (buys ttime for your defense)

5. Must guard their team, not your match-up

6. Must play team defense, not individual defense

7. Must find and cover shooters

8. Must use our fingers and voices

KEVIN EASTMAN ON TRANSITION DEFENSE: PART I

12 Basic Tenants of Transition Defense


1. On the raise of the shot, the 1, 2, and 3 get back. (4 and 5 can go to the glass). They would rather give up a few offensive rebounds to have a better chance of getting their defense set.

2. First three steps are most important in terms of sprinting back on defense (beat your man to ½ court).

3. Must get “below the ball.”

4. We are guarding their team, ot our matchup.

5. 2 guys back are in a tandem.

6. 3 guys back are in a triangle.

7. 1st big guy back protects the basket.

8. 2nd big guy back “loads to the ball;” with the goal being to take away any seams and to stop dribble penetration. With great penetrating players, they will “load to touch.”

9. No Buddy. Find the ball. Don’t just find your matchup.

10. Get to “shrink spots” (help). Again, take away all possibilities of penetration. Do not allow any seams.

11. Make them throw 2 passes in transition.

12. Use your voices and your fingers in transition defense.

BRIAN TRACY ON TIME MANAGEMENT

Brian Tracy, one of the absolute leaders in time management discusses how we can get more out of our 24 hours:

The Law of Correspondence says that your outer life tends to be a mirror image of your inner life. Everywhere you look, there you are. Everywhere you look, you see yourself reflected back. You do not see the world as it is, but as you are—inside. If you want to change what is going on in the world around you—your relationships, results, and rewards—you have to change what in going on in the world inside you. Fortunately, this is the only part of your life over which you have complete control.

The Starting Point of Success

The starting point of excelling in time management is desire. Almost everyone feels that their time management skills could be vastly better than they are. The key to motivation is "motive." For you to develop sufficient desire to develop Time Power, you must be intensely motivated by the benefits you feel you will enjoy.

Gaining Two Extra Hours Each Day

Your productivity can dramatically change if you add to extra hours to your day. Two extra hours per day, multiplies by five days per week, equals ten extra hours a week. Ten extra hours a week multiplied by fifty weeks a year would give you 500 extra productive hours each year. And 500 hours translates into more that twelve, forty-hour weeks, or the equivalent of three extra months of productive working time each year. By gaining two productive hours each day, you can transform your personal and working life.

Improving Your Productivity Performance

Your productivity, performance, and income will increase by at least 25 percent over the next year. Two more productive hours, out of the eight hours that you spend at work each day, is the equivalent of at least a 25 percent increase.

Increasing Your Sense of Control

When you leverage the power of time, you will have a greater sense of control over your work and your personal life. You will feel like the master of your own destiny, and a power in your own life. You will feel more positive and powerful in every part of your life.

Take Control of your Time and Your Life

One of the keys to developing a stronger internal focus of control is to manage your time and your life better. The more skilled you become at managing your time, the happier and more confident you will feel. You will have a stronger sense of personal power. You will feel in charge of your own destiny. You will have a greater sense of well-being. You will be more positive and personable.

Having More Time for Your Family

You will have more time for your family and your personal life as you get your time and your life under control. You will have more time for your friends, for relaxation, for personal and professional development, and for anything else you want to do. When you become a master of your own time, and recapture two hours per day, you can use that extra time to chase your dreams.

Action Exercise

Figure out how you can add two hours of productivity to your day. Make a schedule of your day and find where you can squeeze two hours of time out for maximum efficiency.

PROUD OF MY HOMETOWN MIDGET FOOTBALL LEAGUE

If you don't mind, I'm going to brag about my hometown just a bit.  As most of you know, I was born, raised, and taught a great deal of what I know as a coach in the state of West Virginia.  I'm a graduate of Winfield High School and was really proud to read the following:

Winfield (WV) - The Winfield Midget Football League participants love their mothers. They showed this Sunday when the football teams wore pink mouth pieces and the cheerleaders added pink hair ribbons to their uniforms to support Breast Cancer Awareness month. The mouthpieces were sponsored by the Wellness Council of West Virginia.

“We’ve seen the professional football players wear pink in October the last two seasons,” says Kelli Frampton, the WCWV employee who came up with the idea. “I have two sons in the league and I asked them if they would like to do something like what the pros were doing. They thought it was a really cool idea.” Kelli brought the idea to the attention of Sharon Covert, the Executive Director of the Wellness Council. Covert approved of the idea for her son, who is also in the Winfield League. The Council employees began talking to coaches and soon a plan was in place.

“A couple of the coaches handed out the mouth pieces and asked their players why supporting awareness of breast cancer was important,” said Covert. “One of the boys shouted out that they all had mothers and grandmothers and they all seemed excited to get the equipment.” From there, the cheerleaders came up with the idea of pink hair ribbons to go with their green and white uniforms. The oldest football players on the A Team even donned pink socks for the occasion.

“We got a call from the league at Poca. They wanted to know where we got the mouth pieces. I think this will be even bigger next year,” said Frampton. The players and cheerleaders plan to wear the pink reminders at all games during the month of October.

Kelli Frampton by the way is my sister-in-law!

THOUGHTS FROM RICK BARRY ON FREE THROW SHOOTING

More great stuff from the University of Arizona men's basketball newsletter.  Hall of Famer Rick Barry discusses Toronto’s Jose Calderon, who made 79 consecutive free throws in January 2009, and highlights the game’s most underrated aspect:


Technique: "First, he gets his hand set properly under the ball. Then he shoots the ball "up," not "at" the basket. He also has a great follow through on his release. Rarely, if ever, will the ball miss to the left or to the right. Great shooters miss a hair long or a hair short. Missing left or right indicates a problem with the shooting form."

Confidence: "I'm sure Jose believes he's going to make every free throw he shoots. I know I did when I made 60 in a row, which was then a league record. There isn't any pressure when you have confidence. When your confidence wavers, that's when you start feeling pressure. Pressure only exists if you allow it to exist."

Routine: "All great free-throw shooters have a consistent routine. Basically, they do the same thing every single time they shoot. They program themselves to the point that once the ball is handed to them at the free-throw line, whatever was in their mind goes away. The routine takes over immediately. The entire focus and concentration is on the routine, which has been repeated thousands of times. Having a consistent routine has allowed Jose to put together this outstanding string."

JIM BOONE'S ANNUAL FREE COACHING CLINIC

If we didn't have practice this weekend I travel to this clinic!  Jim Boone is one of the game's best teachers -- it you're in the area you can't pass up this FREE clinic  (send me your notes if you make it).  You will see an excellent teaching of motion offense.  College and high school programs have been traveling to Tusculum to talk to Jim about how he plays his Pack Line Defense.  I guarantee it to be a great clinic.

Featured Speakers:

JIM BOONE Coach Boone’s teams have recorded 397 wins, placing him in the Top 25 among the nation’s winingest NCAA Division II Coaches; while making 7 trips to the NCAA Tournament, including two Final Fours and an incredible NCAA Post Season winning percentage of .750 Coach Boone’s teams in recent years have become among the NCAA’s leaders in Defensive play. Boone’s Pressure Pack Line Defense is a staple in the Boone philosophy of Man to Man Defense and Motion Offense.

MIKE McBRIDE Pioneer Assistant Coach, Mike McBride has become one of the nation’s most respected and admired teachers of Post Play & it’s Development. Coach McBride will show the detailed process by which Pioneer Post Players are taught and developed. His clinic will thoroughly show the drills & teaching points that lead to successful low post play.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
7:00 OPEN PRACTICE PRACTICE & DRILL SESSION

SUNDAY. OCTOBER 17
9:30 REGISTRATION PIONEER ARENA


10:00 SESSION I: PIONEER POST PLAY & DEVELOPMENT
Mike McBride, Tusculum College Assistant Coach

11:30 pm LATE REGISTRATION PIONEER ARENA


COACHES SOCIAL PIZZA & SODA


12:30 SESSION II: PRACTICE & DRILL SESSION


3:00 SESSION III: THE PIONEER PRESSURE PACK LINE DEFENSE
Jim Boone, Tusculum College Head Coach

4:00 SESSION IV: QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD

Additional Clinic Features:
* Over 7 Hours of Basketball Instruction
* Two All Access Tusculum College Practices
* Motivational and Instructional Handouts
* Coaches Social
Plus: Discussions with TC staff and players


Questions: (423) 636-7300 ex: 5644 PO Box 5073
E-Mail: mmcbride@tusculum.edu

ADVICE FOR LEADERS

Via the University of Arizona basketball newsletter:

1. Start small. Going from good to great follows an "S" curve of learning. Starting small means doing something now, something within your control that will have an immediate impact. As small things cumulate, bigger things will happen. A leader should identify some quick, simple, and readily visible things that can be done along the "S" curve path.


2. Excel at something. The worst leaders have an average profile with no great strengths or weaknesses. They are "vanilla" leaders, not standing out on anything. My advice to you as a leader is to figure what you are good at and improve it. Be good at something, then a few things.

3. Remedy fatal flaws. (1) The inability to learn from mistakes and develop new skills; (2) being interpersonally inept; (3) being closed to new ideas; (4) failure to be accountable for results; and (5) not taking initiative. Assess yourself and see how others assess you on these five fatal flaws. If any show up, work on them fast and furiously.

From “The Extraordinary Leader” by John H. Zenger and Joseph Folkman

FIVE QUALITIES OF TOP TEAMS

Mail email newsletter from Brian Tracy today is an excellent one and just in time as we all begin to start our seasons:

Over the years, exhaustive research has been done on top teams. There seem to be given characteristics or qualities of peak-performance teams that you can incorporate into your own business. Here they are:

Shared Goals and Objectives

In a smoothly functioning team, everyone is clear about what the team is expected to accomplish. The goals of the team are shared and discussed by everyone. Each team member gives his or her ideas and input into how the goals and objectives can be best achieved. Each person feels like a part of a larger organization.

Shared Values and Principles

In excellent teams, there is regular discussion about the values, principles, and behaviors that guide the decisions of the team. The leader encourages values such as honesty, openness, punctuality, responsibility for completing assignments, quality work, and so on. Everyone discusses and agrees on what they are.

Shared Plans of Action

In this phase of team building, you go around the table and have each member of the team explain exactly what part of the work he or she is going to accept responsibility for completing. At the end of this discussion, each member knows what every other member is going to be doing and how his or her own work fits in with the work of the team.

Lead the Action

There must always be a clear boss or leader in any organization. Democracy is a fine concept, but it goes only so far in business. Someone must be in command and take charge. And that someone is probably you. On a good team, everyone knows who is in charge. The leader sets an example for the others. The leader becomes the role model.

Continuous Review and Evaluation

In this final phase, the team regularly evaluates its progress from two perspectives. First, is the team getting the results that are expected by its customers or other in the company? In dealing with customers, does the team set up mechanisms to continually ask customers, "how are we doing?"

Bringing the Team Together

One of the most important things you do in building a peak performance organization is to hold regular staff meetings. Bring your people together weekly, at a fixed time, to talk, discuss, catch up on progress, learn how the company is doing, and generally share ideas, opinions, and insights.

Action Exercise

Conduct a values clarification exercise with your entire team. Then mutually agree to live and work by the common values.

Check out: www.BrianTracy.com