First task of a leader

"The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive." ~ Joe Batten

Four Relationships for Successful Teams By Kevin Eastman

Four Relationships for Successful Teams
We have all heard many times over the years that coaching and leadership are about relationships.  As I think back to our fortunate run to the 2008 NBA World Championship and our run to the Finals last year, I can’t help but recall the importance of relationships to our success.
In particular, I want to call to your attention to four important relationships that I feel exist in all successful teams.  For us, all four of these involved a respect by and for both parties, a trust of each other, and also a genuine like for each other.
RELATIONSHIP #1:  Our players liked, respected, and trusted the coaches.
RELATIONSHIP #2:  Our players liked, respected, and trusted each other.
RELATIONSHIP #3:  Our coaching staff liked, respected, and trusted the players.
RELATIONSHIP #4:  Our coaches liked, respected, and trusted the other coaches.
I believe this last one is the one relationship, from a coaching perspective, that doesn't get enough attention.  It's almost never talked about or evaluated, but it can be a real killer of a team’s success.  I know of coaches that backstab each other and are only in it for their own advancement, showing no loyalty to each other.  If this is going on, particularly when you're going through a difficult time, you may be on a crash course with your season. 
As coaches we have to make sure that our relationship is healthy and strong.  The players can sense and see a divided staff.  They can sense and hear a staff that is not loyal to its Head Coach.  Players also are pulled in different directions -- what coach or coaches should they listen to, believe, support?
We were (and are) fortunate in that all four of these relationships were strong.  But it doesn't always just happen.  We invested a lot of time in each of these relationships to make sure they worked.  It definitely takes time to build all of these, but it is time you will be rewarded for in the long run.  For us that reward was the 2008 Championship trophy!
These same strong relationships will enhance any corporate environment as well.  As the African philosophy of "Ubuntu" (which our team has adopted)states: "people are people because of other people."  Whether it's the corporate world, your team, or the Boston Celtics, relationships are a major ingredient to execution, performance, and ultimately...success!

Working your goals

"If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you.
If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us."
— Jim Rohn

Any athletic or academic endeavor takes planning and preparation. I am impressed when I read about coaches and players that do whatever they can to be as prepared as possible for the tasks that are in front of them.

As a parent and coach the message I try to preach is to be ready for your opportunity. You never know when it may come, but be ready. Players last night in the Super Bowl had to make big plays that were not stars or major contributors when the season began.

Due to injuries it was important that they were ready and prepared to play in such a big game. Some of them that played well had been preparing for the moment on the big stage for their entire career.

THE LAW OF THE PRICE TAG

THE LAW OF THE PRICE TAG

• OUR TEAM WILL GET EXACTLY WHAT WE PAY FOR

• SELDOM DO YOU GET MORE THAN WHAT YOU PAY FOR

• SUCCESS WILL NOT COME EASY OR CHEAPER THAN THE PRICE YOU PAY

• EACH TEAM MEMBER MUST DECIDE IN HIS HEART WHETHER THE GOAL IS WORTH THE PRICE HE WILL HAVE TO PAY

• SACRIFICE – BE SURE NO MATTER WHAT YOU EXPECT TO GIVE FOR THE TEAM AT SOME POINT MORE WILL BE ASKED

• THE STRENGTH OF THE TEAM IS IMPACTED BY ITS WEAKEST LINK – IS THAT YOU?

• THE PRICE MUST BE PAID BY EVERYONE – YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE TEAM

• THE PRICE MUST BE PAID ALL THE TIME – THERE ARE NO VICTORIES AT BARGAIN PRICES

• THE PRICE NEVER DECREASES – MOST TEAMS DON’T QUIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN; THEY QUIT HALF-WAY UP

• A TEAM FAILS TO REACH ITS POTENTIAL WHEN IT VIOLATES ONE OR BOTH OF THESE LAWS:

1. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

2. THEY DO UNDERSTAND, BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR IT

IF WE WANT IT, WE ALL MUST BE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT