Pete Maravich Assembly Center
Monday, November 26, 2012
No vision and you perish
"No vision and you perish; No Ideal, and you're lost; Your heart must ever cherish Some faith at any cost. Some hope, some dream to cling to, Some rainbow in the sky, Some melody to sing to, Some service that is high." ~ Harriet Du Autermont
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Quote by Chris Speilman on Coach Urban Meyer
"With all passionate people who love what they do, it can consume you," Spielman said. "One thing I've learned is that whatever it is, either you control it or it controls you. One of two things are going to happen. It will never stop trying to control you. It will always try.
Our egos sometimes don't let us put things in their proper place. I learned a very valuable lesson from my late wife after an NFL game. She told me, 'I've never seen somebody who is living their dream, so miserable.' It humbled me."
Our egos sometimes don't let us put things in their proper place. I learned a very valuable lesson from my late wife after an NFL game. She told me, 'I've never seen somebody who is living their dream, so miserable.' It humbled me."
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Secrets to becoming a powerful communicator
by Brian Tracy
Did you know that your ability
to communicate effectively with others will do more to make you successful than
any other skill that you can develop?
Nearly 85% of what you
accomplish in your career and in your personal life will be determined by how
well you can get your message across, how capable you are of inspiring other
people to take action on your ideas and recommendations.
Once you’re able to master the
skill of powerful communication, you’ll be living a life full of unlimited
happiness. Imagine being able to express yourself openly and honestly to the
degree in which others are influenced to do something because of what you have
to say and HOW you say it.
Even if you are limited in
education, experience or intelligence, being able to communicate effectively
with others is the most powerful, un-limiting success tool you could ever have.
Nearly 99% of all of the difficulties
between human beings, and within organizations are caused by breakdowns in the
communication process. Either people do not say what they mean clearly enough,
or other people do not receive the message that was sent in the form in which
it was intended.
The good news is that
effective communication is a learned skill.
THE 3 ELEMENTS OF DIRECT
COMMUNICATION
According to Albert Mehrabian
of UCLA, there are 3 elements in any direct, face-to-face communication. They
are the elements of words, tone of voice, and body language.
1. The Elements of Words
Words only account for 7 % of any message. For an effective communication to take place, of course, all three parts of the message must be congruent and consistent with each other. If there isn’t any congruency, the receiver will be confused and will have a tendency to accept the predominant form of communication rather than the literal meaning or words.
Words only account for 7 % of any message. For an effective communication to take place, of course, all three parts of the message must be congruent and consistent with each other. If there isn’t any congruency, the receiver will be confused and will have a tendency to accept the predominant form of communication rather than the literal meaning or words.
2. Emphasis and Tone
The emphasis and tone have the power to completely change the message that is being communicated. Often, you will say something to a person and they may become offended. When you express that the words you used were intended to be inoffensive, the other person will tell you that it was your tone of voice that was the issue.
The emphasis and tone have the power to completely change the message that is being communicated. Often, you will say something to a person and they may become offended. When you express that the words you used were intended to be inoffensive, the other person will tell you that it was your tone of voice that was the issue.
3. Body Language
You can dramatically increase the effect of your communication by leaning toward the speaker or shifting your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. If you can face the person directly and give them direct eye contact, combined with fully-focused attention, you double the impact of what you’re saying.
You can dramatically increase the effect of your communication by leaning toward the speaker or shifting your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. If you can face the person directly and give them direct eye contact, combined with fully-focused attention, you double the impact of what you’re saying.
The more you can coordinate all 3 of these ingredients, the more impactful your message will be and the greater likelihood that the other person both understands and reacts the way you want them to.
The most important part of good
communication is clarity. When you ask or say something clearly and then wait
calmly and patiently for a complete answer, you will be amazed at how much more
quickly the process of sending and receiving takes place.
The very best communicators are
those who are the very best at asking for the things they want.
They ask questions to uncover
the real needs and concerns of the other person. They ask questions to
illuminate objections and problems that the other person might have with what
they’re suggesting.
When you seek first to
understand, by asking questions and listening carefully to the answers, and by
presenting your viewpoint and your requests in such a way that they are
consistent with the interests of the other person, you’ll become much more
effective in getting the other person to act in a way that will be beneficial
to both of you.
Monday, November 19, 2012
by Brian Tracy
by Brian Tracy
There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and
pessimists.
• The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as temporary,
while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call
that fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time
and that has no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the
other hand, sees negative events as permanent, as part of life and
destiny.
• The second difference between the optimist and the pessimist is
that the optimist sees difficulties as specific, while the pessimist
sees them as pervasive. This means that when things go wrong for
the optimist, he looks at the event as an isolated incident largely
disconnected from other things that are going on in his life.
• The third difference between optimists and pessimists is that optimists see events as external, while pessimists interpret events as
personal. When things go wrong, the optimist will tend to see the
setback as resulting from external factors over which one has little
control.
We are a program of optimists.
We see setbacks as temporary.
We see difficulties as isolated incidents and are disconnected
from the rest of our life.
When things go wrong we see events as external over which we
have little control.
There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and
pessimists.
• The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as temporary,
while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call
that fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time
and that has no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the
other hand, sees negative events as permanent, as part of life and
destiny.
• The second difference between the optimist and the pessimist is
that the optimist sees difficulties as specific, while the pessimist
sees them as pervasive. This means that when things go wrong for
the optimist, he looks at the event as an isolated incident largely
disconnected from other things that are going on in his life.
• The third difference between optimists and pessimists is that optimists see events as external, while pessimists interpret events as
personal. When things go wrong, the optimist will tend to see the
setback as resulting from external factors over which one has little
control.
We are a program of optimists.
We see setbacks as temporary.
We see difficulties as isolated incidents and are disconnected
from the rest of our life.
When things go wrong we see events as external over which we
have little control.
Monday, October 8, 2012
May there be peace within
May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Things to work on during practice
• Practice your warm up routine.
Know exactly what you want to happen during your team's warm-ups. What drills prepare the team to be ready for the game?
Game shots, ball handling, defensive drills and passing.
I like to watch teams warm-up to pick up new ideas.
Depending on the level the warm-up time will vary. You may get 20 minutes or you may get 10 minutes.
Know how long each part of your routine will take (i.e.): Defensive Slides 2 minutes Ball handling- 2 minutes.
• Practice time-outs
Where do you want your players to sit once they come over? Do you want your point guard in the middle?
Make sure all coaches and players know their role during a timeout.
Assistant Coach needs to watch for substitution from the other team. Also, it is a good time for an assistant to double check fouls for both teams and timeouts remaining.
Always be ready to come out after the first whistle. You get burned once having your team come out too late or see an opponent get burned and you will keep it in the back of your mind.
Teach team to hustle over once timeout called. Also, once timeout is over, reinforce with players to know their matchups. Reinforce what is coming up in the next possession (whether defense or offense). The more you practice your communication it will help in late game situations.
• Practice subbing in and out the game.
Have a set routine once a player checks into the game.
Communicate with player being subbed out and know matchup. Also, get across how a player is to leave the floor.
Not pouting and worried about minutes. Come out, get water and ready to receive instruction. Going to the end of the bench is not the best option once coming out of the game.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Ideas for better practices (updated)
· Communicate with each player before practice starts.
Depending on your school and how the campus is designed it may not be easy to
see your players before practice. I began to notice that often my first interaction with a
player might be 15-30 minutes into practice. Shouting instruction or making them move quicker in a drill may have been the first time I spoke to the
player on the particular day. So, I made a conscious effort to go by each guy before
practice. It may have been something quick. I might ask how they were doing, a
fist pump or just pat on the back. Daily I made sure to make eye
contact or have an interaction before practice started.
· Have shooting drills going game speed and in game like
situations daily. Where will they get shots in the offense? What cut do they
need to make before getting open? Spend time on improving footwork going game
speed.
· Every pass is an important pass. Whether it is in warmups,
practice or a game every pass is important. The lazy pass made in practice will
hurt in a game.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Richard Branson on networking and thinking big
Good advice for teachers and coaches on helping others.
Richard Branson on Thinking Big
Once you’re a successful business leader, it’s time to start championing undiscovered talent yourself. I get a real sense of pleasure from seeing talented people realize their ambitions and grow professionally and personally. As I’ve learned, in the process you can gain new insights and discover fresh approaches to doing business by simply discussing how things work. After all, continuing to network means continuing to grow
Richard Branson on Thinking Big
Once you’re a successful business leader, it’s time to start championing undiscovered talent yourself. I get a real sense of pleasure from seeing talented people realize their ambitions and grow professionally and personally. As I’ve learned, in the process you can gain new insights and discover fresh approaches to doing business by simply discussing how things work. After all, continuing to network means continuing to grow
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
3 ways to have better practices
1. Make it a priority. Grading papers, scouting reports, recruiting-whatever. Your practice
has to be a priority. Plan well and have energy. You get your kids for a short amount of time-make the most of it for the sake of your team. Coaches must provide energy and show players the meaning of practicing with an all out effort.
2. Individual attention/Individual skill work as well as defensive breakdown drills have to be the best part of your practice. Meaning your players must give their best effort in this part of practice. If they go hard in those drills they will go hard in the other drills and scrimmage. If they don't go hard in skill drills and defensive breakdown drills they won't go hard in other drills.
3. Make the most of every minute. Err on the side of having your practice shorter rather than keep the team longer than necessary. You have a long season. Teach what you know.
Hubie Brown believed in going no longer than an hour and half for practice.
Try these ideas this year.
has to be a priority. Plan well and have energy. You get your kids for a short amount of time-make the most of it for the sake of your team. Coaches must provide energy and show players the meaning of practicing with an all out effort.
2. Individual attention/Individual skill work as well as defensive breakdown drills have to be the best part of your practice. Meaning your players must give their best effort in this part of practice. If they go hard in those drills they will go hard in the other drills and scrimmage. If they don't go hard in skill drills and defensive breakdown drills they won't go hard in other drills.
3. Make the most of every minute. Err on the side of having your practice shorter rather than keep the team longer than necessary. You have a long season. Teach what you know.
Hubie Brown believed in going no longer than an hour and half for practice.
Try these ideas this year.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Letter from Joe White
Today as I write, I’m flying to Nashville for Michael W. Smith’s daughter’s wedding. Michael and Debbie Smith have been so faithful to Kanakuk over the last 25 years. He lives his hit song, “Friends are Friends Forever.”
On this flight, I’m randomly sitting next to two Kamp parents and now Kamp grandparents reminiscing about their two and a half decade relationship with Kanakuk and the great stories of Kamp’s influence in their children's and grandchildren’s lives. We began to talk about what kind of parenting skills have the best shot at producing kids with hearts for family, hearts for God, and hearts for biblical moral values.
I’ve had this conversation with countless parents over the years and I have found a few common denominators that are worth sharing and dwelling on today.
“Giving God the Glory”
The moms and dads of good kids are always quick to give God the glory for the goodness in their kids’ hearts. I can’t remember one parent conversation in forty years where the parents took the credit for the “success” in raising Godly kids. Good parents are humble people! They are people like you and me who are committed to prayer, family Bible study and bedtime and breakfast devotionals knowing that it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” that sustains kids with Christian character.
“The Firm Voice of Discipline”
The Decker family (seated next to me today) joined the chorus of hundreds of other families I’ve encountered by reiterating the need for crystal clear boundaries….curfews…standards for friends…standards for media consumption…standards and expectations for social outings. Hebrews 12:11 whole heartedly endorses a home and a parenting style that includes the firm, dependable hand of discipline.
The fun side of a well-disciplined home is that the soil of these children’s hearts is fertile for the production of the fruit of righteousness! The disciplined heart receives biblical guidance and appreciates words of encouragement and affirmation. A happy child, simply put, is a child who knows that God is firmly in charge, mom and dad are clearly the authority in the home, and parents are that child’s biggest fans.
“Over Encouraged”
I recently spoke frankly to the sons at the Kanakuk Father-Son retreat on the subject of “Some People Read Stories; Some People Make Stories.” I soberly reminded the boys that no good coach wants a player who thinks he is the center of the world because his parents have convinced him that he can do no wrong. Kids of entitlement who expect a coach or parent to always give them what they want, make a place for them on the starting team, or praise them for halfhearted effort will never amount to much. The only success they’ll ever know is a trumped up slogan on a Nike t-shirt with self-proclaimed grandeur.
But, if a child puts forth great effort and displays a positive attitude or accomplishes a noble goal, somebody needs to notice it and appreciate it verbally. My wise older mentor, Jack Herschend, told me once that it only takes 20 minutes to teach a pigeon to bowl! “You give him one kernel of corn when he gets near the ball and two kernels of corn every time he touches the ball.”
Productive encouragement needs to be specific. Everyday catch your child in the act of doing something good and tell him/her about it!
“Atta Boy,” “Way to go,” “Super Job,” “That’s amazing,” “I like that,” “Yeah baby,” “That’s what I’m talking about,” are but a handful of phrases that need to always reside on the top of your tongue ready to launch when a specific moment of great effort or great attitude is displayed by a child (of any age!)
But, when encouragement is just pointless chatter or ill deserved, it will build a false sense of self-centeredness or useless entitlement.
“Criticism and Sarcasm Kills The Heart Of A Child”
Furthermore, criticism and sarcasm kills a child’s heart and creates deaf ears to beneficial reception of words of encouragement. While coaching and teaching are not only good but also a parent’s job, harsh criticism and words of sarcasm will destroy the relationship and drown out any words of affirmation quicker than a spring flood.
When I coach the teen Kampers of K-2 football each summer day (my favorite job) my goal and the goal I communicate to these wonderful college players on our staff is to let every boy hear his name with something good attached to it at least 10 times a day. We don’t win most of our scrimmages with Kids Across America because we have better talent. We win because we encourage our kids’ socks off. We expect their greatest effort, we encourage their best effort, and we receive their best effort. Our kids know we love them win or lose. Our kids know we value them. Our kids know we’re crazy about them from the least athletic to the most skilled.
Encouragement, affirmation and appreciation are like gravity to a successful team or a successful home. When applied consistently, specifically and personally, hope prevails even during a child’s most difficult season of life.
Thank you for letting me and our team of summertime coaches be an encouragement to your precious kids! We so love what we do. Our days of summer are the greatest days of our life.
Together for your kids,
Joe White
P.S. Debbie Jo knocked me out recently with this luscious dessert for chocolate lovers!
Nutella Gooey Butter Cake:
Cake: 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package devil's food cake mix, 1 egg, 8 tablespoons butter (melted)
Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (softened), 1 cup Nutella, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 8 tablespoons butter (melted), 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread Nutella mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Chocolate Sauce: 1 stick butter, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter & cocoa powder in sauce pan. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk. Thin with additional milk if needed. Take off burner & add vanilla.
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Monday, September 24, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Thankful in life
A couple
of years ago a friend of mine help change the way I thought about my job. He
was an assistant coach and was interviewing for a head coaching job. He stated if he got this job he was going to
treat it as if it was the best job in the country.
I recall
the conversation and how he changed my way of thinking. To treat your job,
family, living situation, etc. as top notch it helps reorient your thinking of
how we approach everyday life.
I’m
obsessive and can allow my mind to sidetrack.
I tend to think as well as focus on things that are not of importance.
If I change that thinking and move it toward a positive twist it helps me
tremendously.
Here,
are some simple steps to help get your thinking in the right direction.
1.
Understand your talents and limitations. Be thankful that you are in a place
that utilizes your talents and hides your weaknesses. If is not occurring, then
change things fast. Find a way to maximize your gifts and abilities.
You may
have to remind yourself how your talents correspond with your occupation. You
may have to remind yourself that you are not in a job that is boring and in a
work environment that is uncomfortable.
2. Treat
your life as if it matters to others. "What you think about, you bring
about." You have the ability to inspire others and make a difference in
someone's life each day. Whether you choose to make that impact, is your
decision; not the decision of someone else.
3. Look
across the street, on the other side of the fence, or in the house next door.
Some people do not like to think this way, but I believe that each us has it
better than someone else. Daily we see people hurting. This occurs either in everyday
interactions or reading the newspaper, watching tv or on the internet.
Will you
choose to treat your job as the best in the country? Your life as the best?
As a
father of 5 kids, my life is on the go and moving in a lot of different
directions. My wife and kids can't afford for me to be down. They need to be
there for them. I have wallowed in pity for different segments of my life. I
have also treated days as if they were going to be great. The latter is much
more enjoyable.
How one
treats their job is vital to happiness. In the coaching profession, each coach
has items to complain about on a daily basis. There is also the ability to look
past the shortcomings and see the positive.
Reading
the book on Coach Bob Hurley, Sr. ("The Miracle of St. Anthony" by Adrian
Wojnarowski) I realized he built a national power at the high school level
without the use of his own gym. It made an impression so I decided not to
complain and work with what I did have without worrying about what I didn't
have.
Whether
it was the gym roof leaking, the gym roof falling in, lack the financial
resources or any other problems I have encountered in my coaching career I have
tried to my best not to let those situations bring me down. It made me realize
the people I was around were there for a reason. I was determined to make the
most of my chance with players and people. Sure, I sometimes fail miserably, but
I am aware and keep trying. Over the course of time, I have found positive
beats negative any day.
“Our deepest fear is not that we
are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is
our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I
to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to
be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There
is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure
around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make
manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's
in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other
people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our
presence automatically liberates others.”
-Marianne
Williamson
Monday, August 27, 2012
Coach Meyer leadership conference
http://business.greaterjacksonpartnership.com/Events/details/coach-don-meyer-leadership-tour-485
If you are in the Jackson, MS area and can make it out to see Coach Meyer I encourage you to do so.
Great concept and new stuff from Coach Meyer.
If you are in the Jackson, MS area and can make it out to see Coach Meyer I encourage you to do so.
Great concept and new stuff from Coach Meyer.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Moving in day in Baton Rouge
Moving in day in Baton Rouge for the family. It's been a long summer without them here.
Thank you Lord for blessing us and giving us protection.
Thank you Lord for blessing us and giving us protection.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
factor is attitude
"Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude."~ Timothy Bentley ~
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Two lists to at each morning.
http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2009/05/two-lists-you-should-look-at-e.html
HBR Blog Network
I was late for my meeting with the CEO of a technology company and I was emailing him from my iPhone as I walked onto the elevator in his company's office building. I stayed focused on the screen as I rode to the sixth floor. I was still typing with my thumbs when the elevator doors opened and I walked out without looking up. Then I heard a voice behind me, "Wrong floor." I looked back at the man who was holding the door open for me to get back in; it was the CEO, a big smile on his face. He had been in the elevator with me the whole time. "Busted," he said.
The world is moving fast and it's only getting faster. So much technology. So much information. So much to understand, to think about, to react to. A friend of mine recently took a new job as the head of learning and development at a mid-sized investment bank. When she came to work her first day on the job she turned on her computer, logged in with the password they had given her, and found 385 messages already waiting for her.
So we try to speed up to match the pace of the action around us. We stay up until 3 am trying to answer all our emails. We twitter, we facebook, and we link-in. We scan news websites wanting to make sure we stay up to date on the latest updates. And we salivate each time we hear the beep or vibration of a new text message.
But that's a mistake. The speed with which information hurtles towards us is unavoidable (and it's getting worse). But trying to catch it all is counterproductive. The faster the waves come, the more deliberately we need to navigate. Otherwise we'll get tossed around like so many particles of sand, scattered to oblivion. Never before has it been so important to be grounded and intentional and to know what's important.
Never before has it been so important to say "No." No, I'm not going to read that article. No, I'm not going to read that email. No, I'm not going to take that phone call. No, I'm not going to sit through that meeting.
It's hard to do because maybe, just maybe, that next piece of information will be the key to our success. But our success actually hinges on the opposite: on our willingness to risk missing some information. Because trying to focus on it all is a risk in itself. We'll exhaust ourselves. We'll get confused, nervous, and irritable. And we'll miss the CEO standing next to us in the elevator.
A study of car accidents by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute put cameras in cars to see what happens right before an accident. They found that in 80% of crashes the driver was distracted during the three seconds preceding the incident. In other words, they lost focus — dialed their cell phones, changed the station on the radio, took a bite of a sandwich, maybe checked a text — and didn't notice that something changed in the world around them. Then they crashed.
The world is changing fast and if we don't stay focused on the road ahead, resisting the distractions that, while tempting, are, well, distracting, then we increase the chances of a crash.
Now is a good time to pause, prioritize, and focus. Make two lists:
List 1: Your Focus List (the road ahead)
What are you trying to achieve? What makes you happy? What's important to you? Design your time around those things. Because time is your one limited resource and no matter how hard you try you can't work 25/8.
List 2: Your Ignore List (the distractions)
To succeed in using your time wisely, you have to ask the equally important but often avoided complementary questions: what are you willing not to achieve? What doesn't make you happy? What's not important to you? What gets in the way?
Some people already have the first list. Very few have the second. But given how easily we get distracted and how many distractions we have these days, the second is more important than ever. The leaders who will continue to thrive in the future know the answers to these questions and each time there's a demand on their attention they ask whether it will further their focus or dilute it.
Which means you shouldn't create these lists once and then put them in a drawer. These two lists are your map for each day. Review them each morning, along with your calendar, and ask: what's the plan for today? Where will I spend my time? How will it further my focus? How might I get distracted? Then find the courage to follow through, make choices, and maybe disappoint a few people.
After the CEO busted me in the elevator, he told me about the meeting he had just come from. It was a gathering of all the finalists, of which he was one, for the title of Entrepreneur of the Year. This was an important meeting for him — as it was for everyone who aspired to the title (the judges were all in attendance) — and before he entered he had made two explicit decisions: 1. To focus on the meeting itself and 2. Not to check his BlackBerry.
What amazed him was that he was the only one not glued to a mobile device. Were all the other CEOs not interested in the title? Were their businesses so dependent on them that they couldn't be away for one hour? Is either of those a smart thing to communicate to the judges?
There was only one thing that was most important in that hour and there was only one CEO whose behavior reflected that importance, who knew where to focus and what to ignore. Whether or not he eventually wins the title, he's already winning the game.
HBR Blog Network
I was late for my meeting with the CEO of a technology company and I was emailing him from my iPhone as I walked onto the elevator in his company's office building. I stayed focused on the screen as I rode to the sixth floor. I was still typing with my thumbs when the elevator doors opened and I walked out without looking up. Then I heard a voice behind me, "Wrong floor." I looked back at the man who was holding the door open for me to get back in; it was the CEO, a big smile on his face. He had been in the elevator with me the whole time. "Busted," he said.
The world is moving fast and it's only getting faster. So much technology. So much information. So much to understand, to think about, to react to. A friend of mine recently took a new job as the head of learning and development at a mid-sized investment bank. When she came to work her first day on the job she turned on her computer, logged in with the password they had given her, and found 385 messages already waiting for her.
So we try to speed up to match the pace of the action around us. We stay up until 3 am trying to answer all our emails. We twitter, we facebook, and we link-in. We scan news websites wanting to make sure we stay up to date on the latest updates. And we salivate each time we hear the beep or vibration of a new text message.
But that's a mistake. The speed with which information hurtles towards us is unavoidable (and it's getting worse). But trying to catch it all is counterproductive. The faster the waves come, the more deliberately we need to navigate. Otherwise we'll get tossed around like so many particles of sand, scattered to oblivion. Never before has it been so important to be grounded and intentional and to know what's important.
Never before has it been so important to say "No." No, I'm not going to read that article. No, I'm not going to read that email. No, I'm not going to take that phone call. No, I'm not going to sit through that meeting.
It's hard to do because maybe, just maybe, that next piece of information will be the key to our success. But our success actually hinges on the opposite: on our willingness to risk missing some information. Because trying to focus on it all is a risk in itself. We'll exhaust ourselves. We'll get confused, nervous, and irritable. And we'll miss the CEO standing next to us in the elevator.
A study of car accidents by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute put cameras in cars to see what happens right before an accident. They found that in 80% of crashes the driver was distracted during the three seconds preceding the incident. In other words, they lost focus — dialed their cell phones, changed the station on the radio, took a bite of a sandwich, maybe checked a text — and didn't notice that something changed in the world around them. Then they crashed.
The world is changing fast and if we don't stay focused on the road ahead, resisting the distractions that, while tempting, are, well, distracting, then we increase the chances of a crash.
Now is a good time to pause, prioritize, and focus. Make two lists:
List 1: Your Focus List (the road ahead)
What are you trying to achieve? What makes you happy? What's important to you? Design your time around those things. Because time is your one limited resource and no matter how hard you try you can't work 25/8.
List 2: Your Ignore List (the distractions)
To succeed in using your time wisely, you have to ask the equally important but often avoided complementary questions: what are you willing not to achieve? What doesn't make you happy? What's not important to you? What gets in the way?
Some people already have the first list. Very few have the second. But given how easily we get distracted and how many distractions we have these days, the second is more important than ever. The leaders who will continue to thrive in the future know the answers to these questions and each time there's a demand on their attention they ask whether it will further their focus or dilute it.
Which means you shouldn't create these lists once and then put them in a drawer. These two lists are your map for each day. Review them each morning, along with your calendar, and ask: what's the plan for today? Where will I spend my time? How will it further my focus? How might I get distracted? Then find the courage to follow through, make choices, and maybe disappoint a few people.
After the CEO busted me in the elevator, he told me about the meeting he had just come from. It was a gathering of all the finalists, of which he was one, for the title of Entrepreneur of the Year. This was an important meeting for him — as it was for everyone who aspired to the title (the judges were all in attendance) — and before he entered he had made two explicit decisions: 1. To focus on the meeting itself and 2. Not to check his BlackBerry.
What amazed him was that he was the only one not glued to a mobile device. Were all the other CEOs not interested in the title? Were their businesses so dependent on them that they couldn't be away for one hour? Is either of those a smart thing to communicate to the judges?
There was only one thing that was most important in that hour and there was only one CEO whose behavior reflected that importance, who knew where to focus and what to ignore. Whether or not he eventually wins the title, he's already winning the game.
Coach Calipari and being a servant leader
The world is in a desperate need of a different leadership role model. Everyone has seen the effects of self-serving leaders in every aspect of our society. What we need today are leaders who are servant leaders.
When people hear the phrase servant leadership, they are often confused. They immediately conjure up thoughts of the inmates running the prison, or trying to please everyone. Others think servant leadership is only for church leaders. The problem is that they don’t understand leadership. They think you can’t lead and serve at the same time. From my experience, not only is it possible, it’s the only way over the long run to get great performance and human satisfaction. To prove my point, I’m always looking for good servant leader examples.
As an ex-basketball player and coach, I love March Madness and the NCAA basketball run. This year was especially sweet with Coach John Calipari leading his Kentucky Wildcats to the National Championship. I have known Cal since his coaching days at the University of Massachusetts. He considers me part of his “kitchen cabinet.” What I admire most about Cal is that he is a classic servant leader. He proves season after season that you can lead and serve at the same time if you understand the three aspects of servant leadership: the servant, the steward, and the shepherd.
As a servant, Coach Cal realizes that leadership is not about him; it’s about the people he is serving. When asked how he felt about winning the championship, Cal was quick to say, “This is not about me. This is about these thirteen players. This is about the Big Blue Nation.” He always focuses on the kids and the fans who support the Wildcats.
As a steward, Coach Cal knows that he doesn’t own these kids—they are “on loan” to him to nurture, support, and help develop. Some people criticize him because a number of his players are “one and done”—they leave after their Freshman year and go straight into professional basketball. Last year, four members of his team were drafted in the first round and this year there likely will be two. He is pushing the NBA to not draft any college players until they have completed a minimum of two years of college. Whatever Coach Cal does, though, it’s all about his kids and what’s best for them and their families. If he feels a player such as Terrence Jones is not ready for the pros after one year, he encourages the player to stay—which is what Terrence did. The Terrence Jones who played in the Final Four this year was very different from the Terrence Jones who played last year. Coach Cal does whatever he can to help each player develop to his own highest level of performance.
As a shepherd, Coach Cal thinks every one of his players is important. This year’s team had six players who averaged 25 points or better in high school—in other words, they were all stars. The great gift that Coach Cal has is to get them to subvert their ego and realize that “none of us is as smart as all of us.” Different players in every game stepped up when they needed to. Anthony Davis, who was chosen the most outstanding player in the NCAA Final Four tournament as well as being the recipient of several National Player of the Year awards, realized the importance of everyone as well. When he was interviewed after the game about what a great game he had played even though he only scored six points, he said, “Well, it’s not me. It’s these guys behind me. They led us this whole tournament. This whole game, I was struggling offensively, and I told my team, ‘Every time down, you all score the ball; I’m just going to defend and rebound.’” What a great example of everyone depending on each other.
Just think of these young people, who have learned to recognize that:
As servants, life is not about them but about those whom they serve;
As stewards, they don’t own anything—everything is on loan and they need to nurture and support what is given to them; and
As shepherds, every human being is important.
These are life lessons, whether they stay in college one year, two years, or four years.
As Reid Cherner recently said in USA Today, “John Calipari persuaded teenagers to put others first, play unselfishly, and believe the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Every parent of a teen has to be in slack-jawed awe of that.”
Does servant leadership work? You bet it does—and Coach John Calipari proves it. The result is great performance along with great human satisfaction. Not a bad outcome for a servant leader.
When people hear the phrase servant leadership, they are often confused. They immediately conjure up thoughts of the inmates running the prison, or trying to please everyone. Others think servant leadership is only for church leaders. The problem is that they don’t understand leadership. They think you can’t lead and serve at the same time. From my experience, not only is it possible, it’s the only way over the long run to get great performance and human satisfaction. To prove my point, I’m always looking for good servant leader examples.
As an ex-basketball player and coach, I love March Madness and the NCAA basketball run. This year was especially sweet with Coach John Calipari leading his Kentucky Wildcats to the National Championship. I have known Cal since his coaching days at the University of Massachusetts. He considers me part of his “kitchen cabinet.” What I admire most about Cal is that he is a classic servant leader. He proves season after season that you can lead and serve at the same time if you understand the three aspects of servant leadership: the servant, the steward, and the shepherd.
As a servant, Coach Cal realizes that leadership is not about him; it’s about the people he is serving. When asked how he felt about winning the championship, Cal was quick to say, “This is not about me. This is about these thirteen players. This is about the Big Blue Nation.” He always focuses on the kids and the fans who support the Wildcats.
As a steward, Coach Cal knows that he doesn’t own these kids—they are “on loan” to him to nurture, support, and help develop. Some people criticize him because a number of his players are “one and done”—they leave after their Freshman year and go straight into professional basketball. Last year, four members of his team were drafted in the first round and this year there likely will be two. He is pushing the NBA to not draft any college players until they have completed a minimum of two years of college. Whatever Coach Cal does, though, it’s all about his kids and what’s best for them and their families. If he feels a player such as Terrence Jones is not ready for the pros after one year, he encourages the player to stay—which is what Terrence did. The Terrence Jones who played in the Final Four this year was very different from the Terrence Jones who played last year. Coach Cal does whatever he can to help each player develop to his own highest level of performance.
As a shepherd, Coach Cal thinks every one of his players is important. This year’s team had six players who averaged 25 points or better in high school—in other words, they were all stars. The great gift that Coach Cal has is to get them to subvert their ego and realize that “none of us is as smart as all of us.” Different players in every game stepped up when they needed to. Anthony Davis, who was chosen the most outstanding player in the NCAA Final Four tournament as well as being the recipient of several National Player of the Year awards, realized the importance of everyone as well. When he was interviewed after the game about what a great game he had played even though he only scored six points, he said, “Well, it’s not me. It’s these guys behind me. They led us this whole tournament. This whole game, I was struggling offensively, and I told my team, ‘Every time down, you all score the ball; I’m just going to defend and rebound.’” What a great example of everyone depending on each other.
Just think of these young people, who have learned to recognize that:
As servants, life is not about them but about those whom they serve;
As stewards, they don’t own anything—everything is on loan and they need to nurture and support what is given to them; and
As shepherds, every human being is important.
These are life lessons, whether they stay in college one year, two years, or four years.
As Reid Cherner recently said in USA Today, “John Calipari persuaded teenagers to put others first, play unselfishly, and believe the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Every parent of a teen has to be in slack-jawed awe of that.”
Does servant leadership work? You bet it does—and Coach John Calipari proves it. The result is great performance along with great human satisfaction. Not a bad outcome for a servant leader.
Don't let others determine your value
http://www.skipprichard.com/dont-let-others-determine-your-value/
Friday, March 30, 2012
How to play in college
As a coach, I frequently get the question, "How can I play in college?" and "what does it take to play at the college level."
I will post blogs answering the question. In addition, there will be posts answering on the topics:
"How to be successful as a college player" and "How to be successful in life."
First and foremost (more important that skill) is desire. How bad do you want to play at the college level? If it is important, it can happen with investments of time and effort.
You do need the ability to play, but you must have the desire. It has no price tag. It's the important ingredient. Coaches will say it is hard to teach desire.
There are enough places to play that if you are good enough and are willing to go anywhere you can find a place to play at the college level.
A frequent problem is players think they have to be a big time school to get the feel of playing in college. There are thousands of players that played at smaller schools and will say it was the best experience of their lives.
It is your career. It is not someone else's to try and live through you.
Having desire means I will work and pay whatever the price is I have to pay. Nothing will keep me from my goal. I will think about the goal every day.
I talked to a college coach last night who has a former player now playing in the NBA. I asked if he thought the kid would make it at that level. The player is small by NBA standards, and most scouts thought he was not good enough to make the jump to the next level.
The coach told me, "I would have never bet against him making it in the NBA". I asked "why?" The coach pointed to his heart. "The kid has too much heart not to make it. “ The player we were discussing is now starting in the NBA.
As coaches, we talk about not being able to teach "heart and desire". It has to come from the player. If they have desire, they can be taught fundamentals and skills to improve each year.
I will post blogs answering the question. In addition, there will be posts answering on the topics:
"How to be successful as a college player" and "How to be successful in life."
First and foremost (more important that skill) is desire. How bad do you want to play at the college level? If it is important, it can happen with investments of time and effort.
You do need the ability to play, but you must have the desire. It has no price tag. It's the important ingredient. Coaches will say it is hard to teach desire.
There are enough places to play that if you are good enough and are willing to go anywhere you can find a place to play at the college level.
A frequent problem is players think they have to be a big time school to get the feel of playing in college. There are thousands of players that played at smaller schools and will say it was the best experience of their lives.
It is your career. It is not someone else's to try and live through you.
Having desire means I will work and pay whatever the price is I have to pay. Nothing will keep me from my goal. I will think about the goal every day.
I talked to a college coach last night who has a former player now playing in the NBA. I asked if he thought the kid would make it at that level. The player is small by NBA standards, and most scouts thought he was not good enough to make the jump to the next level.
The coach told me, "I would have never bet against him making it in the NBA". I asked "why?" The coach pointed to his heart. "The kid has too much heart not to make it. “ The player we were discussing is now starting in the NBA.
As coaches, we talk about not being able to teach "heart and desire". It has to come from the player. If they have desire, they can be taught fundamentals and skills to improve each year.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Life quote by Chuck Noll
Former NFL coach Chuck Noll as quoted in article by #PeterKing "When you're making an important life decision, make sure it's without regard to money, title or position. Make sure it's about who you're going to be working with and how much you'll enjoy being there."
Touché
- Posted using BlogPress
Touché
- Posted using BlogPress
Monday, March 26, 2012
Story by one the best
Great writer with good story http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=7736293
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Living in the Bluegrass state for three years I know what this game means
Article on the up coming matchup
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/25/2126132/john-clay-uk-and-u-of-l-in-the.html
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/25/2126132/john-clay-uk-and-u-of-l-in-the.html
Calipari has to win to prove he is a winner
Article in Calipari and one and done: http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/25/caliparis-success-xxxxy-xx-gh-hg-g-hgh-gh-xxx/
BrianTracy
@coachkelsey: Reading Brian Tracy and his stuff for a while. usually is right on point. Great article for head coaches and future jc http://t.co/dmCinoD4
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Win or lose
This was from a post by Coach Gary Colson
WIN OR LOSE
Only one team wins the Super Bowl.
For each player on the NY Giants going to Disney World after the game there is a player on the New England Patriots going home disappointed without the joy of victory.
It's a lot like life.
Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.
Sometimes we win the account, the game, the job promotion, the award and sometimes we lose the very thing we want most.
Winning matters. Losing matters. But in life what matters most is what we do with our wins and losses.
When we win do we become complacent or stay humble and hungry?
People often say that success breeds success but often it breeds complacency. After a win people think they can just show up and achieve the same result, forgetting the effort, determination and mindset it took to achieve the win.
To continue winning it's essential to turn the euphoria of winning into a fire of burning desire that fuels your continuous improvement, passion, and quest for excellence.
Even more important than what we do after our wins is how we respond to our losses.
Do we give up or come back stronger?
Do we allow the loss to act like a cancer that eats away at us for the rest of our life or do we turn it into a learning opportunity that leads to our healthy growth?
I certainly know what it feels like to lose. I've lost many arguments with my wife. : ) The Energy Bus was rejected by the first 30 publishers. As a sales person years ago I lost as many accounts as I won. I lost too many games as a Lacrosse player at Cornell and now I watch my children lose tennis matches and lacrosse games.
Everyone loses but the key is to make the loss stand for something and in my family LOSS now stands for:
LOSS (Learning Opportunity, Stay Strong)
When we lose we ask what we can learn from this loss and how we can improve because of it. Then we stay strong and work harder to come back and try to win.
This leads to more wins in the future...and also eventually more loses...and more learning opportunities and opportunities to stay strong and develop our character.
Through this process of winning and losing we learn the greatest lesson of all:
No matter how hard we work and how much we improve there will be times when we experience the worst of defeats instead of the greatest of victories. But ultimately life is about more than winning or losing. It’s about the lessons we learn, the character and strength we build and the people we become along the way.
Whether we win the Super Bowl or not, when we realize this we will surely be a winner in the game of life!
WIN OR LOSE
Only one team wins the Super Bowl.
For each player on the NY Giants going to Disney World after the game there is a player on the New England Patriots going home disappointed without the joy of victory.
It's a lot like life.
Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.
Sometimes we win the account, the game, the job promotion, the award and sometimes we lose the very thing we want most.
Winning matters. Losing matters. But in life what matters most is what we do with our wins and losses.
When we win do we become complacent or stay humble and hungry?
People often say that success breeds success but often it breeds complacency. After a win people think they can just show up and achieve the same result, forgetting the effort, determination and mindset it took to achieve the win.
To continue winning it's essential to turn the euphoria of winning into a fire of burning desire that fuels your continuous improvement, passion, and quest for excellence.
Even more important than what we do after our wins is how we respond to our losses.
Do we give up or come back stronger?
Do we allow the loss to act like a cancer that eats away at us for the rest of our life or do we turn it into a learning opportunity that leads to our healthy growth?
I certainly know what it feels like to lose. I've lost many arguments with my wife. : ) The Energy Bus was rejected by the first 30 publishers. As a sales person years ago I lost as many accounts as I won. I lost too many games as a Lacrosse player at Cornell and now I watch my children lose tennis matches and lacrosse games.
Everyone loses but the key is to make the loss stand for something and in my family LOSS now stands for:
LOSS (Learning Opportunity, Stay Strong)
When we lose we ask what we can learn from this loss and how we can improve because of it. Then we stay strong and work harder to come back and try to win.
This leads to more wins in the future...and also eventually more loses...and more learning opportunities and opportunities to stay strong and develop our character.
Through this process of winning and losing we learn the greatest lesson of all:
No matter how hard we work and how much we improve there will be times when we experience the worst of defeats instead of the greatest of victories. But ultimately life is about more than winning or losing. It’s about the lessons we learn, the character and strength we build and the people we become along the way.
Whether we win the Super Bowl or not, when we realize this we will surely be a winner in the game of life!
Be a leader
"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."~ Vince Lombard
Thursday, March 15, 2012
We pray for blessings
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Article from SI.com. Coaches worst nightmare
http://m.si.com/news/to/to/detail/4679908
Operation hookshot
Operation hookshot
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Habits
Just excited to be blogging from the phone.
Here is a quote we use often with our teams:
"Men really don't decide their future, they decide
their habits and their habits decide their future."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Here is a quote we use often with our teams:
"Men really don't decide their future, they decide
their habits and their habits decide their future."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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