Main Idea
Have you been watching the Olympics? Do you wonder why certain athletes rise to the top? What is the difference between those athletes that make it to the Olympics and those who just dream about it? How often do you hear about not just the athlete but also their coach? Is the coach critical to excellence?
Expansion of Idea
Coaches are an integral part of all high performing teams. Between 1964 and 1975, UCLA won 10 national championships in basketball. This is the best extended performance in college basketball and probably in all sports ever. I can’t imagine that this record will ever be broken. Why? The key is a humble man named John Wooden. In my opinion, he is the greatest coach ever. The number one thing that I focus on when I think about John Wooden is that he rarely called timeouts during the game to discuss strategy or execution with his team. They were ready before the game and he trusted them to do the right things. His teams were prepared and as a result they won.
We do not fully realize the impact that coaching in all aspects of our lives can have. This is as true for businesses as it is for elite sports teams. If you want to perform at your highest level, do you have a coach? What about your team? Have you been coaching them? Or do you practice mental telepathy? How is that working for you?
Suggested Areas to Start
Read a book about John Wooden. (A great book outlining his philosophy is “Be Quick But Don’t Hurry“)
Evaluate the culture in your business. Is coaching part of the culture?
Develop a coaching plan for the people that report to you.
Evaluate your performance and decide if you need a coach.
Find someone to hold you accountable for following through.