To Scold or Mold
"A coach is merely the extension of a child's dream." Former South African Rugby National Coach Peter DeVilliers leans in, piercing me with his eyes while the echo of his words bounces around in my head. He continues, "At the end of your life, you will be called into account for all the kids who were put under your supervision." Coach DeVilliers raises both hands up high in a victory pose. "These kids are gold! They are precious minerals that can be shaped and formed, and it is your duty to play your part!"
The Leadership of Alice and Dorothy
These two legends of literature have many great pearls of wisdom, especially regarding leadership. Recently, I read both Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, and I find it interesting how much of each adventure has been left out of the popular movie adaptations. Still, and more importantly, I was surprised at the number of applicable life lessons to be learned from Alice and Dorothy.
Coach the species, not the sport
"Records are deceiving, buddy." He went on, "I won't know how I did as a coach for 10, maybe 15 years. When those young men finish college, start a family, and are productive members of society, then I'll know I did my part well. I have never forgotten that conversation.
Learning Leadership at a Young Age
I learned how to be a leader by being put in a situation at an early age that required decision making and problem solving.
The #1 Way to Influence Your Athletes
Give your athletes a reason to want to listen to you. Show them (instead of trying to only tell them) how a grown man or woman lives. Set the standard high, then live it. Only then will your words have the influence and conviction you hope they have on your audience.
Even if you don't think they are watching, they are always watching. Always.
Fishing for Influence
When I went fishing, I didn't think about what I wanted. Instead, I thought about what they wanted. I didn't bait the hook with brownies or gummy bears, rather, dangling at the end of the line was a fresh worm.
More than a Title to be Influential
Old wisdom I have found to be true reads, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I knew Mr. Denton cared about us. I don't know how, but I just knew. If you want to be an effective teacher, coach, manager, or parent, you need more than a title to be influential. Whatever role you have in a person’s life, you can only impact a person as far as they let you.