Janssen Peak Performance - Coaches Corner

Free Coaching Resources - Coaches Corner

Being privileged to work with and interview many of sport’s most successful and respected coaches for my book The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches, here are some of their thoughts on a variety of topics.

	MIKE KRZYZEWSKI - Duke Men’s Basketball Coach - Three National Championships - Read his thoughts...
	PAT SUMMITT - Tennessee Women’s Basketball Coach - Six National Championships - Read her thoughts...

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI
Duke Men’s Basketball Coach - Three National Championships

We aren’t coaching X’s and O’s, we are coaching people. So the more we learn about people the better. I really think it is one of the secrets to our success. We spend a lot more time on the relationships.

On Character
The most fundamental thing about being a good leader is the ability to communicate in a trustworthy manner. If you do that on a consistent basis, the element of trust is developed, which is the cornerstone on which every coach-athlete relationship should be built.

Coaching is about relationships. It goes way beyond X’s and O’s. You have to create an environment of trust among your staff and athletes. Without trust, you have nothing. If you do have trust, you will be able to accomplish great things.

On Commitment
A leader can’t ask anything of those he or she is leading that he or she is not willing to do as well. As a leader you have to do it really well - at a much higher level than anyone else.

On Caring
I think you show someone you care about them by being willing to listen to them. There is no better way to show you care than to give them time. Certainly if you develop programs that will help them academically, you talk to them about their personal lives, you handle their training properly, you handle their nutrition properly, you remember their birthdays, you know their parent’s names, you know their girlfriend’s name, you will show that you care.

The key word for all of this is empathy, not sympathy. On a day-to-day basis we all have pressures we have to deal with. You have to try to understand their world. Basically having empathy shows that you care.

On Confidence-Building
If an athlete knows you believe in him or her, then when that kid goes through dark moments, he or she will know they are not alone. We all have those moments and it is important to know that others are with you. Our guys know that they are never alone because we develop relationships and let them know we believe in them.

Do you get on them for mistakes of omission or commission? We get on guys for mistakes of omission. I will really get on people who don’t concentrate or those people who don’t play hard. You have to create an environment where people can make mistakes without worrying about it so much. If they are concentrating and playing hard and make a mistake that is different than if their heads are in the clouds.

On Communication
A good leader listens-and more so than that, gives time to listen. The bigger the leader, the busier the leader, the harder it is to take the time to listen. You have to get it in your mind that you have to listen-that there couldn’t be any time better spent than listening.

PAT SUMMITT
Tennessee Women’s Basketball Coach - Six National Championships

On Character
I think as a coach it’s vital that you lead by example. I’m a teacher and if I want them to understand our philosophy then it’s up to me. If I want them to be on time, I’m on time. If I want them to have good communication skills, I have to have good communication skills.

I think you have to establish your philosophy. I don’t think you can try and be four different coaches. You have to arrive at what’s really important to you.

The players need you to be real. And I am very real. I always tell them that winning doesn’t give you the right to think that you’re better than someone else and losing doesn’t make you a bad person. You have to keep life in perspective and it’s never as bad as it seems, nor is it as good as it seems.

You have to surround yourself with good people and people who are on the same page as you. They’re not going to undermine you; they’re going to be incredibly loyal to you and committed no matter what your philosophy might be. You have to have that loyalty and support.

On Commitment
I expect our teams to work just like I do. They know I’m here early and I stay late. I watch film with them. Whatever it takes. If they want to shoot extra, I’m here.

On Caring
I really think first and foremost you generally have to care about the people you work with. I don’t think you can fake that. I think it’s got to be real and the reason I love so much what I do is that I get the opportunity to work with people. You develop those relationships and if I didn’t care then I wouldn’t be doing this.

On Consistency
Our philosophy is to be firm, be fair, but be consistent. Players really watch for coaches who favor their best players. I’ve never really had a problem with that. I like people. I’m not about titles; whereas a lot of people are about titles. I’m friends with the custodian and the president of the university. It’s just people and there’s a right way and a wrong way to treat people and that’s true with discipline.

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