Colin's Column: Leadership with JoePa & Coach K

It was in a world not so long ago that ESPN got two college coaching legends together in the same room and discussed, among other things, leadership and sustainable success within a college athletic program. In June of 2011, Joe Paterno and Mike Krzyzewski joined for a two-hour feature titled Difference Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and Krzyzewski. The two men were, at the time, mere wins away from being the all-time leader in their respective sports. Paterno was entering his final year as Head Coach for the Penn State Football program, and Krzyzewski had been the Head Coach for Duke University Basketball since 1980. While their resumes may have shown a lot of wins and prestigious awards, it was the relationships they had built - and for Coach K, continue to build - that the audience learned had made them so successful for such a long period of time. Relationship building, more than anything else, was at the core of what both men described as the biggest leadership aspect that they could attribute to sustained success in their careers.

If you are around sports enough, you will hear that "X's and O's don't matter". Yet, it is a "practice" that too many coaches and leaders of teams focus their sole efforts on. They get so caught up in how to beat the other team that they forget that the team they are supposed to be leading is looking towards them for guidance and knowledge.

Take this example for how a relationship was built: when you were a kid, if you wanted your younger sibling to do a favor for you, you might just "be the boss" and tell them what to do - usually with no repercussions. After all, you have power as the older sibling. That's all great until the younger sibling begins to rebel against your demands. You tell them point blank what to do and how to do it, yet they won't take the bait. Why is this? It's most likely because as the older sibling you haven't taken the time to build a relationship with them. The younger sibling doesn't trust you. So, you try a different approach. Before asking the younger sibling for a favor, you walk into their room and point out something that they have done well - maybe a great drawing on their wall - and express how much you like it. You both chat a little bit and THEN you slip in the ask for that favor.

At this point, do you think the younger sibling is more or less willing to do a favor for the older sibling? I'd bet the younger sibling will be more apt to do it! You may still get resistance, but if you keep going back to the sibling and developing a relationship, sooner than later you will have your younger sibling supporting you like an employee supports the CEO of a Fortune 50 company, or the Quarterback supports the Head Coach of an NFL team.

Maybe you think the example I gave is silly. You may be thinking how come you don't just beat up the little sibling? Tell your parents. Anything to avoid having to actually talk to the little squirt! But if you think about it, all of those reactions are going to give you the same negative results. Beating up your little sibling doesn't help you build trust. Nor does being a tattle-tale to your parents. In baseball, if you want your leadoff hitter to take more pitches you aren't going to throw baseballs at their back until they start to do it. Whenever there is a "leak" in the corporate or sports world, it is the same as a tattle-tale - there isn't enough trust from bottom to top in the organization or with the team.

All of this boils down to relationships. When you build meaningful relationships you build a culture that people want to be a part of and that people can believe in. That's what leads to sustainable success. JoePa and Coach K are two of the best of all-time in their professions and it's no secret as to why. Make building relationships a serious matter to you and you can be sure to find success in whatever it is that you want to do.

Here are additional highlights from the leadership seminar:

Points discussed by Mike Krzyzewski:

  • Change along the way, having adaptability and flexibility, but don't compromise values.

  • Listen to others around you and they will give you information for current trends and likes.

  • [On coaching] Find what kids lack and help them. Influence people and make a better world.

  • The interest you have in people indicates you understand what a leader has to be.

  • There isn't just one type of leader. You have to find your way to lead. Be genuine. Ask whom you're leading and why. Do they see your purpose?

  • A really good leader can create an environment where everyone has ownership.

  • [On sustaining excellence] Develop a culture that is a continuum.

  • [On Coach Paterno] I don't know how much you have to adapt when you talk and it makes sense.

Points discussed by Joe Paterno:

  • Our family is the circle of strength.

  • To be a leader you have to study it, understand it, appreciate why you want to lead and how to lead.

  • Sometimes a leader has to create adversity.

  • [On core values] Family, education, and football.

  • "Go to the ball" is a more complex phrase for HUSTLE.

  • Commitment means no compromise.

  • [On recruiting] Don't worry about the ones you didn't get. Make sure the ones you do have your values and fit your culture.

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