Building Character and Leadership within Your Program
This is Part 1 of a 5 Part Series of Notes from a Leadership Academy provided for a school’s student Athletes.
You can read all 5 parts at this link: Leadership Academy Notes
Building Character and Leadership in your Program is built around the 17 laws of leadership and will be divided up into 5 different segments. During the off-season you will ask your coaches and athletes to “Leave No Doubt” that they have done everything possible to make themselves champions.
Leadership is critical to the success of any team or organization. The importance of establishing a leadership program is for all athletes to focus on character development, leadership and team-building skills, developing trust, citizenship, time management, communication skills and goal setting. The best time to develop a leadership program is during the off season because time will permit a dedicated focus to tailoring it based on what has worked in the past and planning for the future. It is not likely that every component of a program works right away and adjustments may be necessary. The off season is the time to make these adjustments and craft the program based on taking advantage of the team’s strengths, building on the weaknesses, and building other future leaders. It is also a good time to assess whether or not the goals and visions for the program are on track and if not, adjust those also to fit the team’s assets.
Leadership Academy Part 1: 17 Laws of Leadership and Team Building
Coaches must be able to build upon a foundation and so, the next step is determining what the foundation will be built upon. Having 45 years of coaching experience I believe the foundation for team building starts with leadership. Each year we start turning towards our seniors to provide that leadership so, what process did you use instill into those young men or young women in their previous years to get them to a position so that they can provide what it takes to build and hold the team together?
Leadership, Commitment and Character Academy is a six week process which becomes a big part of the off-season program in which we will present to our athletes after the Christmas break our Leadership Academy. The academy is designed to instill the importance of leadership and character. Each athlete will learn all 17 points of our Leadership program presented below. Set a weekly agenda for introducing your Leadership Academy.
The 17 laws should adhere to your steps in building you team leadership and unity. The first law deals with understanding that a team doesn’t consist of just one person it takes the team.
What Makes the Difference: Leadership, Commitment, and Character?
Mission of the Leadership Academy
To enhance the leadership, decision making, and skills of our athletes who have been led there coaches and teammates. This year round program will prepare our players to lead new roles on the team and learn life skills after they graduate from their institution.
Traits of a Good Leader
- They encourage others — “You Can Do It”
- They praise and compliment others — “Great Job”
- They build others — “Let’s Keep Getting Better!”
- They celebrate with others — “I Appreciate You!”
- They believe in others — “I’m Proud Of You, I’m For You.”
“A leader is a person who has the ability to get other people to do what they don’t want to do, and like it.” President Harry S. Truman
” Leadership is the ability to decide what is to be done, and then get others to want to do it.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower
“The leader must have infectious optimism.” Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery
Purpose of Our Leadership Academy
To improve our Athletic Programs by improving the mental approach of our Athletes.
To develop and foster the skills necessary to be successful not only in Athletics, but Life.
To allow our Student/Athletes the opportunity to understand how to conduct themselves in a positive way as they are the future Leaders of our Community.
To allow this Academy the opportunity to develop fine young individuals who can influence others within the student body, who will in turn have a greater influence on our School and Community.
17 Laws ofLeadership
(Staff Member, Coach, and Student Athlete)
#1 The Law Of Significance
One Is Too Small a Number To Achieve Greatness it takes The Team”
The Belief that one person can do something great is a myth.
- A Team involves more than one person.
- A Team Maximizes its potential and minimizes its weakness.
- A Team provides multiple perspectives.
- A Team Shares credit for victories and blame for its losses.
- A Team keeps its leaders accountable for the goal.
- A Team can simply do more than an individual.
“None of us is as smart as all of us” The Book High Five”
#2 The Law Of The Big Picture
The Goal Is More Important Than The Role”
- If you think you are the entire picture, you will never see the big picture.
- When you see the big picture correctly, you serve the team more quickly.
- Only when we all come together and give up our own agendas can we move up to a higher level.
- Sizing up the situation: people who live to build teams, seeing the size of the task ahead doesn’t worry them. They don’t shrink from the challenge-they savor the opportunity.
- The Law of The Big Picture: The vision or goal is more important than the individual.
If a team is to reach its potential, each person must be willing to subordinate his/her personal goals for the good of the group. Bud Wilkinson
#3 The Law Of The Niche
All People Have A Place Where They Add The Most Value”
When people aren’t where they do things well, things don’t turn out well. That’s the Law of The Niche
To help people reach their potential and maximize their effectiveness, stretch them out of their comfort zones, but never out of their gift zone.
1.The wrong person in the wrong place = Regression
2.The wrong person in the right place = Frustration
3.The right person in the wrong place = Confusion
4.The right person in the right place = Progression
5.The right people in the right places = Multiplication
This is Part 1 of a 5 Part Series of Notes from a Leadership Academy provided for a school’s student Athletes.
You can read all 5 parts at this link: Leadership Academy Notes
About the Author of this post:
Jerry Campbell has over 30 years of high school and college coaching experience. He has extexperience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, and various position coaches. He has written numerous coaching articles in various publications, is the author of over 30 books on coaching, and has produced 12 coaching video series. Additionally, he is a nationally sought after speaker on the coaching clinic circuit.