This is Part 4 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
A Leader Must Accept Full Responsibility
#12 The Law Of The Bench
“Great Teams Have Depth”
The bench is made up of players who indirectly add value to the team or who support the starters.
Every human being has value and every player on the team adds value to the team in some way.
Never be in a hurry to pigeonhole anyone on your team as a nonstarter. Given the right encouragement, training and opportunities, nearly everyone who has the desire has the potential to emerge as somebody that will help in the end.
There are several reasons to honor and develop your teammates who may not be considered starters. Here are just a few:
1.Today’s bench players may be tomorrows starters.
2.The success of a supporting player can multiply the success of a starter.
3.There are more bench players than starters.
4.A bench player placed correctly will at times be more valuable than a starter.
5.A strong bench gives the leader more options.
6.The bench is usually called upon at critical times for the team.
Build the bench today for the crisis you will face tomorrow.
You don’t need the bench when things are going well; you need it when things aren’t going well.
Any team that is avoiding stagnation by trying to improve will go through changes, and as the revolving door moves, different kinds of Commitment drives away uncommitted while it makes those who stay even stronger in their commitment they already possess.
If you are on the bench, then your job is to do two things; help the starters to shine, and prepare yourself to be a starter in the future.
Pick dedicated players, tell them not to cut corners, and back them to the limit.
The key to making the most of the Law Of The Bench is to continually improve the team.
A Leader Must Be Able to Get Along With People
- A leader has the ability to get along with others both on and off the field.
- You must have pride in yourself and your teammates.
- Do more than you thought possible.
- Work for Group Pride.
- You will gain what you want with the help and support of others.
- Cooperation and Respect leads to group success.
- Respect is an extension of a positive, optimistic attitude.
- “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Henry Ford
- “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want” Zig Ziglar
- Players with respect for one another win together.
Part 7 DEVELOPING ESPRIT DE CORPS
DEVELOPING ESPRIT DE CORPS
I. Esprit de corps
A. A common spirit pervading the members of a body or association of persons.
B. Disregard of the individual for the sake of the group.
C. collective loyalty
D. unselfishness – to have a team-first mindset.
“If I had the opportunity to say a final word to all the young people of America, it would be this: Don’t think too much about yourself. Try to cultivate the habit of thinking of others; this will reward you. Selfishness always brings its own revenge. It cannot be escaped. Be unselfish. That is the first and final commandment for those who would be useful and happy in their usefulness.” Charles Eliot
# 13.The Law Of Identity
“Shared Values Define The Team”
Just as personal values influence and guide an individual’s behavior, organizational values influence and guide the team’s behavior.
What it takes is common vision (The Law Of The Compass) If everyone embraces the same values, team members can still have a connection to one another and to the larger team.
All team’s need stability to perform well and to grow.
Team building requires something to build on, and values make the strongest foundation.
Values help set the standard for a teams performance.
Once you give up your ethics, the rest is a piece of cake. “To a person with no values, anything goes”.
What you believe identifies who you are.
If our players and staff don’t know what their values are and unable to live them out – their chances of working as a unit and reaching their potential are very small.
Team building needs something to build on, and values make the strongest foundation.
Values will help set our standards for our performance.
A teams values will attract people with like values.
Who you are is who you attract.
#14 The Law of Communication
Effective teams have teammates who are constantly talking to one another.
Leadership is best built upon with communication.
Four areas for developing good team communication:
1.From leader to teammates
2.From teammates to leader.
3.Among teammates.
4.Between the Coach and Team.
Working together means winning together.
We must be an extension of each other.
We are only as good as each other.
This is Part 4 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 experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, and various position coaches. He has written numerous football coaching articles in various publications, is the author of over 30 books on coaching football, and has produced 12 coaching video series. Additionally, he is a nationally sought after speaker on the coaching clinic circuit.