This article was sent to me by Dennis Hutter Coach Hutter is the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Mayville State University. Dennis also has a coaching website. The URL is http://www.coachhutter.com/
I believe that the vast majority of these points can be applied to coaching any sports.
Six Ways to Create Culture Within an Organization – Andy Stanley
- Name It – Create a name for it, easiest part – MSUWBB = “The Comet Way”
- Brand It – Phrase, Idea, Terms, Slogans, Images
- Wear It – “Model It” – Leader must be seen doing this DAILY
People can see it in the leader, what the leader sees in them
- Teach It – Have to teach it intentionally
Talk about it enough to get ALL on the same page
- Institutionalize It – Make it part of the “rhythm” of the organization, Schedule Daily
- Recognize It – When you see something, say something
What is rewarded, will be repeated
Make sure you are always trying to find ways to praise your players, when you find or hear about them representing the team and the culture on a high level:
**What we try to do here at Mayville State WBB, is when we receive an email or a note, or a tweet about a player or players representing our program at a high level we will print off that note and hi lite their name and write a quick note saying ”thanks” and put into their locker room.**
Improvement creates momentum within a culture and organization.
Great organizations are always evaluating and always inspiring:
Evaluate what they are doing.
Inspire what others are doing.
“Pride of Ownership” – if we did not come up with the idea – we don’t want to look like we are copying or borrowing – A BIG REASON WHY SOME CULTURES DO NOT IMPROVE OR MOVE FORWARD.
We are not looking for our best ideas, we are looking for THE best ideas.
Improvement involves change – people are not always excited about change.
There is a big difference between a “personal commitment” to something and a culture of something. Personal commitment means the person at the top is committed, but no one else it, a culture is an attitude throughout the entire organization.
Culture Defined – Organizational Culture is the personality of the organization “How things are done Here”
In great organizations culture is created, in bad organizations culture is inherited.
Eight Ways to Infuse Passion into Your Team – Cory Dobbs
- Keep your fire burning
- Take charge of your moods
- Listen to teammates and players
- Be there for others
- Act with integrity
- Be genuine
- Refrain from excuse-making
- Men broken fences
Coaches want players who serve to inspire those around them to do things that will make the team better – WE WANT MORE OF THESE PLAYERS
A fun energizing environment is much more productive than a routine and stale environment
Celebrate and get excited about the successes and accomplishments of your players and teammates
THE SUCCESS OF ANY ORGANIZATION, GROUP OR TEAM IS GROUNDED IN THE EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF LEADERSHIP – Cory Dobbs
How Process Praise Makes You More Resilient
Children who receive “process praise” (i.e. – the things within the child’s control: hard work, effort, perseverance and diligence, etc….) were more likely to develop a resilient approach towards difficult challenges later in life
The children who received “process praise” when they were younger were more motivated learners and ended up doing better in math and reading compared to their peers, who were praised for their talents or innate abilities alone.
When we make it clear to our teams that a commitment to the process is the only key to success, we are giving them the tools to be successful both on the floor and in life
BEGIN TODAY TO HELP YOUR TEAM DEVELOP THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS IT NEEDS TO PUSH THROUGH THE UPS/DOWNS BOTH IN BASKETBALL AND IN LIFE
Are You Absolutely Positive??? – PGC Basketball
If a customer is within ten feet of you, you have ten seconds to speak to them and look to serve them in some capacity – IS THIS A DAILY OCURENCE WITHIN YOUR PROGRAM???
Whether one realizes it or not, each of us is selling something to those around us every day. We are either selling positive or negative – which is it for you????
DO WE CONTRIBUTE OR CONTAMINATE PRACTICE
Wake up every morning with one drive in mind – TO SERVE OTHERS
Set a goal to do something special for someone TODAY, who isn’t expecting it
Attention flows where energy goes
“Quit Being So Stinking Hard to Play For” – PGC Basketball
One coach will impact more people in one year, than the average person does in a lifetime – Billy Graham
Coaches should be passionate about changing the lives of young people every day
Desiring fair treatment – is the mindset of the mediocre
Far too often, our identity becomes wrapped up in our overall win/loss record
As coaches, we fall victim to the power-empower-power cycle
Power-Empower-Power Cycle – that is where coaches start out with the power, and then through trust and time, start to empower some of the players within the team. Then when things are not going well or at some point, the coach takes the power back from the player(s).
Coaches – giving away our power is one of the greatest gifts we can give as a coach
If we fall into the power-empower-power cycle, the players will view us as the enemy rather than the ally.
When the pressure to win is prevalent, we as coaches, stop directing and start demanding
The best coaches around have the highest level of accountability
If players can discover how to pursue greatness on their own, it will become a life-long virtue
Does your “WHY” match up with your “WHAT”????
We should be in constant pursuit of being the coach that one day players reflect on as a hero!!!!!!
Mayville State Women’s Basketball Culture
Over the past six years we have developed, built and maintained our Program Culture – DAILY
We have branded our Culture as “The Comet Way” – this exemplifies everything we do within our Mayville State Women’s Basketball Culture
A lot of what we do today, was taken from the book “Leading with the Heart” by Mike Krzyzewski
Four “cornerstones” of our “The Comet Way” Culture are:
Academic Development
Leadership/Teammate Development
Player Development
Servant Leadership
Here are some of the ideas that we do within each cornerstone of our Culture:
Academic Development
“Basketball may have brought you here, but it is not why you are here” – getting your degree
Study Tables at least twice per week with players AND coaches
Progress Reports for players
Constant guidance to make sure players stay on track to graduate
Academic Planners
Player Notebooks
Program Weekly Schedule
Leadership/Teammate Development
Players will have a difficult time growing and developing if we don’t give them a chance to lead, have to give some our “power” as coaches away, and allow our players a chance to lead and grow.
Effort & Attitude – Have an “attitude of gratitude” – Have players write “thank you” notes to people/supporters/professors, etc……………….
We are trying to build strong relationships within our program – DAILY – player to player, coach to coach and coach to player.
Relationship Building Ideas:
Sign In Sheet Every day for Players
Personal Notes/Texts to Players praising positive traits
Individual Player Meetings: Discuss Family, Classes, Basketball – IN THAT ORDER
Leadership Council for Players
Academic Involvement with the Players
Trust = Character + Competence – Character is who you are as a person, competence is your ability to do your job
Communication is the “glue” that keeps our Family together
Peer Coaching – Player to Player Coaching
Player led practice sessions
Post Workout/Practice Notes to players & staff
Player Notebooks
Team Meals
Player Development
“The single best way to improve the team, is to improve the individual skills of the players on that team”
When I get better, WE get better
Individual Development Workouts
Game/Practice Film Sessions
Player Notebooks
Tough Competitive Practices built around player/team improvement
Servant Leadership
Campus/Community Service Projects – Find a way to get players involved with campus/community
Be the “Helping Team” both on and off the floor
Vets/Rookies – Veterans helping the rookies become a part of our family
Summer Camps
Must read Books for Culture & Leadership
The Power of Positive Leadership……………………………………………….Jon Gordon
You Win in the Locker Room First……………………………………………….Jon Gordon & Mike Smith
The Hard Hat………………………………………………………………………………Jon Gordon
How Lucky You Can Be………………………………………………………………..Buster Olney & Don Meyer
Inside Out Coaching…………………………………………………………………….Joe Ehrmann
Relentless……………………………………………………………………………………Tim Grover
The Big Book of Belichick…………………………………………………………….Alex Kirby
The Legacy Builder………………………………………………………………………Rod Olson
This is GREAT STUFF coach! Every coach needs to see the importance in building Team Culture and look ahead to take intentional steps in doing it everyday. Thanks for sharing.