I’m a big college basketball fan. I love March Madness and despite the experts discussions about how the game is hard to watch today (for a variety of reasons), I enjoy the pageantry and competition. You may not be a Louisville fan, but you can’t deny the coaching prowess of Rick Pitino. Elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame on the same day he became the first coach to win national championships at two universities, Pitino is also no stranger to the concept of leadership.
I heard him being interviewed just prior to the national championship game and he said something that really resonated with me. He was asked about the road to the NCAA finals and he made the following comment about their close game against Wichita State in the Final Four. “We were probably not going to play in the championship game. Our walk-on steps up and makes two big shots and changes the momentum. So, you have to treat everybody as if they are a game winning player and that’s just what we are going to do tonight.” (If you have any interest in basketball, you know that Louisville won the game and reserve swingman, Luke Hancock, was named the outstanding player of the Final Four.)
I really like Pitino’s idea of treating everyone as a “game winning player.” You never know who will make the difference…who will have the next big idea…who will adjust a process that saves hundreds of thousands …or who will provide outstanding service to save a customer relationship. In basketball, everyone on the team has a role. Sometimes it is to prepare the starters by giving them a challenging workout. Sometimes it is to step in and make a couple of huge shots.
Think about the team you lead. What are you doing to prepare everyone to be a game winning player?
Tags: Beyond the Jargon, Calibra, culture, Diane Hamilton, Leadership Development, Talent Management, Team Dynamics, team effectiveness
