In this third blog of a five-part series from this year's Final Four coaches, I will provide some thoughts from UConn Head Coach Jim Calhoun. I have read his book "A Passion to Lead." The book is a great summary of Calhoun's leadership principles and beneficial for not just coaches but all leaders.
ON COACHING...
"I coach because I love to help transform impressionable kids into responsible adults."
"I want every kid, first, to value himself and his potential as a human being. I want him to learn that getting a good education is important; that being dependable and responsible to yourself and your family, friends, and teammates is vital; that there is no substitute for hard work; and that the need to broaden yourself never ends."
ON CHALLENGING HIS PLAYERS...
"I ask our players all the time: 'How did you feel at six this morning?' What I'm really suggesting is that they take an aggressive, can-do approach to life."
ON LEADERSHIP...
"I think that one of the things that separates good leaders from lesser ones is this: attention to detail."
"If you want to build a winning organization, you must first establish a culture of winning. To do that, set high standards for yourself and your colleagues in every aspect of the operation. Make everyone accountable. Out of high standards come victories."
"All good leaders have two key responsibilities which are vital to organizational success. First, you have to surround yourself with good talent to achieve goals. Second, you've got to be a hellacious motivator to develop your talent every day so that it performs at a peak level."
ON DEVELOPING HIMSELF AS A COACH...
"My tactical ideas about basketball don't change a lot from year to year, but I keep my head in the game every day by talking to other coaches, by attending coaching conferences and seminars, by running basketball camps in the summer, and by spending lots of time chewing the fat with my assistants. I'm still curious about the world, too. I read books about psychology and leadership to pick up motivational ideas. And I enjoy talking to people in other professions."
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