With rookie coaches now in place in Miami, Chicago and Detroit, a story on the front-page of today's USA Today about how a Presidential nominee can select the best Vice President might be a good framework for head coaches to follow when looking for a top assistant.According to the article:
- "Dream" tickets rarely work: In these cases, there tend to be problems with loyalty. Further, the President "ought to have a man with the vice president that he trusts and likes and can work with him." Great advice for coaches, as well.
- Find someone who complements you: For example, older nominees might look for younger running mates (and vice versa). It's why I hired my former college coach, Hank Egan, as my first assistant when I was with the Warriors.
- Agree on the job description: Like the VP, a first assistant should be a trusted adviser, but outline -- clearly -- what he (or she) will be responsible for up front.
- It's not about being buddies: The relationship between a President and his VP or a head coach and his top assistant isn't like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Batman and Robin. It's more like a CEO picking a COO. You need someone you can work with... and you need someone who is a potential successor in the event of a crisis or calamity."
Former VP Walter Mondale puts it in perspective:
"It may be the most important decision [Presidential nominees] make... and it's the one thing they basically control. But it's risky because if you make a mistake, a serious mistake, it's like a bad marriage. Only you can't get a divorce."
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