The only way you can get commitment is through trust

Continue to work through Joe Torre's book, "The Yankee Years." There's a good excerpt that ties into a post from yesterday from Jeffrey Gitomer's book about trust.

Torre took over a Yankee team that had "played under the tightly wound [Bucky] Showalter, who had played, coached, and managed so long in the Yankees organization, where Steinbrenner's divide-and-conquer style of leadership was designed to keep everyone uncomfortable, that trust did not come easily to him."

In 1996, when Torre was named manager of the team, "they had a tast of the playoffs," Torre said, "and I think they were grown up enough to know somebody has to make the decisions. Whether you like me or believe me, you have to understand that. They were at the point where they knew in order to win we have to work together. And somebody has to point us in that direction."

I pulled the following from page 10 of the book:

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Torre provided a complete contrast to Showalter's micromanagement style. He gave his coaches and players a wide berth. One word kept coming up over and over again in the application of his management philosophy: trust.

"What I try to do is treat everybody fairly," Torre said. "It doesn't mean I treat everybody the same. But everybody deserves a fair shake. That's the only right thing to do. I'd rather be wrong trusting somebody than never trusting them."

"I'm of the belief that the game belongs to the players, and you have to facilitate that the best you can. I want them to use their natural ability. If they're doing something wrong, you tell them, but I'd like it to be instructive, rather than robotic. The only thing I want them all to think about is what our goal is and what the at-bats are supposed to represent. And that simply is this: 'What can I do to help us win a game?'"

Players quickly bought into Torre's management-by-trust style, and they did so because its abiding principle was honesty.

"Honesty is important to me. Where does it come from? I don't know, but even when I think back it was always something that was ingrained in me. Even now I may have trouble when I have to tell someone the truth if it's not a pleasant thing, but I won't lie to them. I can't do that. The only way you can get commitment is through trust, and you've got to earn that trust."

Are you willing to bet on yourself?

Found a great little book by Jeffrey Gitomer the other day titled "Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Teal Book of Trust." It's only a couple of hundred pages, but it's a wonderful book -- one that I'd consider giving to other coaches and players.

Here's a good excerpt from the first part of Gitomer's book:

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Have you ever looked back at a decision you made and scolded yourself, almost punished yourself, for making the wrong decision or realizing you could have made a better decision?

Monday-morning quarterbacks are always correct. They see what could have been done or should have been done on Sunday, and talk about it on Monday as though they could have gone back to Sunday and done it themselves.

People who go back and chastise themselves, or second-guess themselves, for making a wrong decision continue to set themselves up for failure in future decisions simply because they don't trust themselves.

I maintain that your judgment should always be trusted and never be second-guessed. That doesn't mean you won't make errors. That's why they call it judgment.

But I'm challenging you to look at incorrect decisions as lessons, life's lessons.

Mistakes in judgement are the best teachers in the world, and if you choose to learn from them, then you will begin to trust yourself and understand that, correct or incorrect, you were decisive and moved on.

Oh, you may rely on others. Oh, you may be dependent on others. But reliance and dependence are mutually exclusive of trust.

In order to build trust and become a trusted advisor to others, you have to first trust yourself. This means you have to trust your thinking, your wisdom, your knowledge, your judgment, your instincts, your powers of observation,your powers of dedication, your ability to reason, and your ability to discern.

You must be decisive. Trusted people are not wishy-washy. Trusted people do not pass the buck. Trusted people are willing to bet on themselves. It's not "trust me." It's "trust yourself."

Changing coaches as priorities change

Though both are outstanding professional tennis players, Andy Roddick and James Blake (who have 37 titles between them) "have taken a radically different approach when it comes to the voice in their ears."

Over nine years, Roddick's "engaged no less than seven coaches on a part- or full-time basis. Blake, who spent two years at Harvard before jumping to the pros in 1999, has had one."

In fact, the 29-year-old Blake has had the same coach since he was 11 years old.

"I've always said about tennis, it's a very individual sport," 13th-ranked Blake said in a conference call last month. "What works for one will never work for another. For me, I would not be nearly as successful with someone that didn't know me as a person, and know my strengths and weaknesses on the court. I credit him with making me the best player I can possibly be, and absolutely maximizing my potential. We are going to be friends for life, that's not even a question."

According to this article, "Blake is much more the exception than the rule. Most players switch coaches throughout their playing days as priorities change and relationships become stale."

Unlike Blake (at right in photo above), Roddick, 26, "likes to pick the brain of some of game's best minds, and it has often paid quick dividends."

"There's been a couple of times in my career where it's really jump-started my playing just by having a fresh voice," Roddick says. The downside is the getting-to-know-you process, along with periods of transition. "Obviously, continuity is a good thing, and there have certainly been times where I've been without someone or in transition and you're just kind of trying to make due."

Blake contends it's simply a personal preference and that one style doesn't fit all.

"If he had the same coach the whole time he wouldn't be as good as he is," said Blake of Roddick. "If I had changed coaches, the way he has, I wouldn't be as good."

Trust what is simple

On the flight home from the WCC tourney in Vegas, I was flipping through Forbes magazine and came across this advice from Paul Johnson, "eminent British historian and author," in his weekly column in the magazine.

"I have always been highly suspicious of things that ought to be simple but have become too intricate for me to grasp. And I am doubly suspicious of those who make them so. Trust what is simple and can be understood at a glance. Anything more elaborate, investigate carefully and thoroughly; if it's too convoluted for you to grasp, pull back."

Leadership used to be about certainty; now it's about leading in uncertainty

Just finished reading the book "Just Enough Anxiety" by psychologist Robert Rosen.

As I read it, it became clear how many of the leaders and coaches featured on this blog over the last year fit Rosen's description of today's "successful leaders."

As I read the following excerpt, I thought about how coaching and the business of basketball has changed over the 20 years that I've been a coach and for the 40 years I watched my father coach.

As the author describes, there's considerably more uncertainty in basketball today than ever before, which makes his model relevant for coaches and GMs.

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Fear has been with us since the beginning of time -- the guardian of our survival. Fear kept our ancestors from becoming some predator's dinner. It alerted generation after generation to situations that threatened their survival. It keeps us from walking down dark alleys at night. Sometimes fear propels us forward; sometimes it freezes us in our tracks.

Your relationship with fear -- and its cousin, anxiety -- has a profound effect on your life. It shapes how you see yourself and others, and how others see you. It influences how you think about problems and make decisions. It affects how you view and manage change.

It's a key factor in how you lead teams.

Fear and anxiety are what we experience when we go through life on autopilot. But we can no longer allow ourselves to operate this way. Leadership used to be about certainty. Now it's about leading in uncertainty.

Successful leaders stay ahead of the game by either shaping their world to suit themselves or quickly adapting to the world around them. Leading people through change is every leader's job. It's about taking people from where they are to where they need to be. And it's about the courage and commitment to drive and sustain change.

Following are the five characteristics of today's successful leaders.

1. Successful leaders willingly travel into the unknown. They take uncertainty in stride. In fact, they enjoy the challenge that constant change provides.

2. Successful leaders set an evolving course through ambiguity, complexity, and change. They turn uncertainty and adversity into advantages. They are willing to change their minds and their course of action when necessary. They steer and support others through change after change with a sense of urgency. Simultaneously optimistic and realistic, they risk failure in pursuit of success.

3. Successful leaders inspire and challenge people to perform beyond their own expectations. They are relationship builders. They align people around a shared vision -- with honest and open dialogue -- and open hearts. Comfortable with conflict and disagreement, these leaders foster dynamic debate and constructive impatience. They get people involved by earning their confidence and trust. Their empathy and compassion for others allows them to stretch people into their discomfort zones, while igniting their passion to win. Their ability to motivate, coach, and develop leaders at all levels enables them to build a culture of accountability and execution.

4. Successful leaders learn and re-learn in real time. They are willing to reinvent themselves and their organizations to adapt to change. They see lifelong learning as a priority and themselves as teachers and learners. They see both success and failure as good teachers.

5. Successful leaders imagine possibilities, discover opportunities, and release creative energies inside their organizations. They refuse to accept the status quo. There's always a new goal to reach or a new opportunity to grab. These leaders are masterful at accessing and channeling energy, in themselves and others. They push boundaries. They create excitement.

One capability makes it possible for leaders to succeed at these key tasks. It is the capability to live with and create just enough anxiety within themselves and others. More than any other leadership quality, this ability propels great leaders to the top.

It enables them to embrace uncertainty and manage the ups and downs of a crazy world. It brings out their best performance, enables them to build great teams, and inspires and challenges their organizations. It is the hidden driver of success.

To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved

Much as been written about Buzz Williams' "obsessive-compulsive habits." To say he values organization is an understatement. [See here, here, and here.]

According to this article, his office is "meticulous," a "tidy sanctuary" where he keeps dozens of "autobiographies written by famous coaches, New York Times best sellers and his own detailed journal with color-coded entries. He keeps copious notes on books he reads, conversations he has with players' parents and input he gets from assistants. Williams keeps some folded and clipped together in his pocket."

But it's more than organization that's helped Coach Williams guide Marquette to a 23-5 record (the team's fifth loss came last night against No. 2 UConn).

The key has been his ability to build trust with his players. That's come as a result of "his coaching strategies, but more with talks and off-court assignments that had little, if anything, to do with basketball."

"Everything we did in the summer was beneficial for developing a relationship on trust," Williams says.

For example, he gave his players reading assignments and had them share their thoughts about the books they'd read, such as "The Last Lecture."

Says one Marquette player, "We were like, 'Coach, we already have enough work for school.' But getting that in-depth analysis from teammates and their perspective on life … you learn to respect each other."

There's a quote from the poet George MacDonald that has strong relevance for coaches and supports Coach Williams' efforts to foster trust.

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."

The beauty of blame-busting

In his 2001 book "Beyond Success," author Brian Biro, a former swimming coach who for the last 20 years has consulted with CEOs and other leaders, has a good section devoted to "blame busting."

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Many believe that "friendship" is simply doing nice things for others. True friendship, though, is much, much more. Often, it requires courage: asking the tough question and risking a defensive or angry reaction.

Sometimes, it means you continue to look for the qualities you respect in others despite their occasional failure to live up to their own standards.

The first step in being a true friend is "blame busting." One of the most destructive and disabling symptoms of disease within an organization or human spirit is the prevalence of blame. Like a parasite, blame latches on from the inside and begins to eat away at the spirit.

When we blame others, we give up our greatest strength -- our own sense of responsibility. True leaders seek constantly to give credit to others and to take responsibility for giving their absolute best. They are eager to step forward and be accountable for the setbacks and difficult times because they know this will stimulate their own solution orientation while easing debilitating pressure from their team. Within this mind-set, blame simply has no place.

Blame is particularly crippling because it directs our focus to the past. Its aim is to protect egos, not to build the team. Even if blame is justified, it serves no constructive purpose. When we are filled with a sincere attitude of friendship, our positive belief in others leads us continuously forward to solutions, not backward to blame. We see the potential to solve even the most difficult challenges because we focus on the possibility in our teammates instead of on the limitations.

John Wooden was known as a very disciplined coach. He set high standards of conduct for his players, both on and off the court. Yet, as the years went by, he had very few rules. If a player broke one of these regulations, he was disciplined and corrected, then welcomed back one hundred percent.

Coach Wooden held no grudges. A fresh start was not conditional; there were no probationary periods required to earn back full status. Coach Wooden's discipline was based on respect and friendship. He looked at his players the same way he looked at friends and family, holding high expectations for them and treating them accordingly, with dignity and respect.

He never lost sight of his own fallibility and consequently was able to see mistakes as temporary errors in judgment, not permanent flaws in character. Operating from this foundation in friendship, it is easy and natural to fully forgive.

Coach Wooden's players and staff reponded to his humility and trust with extraordinary unselfishness and dedication of their own. Today, many years since his retirement, a remarkable number of them keep in close touch with him. It is one of the very special rewards of being a leader who refused to blame others and who constantly demonstrated sincere friendship and respect for people.

He was indeed a world-class "blame buster."

You can't make trust, you can only make trust possible

Good excerpt from the book "First In, Last Out" by John Salka, a New York City fire battalion chief.

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Trust comes from consistency. You have to work beforehand to develop it, but even then, what I've discovered is that you don't create trust. Trust comes from your people, not you. When your people see you at the head of the column, being the first one in, facing each danger alongside them, you simply create the conditions that make trust possible. You can't make trust, you can only make trust possible. That's because trust is people's response to you when you act in ways that show them you'll benefit from following your lead.

Chemistry built upon a foundation of trust

A key to CLE's success this season has been the team's chemistry. According to coach Mike Brown, Cavs players began jelling in training camp, "watching 'Monday Night Football' together, hanging out after practice and at games."

As described in this story, "James likes to refer to the Cavaliers as family because 'no one is isolated from the other.'"

"I've said this many times before: Watching this team come together, watching them interact with one another, it's some unusual stuff. They've found on their own that if they can trust one another, at the end of the day, that's what helps build chemistry and that carries over to the floor."

Mutual respect between player and coach

Good story in the NY Times about the interesting dynamic between Alex Ovechkin, one of the NHL's brightest stars, and his 53-year-old coach, Bruce Boudreau.

According to the article, Coach Boudreau "was quick to embrace Ovechkin, his enthusiastic superstar, who offered to do whatever was necessary to win. And it worked wonders. The Capitals charged from 14th place into a playoff berth, their 37-17-7 record under Boudreau earning him the N.H.L.’s Coach of the Year award."

As for the 23-year-old Ovechkin, he says his coach knows and trusts his team:

"He brings the team energy, and he brings the team trust. He trusts players, and he knows what situations for us to play. It’s really good when a coach knows you.”

NY Rangers coach Tom Renney believes the relationship between Ovechkin and Boudreau is built on "mutual respect":

“As a coach, we don’t know it all. We shouldn’t pretend we do. Bruce is very much like that. But at the same time, he knows where to draw the line. I think his athletes know that, even his star people.”

An example of the specialization of basketball coaching staffs

Had a post here this summer about basketball coaching staffs moving toward specialization.

It's happening in Cleveland where assistant coach John Kuester is getting some of the credit for improving the Cavs' offensive efficiency, which is tops in the NBA.

According to the Cleveland paper, "in his second season as [Coach Mike] Brown's assistant, Kuester has taken over much of the detail operations of the offense. He has brought some new concepts to what the Cavs call their 'early' offense, an effort to make them more effective in transition and less bogged down."

It was part of a mini-makeover Brown made to his staff in the off-season. He didn't publicly announce it because he didn't want to add any undue pressure to his coaches. Brown also made assistant Mike Malone his defensive coordinator and changed around some in-game roles so veteran Hank Egan is behind the bench during games while assistant Melvin Hunt is on the bench for every game.

Says Coach Kuester, an 18-year NBA coaching veteran who was a member of DET's staff when the Pistons won a title in 2004 and who played for Dean Smith at UNC:

"You always talk about that it is important for teammates to have trust in one another. Coaches have to have trust, too. Mike puts a lot of trust in his players and his coaches."

A former head coach at Boston University and GWU, Coach Kuester "designed the foundation for the early offense, which takes advantage of [Mo] Williams being able to handle the ball and LeBron James acting sometimes like a power forward. It also gave some new roles to center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is put in different areas of the floor to create space for others."

While all of CLE's coaches offer insight and perspective, "during timeouts, Kuester will now often be in the center of the huddle drawing up plays, with Brown behind him. He is in charge of all offensive preparation and is responsible for presenting options to Brown for all possible in-game situations," though Coach Brown has the "final call."

As Coach Malone puts it: "Mike is the president, he's got veto power, he does what he feels is best."

Over the course of nearly two decades of NBA coaching, Coach Kuester has worked with a number of excellent coaches.

Not only did Rick Carlisle give him large responsibilities as an assistant in Indiana, but so did mentors Gregg Popovich in San Antonio and Bernie Bickerstaff in Denver and Washington. It also follows his coaching philosophy, which is to build around defense and also get his coaches and players personally invested in the effort.

Recreating chemistry takes time

If you've ever had a good friend move out of town, or have a trusted co-worker leave a job where you worked together, you know that while it's part of life, it can be pretty affecting.

It's no different in the NBA as illustrated yesterday when PHX traded Raja Bell, Steve Nash's best friend on the team, to CHA. Said Nash:

"It's tough. While I'll welcome my new teammates with open arms, it's tough when you lose your best friend. It's tough when you lose two of your best buddies. It's tough and it hurts. He's my best friend and the guys loved him. It's hard. I have a hard time committing to this as a business. I take this personally and I take my career home with me. I care about my teammates. When you lose two of your best friends on the team suddenly, it's hard. It (recreating chemistry) takes time, that's for sure."

Trusting your players

First-year Dolphins coach Tony Sparano was asked recently what his greatest lesson has been this season:

"You really do have to trust your players out there a little bit. I think you can get so caught up in the X and O part of this thing and the scheme part of it that you forget about trusting your players a little bit with some of these situations. I start to see things on the practice field that I like. I have to trust it in the game. That's probably what I've learned the most."

Creating an environment conducive to winning

With his team at 8-0 midway through the season, Titans coach Jeff Fisher is getting a lot of attention.

But one article I read said the Titans were winning with "smoke and mirrors."

That really trivializes what Coach Fisher, his staff, and his team have been able to accomplish, not just this year, but over the last several seasons. It implies that what they've done isn't substantial or meaningful, that somehow Coach Fisher and his team aren't really deserving of their record.

According to this article, Coach Fisher has been successful by creating an "environment conducive to winning."

"They know they're permitted to have fun. I want them to look forward to coming to work, even after the toughest losses. A lot of coaches make it harder than it should be. Some are too hard on themselves, obsessing about controlling everything, not trusting their assistants, worrying about time. When you have trust, it gives you a better chance to be successful."

Said one Titans assistant:

"Jeff gets it on so many levels. He is fabulous to coach for. Nobody is tight here. There are no hidden agendas. Everybody enjoys being here. He treats you so well, you want to do well for him. He creates loyalty."

According to his players, Fisher, who "speaks with a soft, understated voice," avoids the highs and lows typically associated with coaching:

"Jeff is very even-keel," said [Titans center Kevin] Mawae, who has played for six NFL coaches. "There are no peaks and valleys. With Bill Parcells, one day he's up, one day he's down. You didn't want to catch him when he was in the valley. Herm Edwards was always high-strung. Tom Flores was always low-strung. Jeff is in the middle, and guys appreciate that."

According to the article in the Chicago Tribune:

Fisher believes distractions are the No. 1 reason teams fail. So he finds ways to minimize them.

"It amazes me how he sees any potential negative as an opportunity," [GM Mike] Reinfeldt says. "He conveys it that way to the team. He believes, so they believe."

Nothing illustrates Fisher's calm better than his 47-2 record when the Titans have a fourth-quarter lead on the road. The only coach in history with a better record in that situation is Vince Lombardi at 38-1-1.

"He is prepared, he's calm, he isn't a big risk-taker and he knows all the rules," Reinfeldt says.

But he breaks the rule that says coaches can't deviate from their blueprint. When it comes to finding ways to win, Fisher is as flexible as a gymnast.

Fisher does not depend on acquiring players who fit his schemes perfectly. He is more willing than most to tailor his schemes to his players' abilities. One of his cardinal rules: Never ask a player to do something he can't do well.

He also knows when and how to push his players' buttons, having what [one assistant] calls "an innate feel" for changing things up. Fisher frequently changes the team's meeting and practice schedule and the manner in which he addresses players.

"You want to keep them captivated," Fisher says.

A point guard lists the NBA's best point guards

Dave D'Alessandro asked Devin Harris (pictured here) to name which NBA point guards were the best in several categories.

Here's an excerpt of their exchange and a couple of quotes from the story:

Who's the best point guard in the NBA nowadays?

"I think you have to give it to Chris Paul," Devin Harris said, almost instantaneously.

The best shooter among point guards?

"Steve Nash."

Best penetrator?

"Tony Parker. Slight edge over CP."

Best passer off the dribble?

"That would be CP."

Best point guard on the break?

"Probably Deron Williams."

Quickest first step?

"Tony. But Rajon Rondo isn't far behind."

Best handle?

"We can include (Allen) Iverson, right? Then it's A.I. (Jose) Calderon never turns it over, but he keeps it real basic. He doesn't take the same chances other guys do."

What is the one quality that a great point guard needs, anyway?

"The most important thing is respect of his peers and coaching staff," Harris said. "If you don't have that, you don't have anything. You have to work for that. Work to get it, and work to keep it."

Who's the best point guard at getting his own shot?

"Dwyane Wade, if we can count him. You can't pick Gilbert (Arenas), because he just launches from 30 sometimes. That's not hard."

Who's the best at keeping his dribble against a blitz and making a play?

"Nash."

Who runs the best screen-roll?

"It depends. On the side, it's Deron. On top, it's CP."

Quickest hands?

"Rondo, hands down. Brevin Knight, too, but Rondo's hands are so big."

Best defender?

"It's really about team defenses now - you don't go into it dreading anybody. But I'll go with Chauncey (Billups). And Baron (Davis) is a major pain when he's motivated."

Best one-on-one point guard?

"That would be Gilbert."

Best catch-and-shoot guy off the ball?

"My pick would be Mo Williams."

Last one: Who's the most underrated point guard?

This time, he paused.

"Devin Harris," Devin Harris said.

[Nets coach Lawrence] Frank likens it to a relationship between a football coach and his quarterback.

"It's an interesting dichotomy. You have to give trust, yet you hold him the most accountable. He has to feel that the coach is behind him, yet feel that he's held to a higher standard because he's responsible for the other four guys. And it doesn't matter if it's fair or unfair.

The tradeoff is that he has the opportunity to be fearless in his approach, and he gets to carry the torch on the court and in the locker room, set the tone and determine how we'll play."

Don't you need an ego to do this job properly?

"Oh, absolutely," Harris said. "You have to have one, because you're going against very tough guys every night, guys who are coming for your throat. You have to have a swagger, and come in thinking, 'I'm running this team, we have to do it my way.' Absolutely, you have to think that way, and think you're the best one out there."

Confidence is born of demonstrated ability

Going back through Bill Parcells' book "Finding a Way to Win" last night and came across some really great stuff:

On preferential treatment for great players: "Great players are special simply because they do more for the team than the rest. Their greatness may buy them preferential treatment in some areas. On the field, they may toss the book aside at times and play on instinct. They've earned the right to take changes -- to be flexible -- because they've proved that their judgment is sound. Consistency is overrated. A leader is obligated not to be consistent, but to be right -- to do what's best for the organization."

On his personal interviews with potential draft picks: "A half hour of candid conversation tells more about people than a mountain of statistics. For starters, I might ask them to name three or four of the most important things in their life. Family or religion often top the list, which is fine; football doesn't have to be number one. But football better be in there somewhere or I'll deduce that this guy isn't all that interested in the job."

On focusing on a player's strengths rather than his weaknesses: "It's easy to downgrade people by dwelling on their weaknesses. It's harder to look at them with fresh eyes and identify their strengths -- and how they can help the organization to function."

On adapting to technology: "If the competition has laptop computers and you're still using yellow legal pads, it won't matter how long and hard you work -- they're going to pass you."

On what will destroy a team: "Three things can ruin any organization. One is your competition. The second is public perception, as shaped by the media. If you're always seen in a negative light, your group's morale will likely go under -- along with your performance. The third factor? Division from within -- and this is the greatest threat, hands down. The first task of leadership is to promote -- and enforce -- collective loyalty, also known as teamwork."

On how a head coach differs from others in the organization: "The head coach is unique in two ways. He's the one person who sees the big picture down on the field. And he's the only one whose fate is totally wrapped up in winning. If the team loses too often, the head coach will be gone."

On how performance impacts confidence: "Confidence is only born of demonstrated ability. A team's collective mental state is ruled by the psychology of results. In other words, past outcomes dramatically affect the group's attitude going into the next game. A team teaches itself what it is on the field, in action."

Remembering that what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room: "Washing dirty laundry in public is probably the quickest way to divide your team from within. The only honest meetings are private meetings. Our [weekly team meetings] are exclusive. Only players and coaches are invited, and our privacy is sacred; even our owner is barred. Secretaries, trainers, equipment men, the PR director -- one of them sets foot in that room. I know how gossip turns into rumors, and rumors into controversies, and we've already got enough of those."

On the coach's role as a teacher: "Be a teacher, not a drill sergeant. I might overcoach a player, might discuss things a little longer than necessary, but he'll know that I appreciate his problem, and that I'll do my best to help solve it. To teach, you have to listen as well as talk. When we experiment with something new in practice, our players' feedback is invaluable, especially from veterans who are honest about any problems they're having."

On what sets disciplined people apart: "(1) The capacity to get past distractions. (2) The willingness to condition mind and body for the task at hand. (3) The ability to keep your poise when those around you are losing theirs.