The Essence of Leadership

One of the ways we keep in touch with our recruits is by sending them weekly mail-outs. The mail-out topics can range from motivational messages to the best restaurants in the Orlando area. One of our Assistant Coaches found 2 notebooks full of old mail-outs for me to look through. My favorite one, of course, was on the topic of leadership.


A true leader has the confidence to stand alone. The courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He/She does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his/her actions and the integrity of her intent. In the end leaders are much like Eagles... they don't flock, you find them ONE AT A TIME. 

Bill Self on Being "Soft"

"Soft" is a term that is thrown around sports a lot these days. Every one has their own interpretation of the word, but here is what Men's Basketball Head Coach Bill Self had to say about being "Soft".


“Soft is when you chose the easier path when the right path is the harder one.”      

“Soft is thinking you should have help on defense, and that thought causing a letdown. Toughness is the anticipation that you won’t get help, so you do everything in your power to stop your man. But at the same time, you know and trust your help is there. That’s toughness, to me”

 “I won’t let our players switch a screen or go under a ball screen until January every year. That is the softer way, the easier way. I never want to give them the easier way, or allow them to think there is a way they can allow themselves to be soft.” 

 

Jay Bilas on Trust

As promised, here are some of my favorite Jay Bilas thoughts on "Trust" 

"Most players believe that accountability means blame. It doesn’t. Accountability is being held to the standard you have accepted as what you want, individually and collectively."

"We can't all be great players, but we can all be great teammates. And the key characteristic of a great teammate is belief." 

"You are not tough alone. The best teams have a collective toughness, and that toughness is contagious."

"There is nothing more powerful, motivating and inspiring than having people in your life, especially you teammates and coaches, truly believe in you."

"Belief is a powerful thing, especially when those around you believe in you. Belief is one of the characteristics that leads to toughness. How can you truly be tough unless you believe in yourself? How can you believe in yourself if those around you do not?"

"It is easy to believe in yourself and your team when everything is going well, and wins are piling up. But what about when you and your team face adversity? Adversity is where your belief is tested, and where true toughness is tested."