Coach K
Simon Sinek said that leadership comes with great personal sacrifice and that the reason people choose not to lead is because “It’s damn hard work.”
He also said that the risks are very real and when things go wrong you have to take full responsibility. In both parenting and leadership, it’s difficult to measure the results on a day-to-day basis but if you stay the course you’ll see the impact over time.
Mike Krzyzewski, the winningest coach in college basketball history stayed the course over 42 seasons leading Duke basketball. He earned 5 national championships and hadn’t had a losing season since the Reagan administration. Even when he had to step away because of back surgery during the 1994-95 season, the Blue Devil’s were 9-3 under his watch. With all the success and accolades, he’ll tell you that he’s still learning the art and science of leadership.
Humility is an essential trait of a great leader. After Duke lost the last game of his coaching career – he said he found himself being hurt because there was a part of him that felt his team should have won for him.
“Which was so bad. The next time we met I took responsibility. That was on me, but when it happened I thought it was on them – and I forgot it’s always about us. I let them down. Even at 75, coaching 1600 games, emotion can get the best of you and you have to be able to manage it,” he explained.
Coach K has delivered a class on MasterClass on Values-Driven Leadership that is jet fuel for new and seasoned leaders. He distills 17 topics in snackable videos that you can watch over a weekend. He shares some of the most amazing stories distilled from 47 years of coaching – in a way that feels like you’re watching an extended TED Talk. MasterClass has also released an offering for organizations and teams to access the lessons through MasterClass at Work.
He was a former player and coach at West Point which was arguably the best place to harness your leadership philosophy. He also served as a captain in the US Army for 5 years prior to coaching career.
Coach K’s first stint with USA Basketball was in 1992 when he was an assistant coach for The Dream Team. The men’s team fell from prominence when they lost to Puerto Rico in 2004, a defeat that blindsided the world. Coach K was then hand selected to restore the program.
After Coach K and the team were upset by Greece in 2006, which he described as the worst defeat of his career, he realized he needed to anchor the roster with veteran leadership which is why he recruited Kobe Bryant. In his MasterClass, Coach K shares the story about the time he had to confront Kobe about his shot selection to demonstrate the importance of holding even your best players accountable.
He rolled the tape and explained to Kobe that he was taking the type of shots he’d normally take if he had a big lead playing for the Lakers instead of taking quality Team USA shots. To his relief, Kobe agreed and said he’d refrain from taking those shots.
There’s a remarkable scene in the Netflix documentary, The Redeem Team, which follows Team USA’s return to glory, where Kobe is coming down the elevator after his workout while the rest of the team had just returned from a Las Vegas night club.
“The preparation to win is what separates the champions from those who don’t win at all. Kobe helped develop the culture of our team by setting the example of preparation.”
What makes Coach K’s MasterClass so compelling is his authenticity. It feels unscripted like he’s just speaking to you and there happens to be a camera nearby. While he uses basketball as his vehicle to teach – he always reverts back to applying the lessons in the real world.
These include topics that you might expect like building a winning culture and adapting to situations – all which will leave you reflecting on your own leadership journey. But he also includes sections on why it’s important to make motivation a habit and why you can learn more from failure than winning which will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Coach K says that the best leaders are lifelong learners. As we concluded our interview I referenced the quote by one of his former players, JJ Redick, who notably said “I haven’t arrived, I’m always becoming,” which reinforced a growth mindset.
“The ‘always becoming’ is a great statement. I am still becoming as I’m transitioning from being a head coach to becoming a teacher – and I’m still learning. Leadership is so interesting because there’s no twelve step recipe. You may only need four of those ingredients and you may add something else to it. I’m 75 years old and I’m still curious about this stuff.”
MasterClass Trailer: Coach K Teaches Values-Driven Leadership
