You might look at the passion and intensity Mike Krzyzewski demonstrated in nail-biting playoff games and think his only goal was hanging another winning banner from the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium. But Coach K’s long experience gave him an insight others overlooked: It’s not just the players who bring that banner home.
Winning programs happen by creating a community with strong alliances. Coach K summed it up this way: “A common mistake among those who work in sports is spending a disproportional amount of time on “X’s and O’s” as compared to time spent learning about people.”
When Tommy Amaker was hired by Coach K, he knew becoming a head coach in college basketball was a tough business. However, getting hired was the first step in a very long journey.
Coach impressed upon him that coaches succeed the same way their players do: Practice, practice, practice. That’s why Tommy would get his own shots alongside the players.
Sometimes he would oversee specific drills. Or he might coach for a few minutes during the game. And he also had to learn how to navigate those tricky mid-game interviews where there always seemed to be a gotcha question.
Those opportunities looked different but had a single theme: They helped Amaker develop the poise and thick skin required to handle people ranging from excited players to agitated fans to pesky reporters.
Tommy Amaker has become the Head Coach at Harvard and remembers, “You might not always have liked it, but Coach K always made sure all of us knew where we stood in our progress, and I always respected his honesty and care.”
In the April series, Cultivate a Success Mindset with Soft Skills, we’re talking about life lessons from Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K is right about the common mistake he highlighted: Have you ever worked with people who forgot to learn about people?
Here’s the secret no one tells you about cultivating success: People are your top priority—all the other stuff is extra. No one may remember the presentation, new policy, or tool update you’re making. But they will remember and tell the story about the alliances you create or lack thereof.
Keeping relationships first is why Coach K gives his coaches small wins. He knows that alliances happen one small win at a time. What’s more, those small wins can take hold and have a viral effect for everyone from superstar players to the front office. Coach K described the importance of alliances by saying, “Don’t take your culture for granted. There needs to be a constant renewal of values that leads to camaraderie.”
Now, imagine taking Coach K’s idea about keeping alliances and camaraderie first and applying it to the way you work. How could you create a group where everyone experiences a win?
Does that idea sound overwhelming? Then follow Coach’s lead and take it one step at a time. You’re building alliances with every meeting, every chat exchange, and every lunchtime conversation. You don’t have to have the highest title in the room to boss up with soft skills like emotional intelligence and managing interpersonal conflicts—you can do it from any level.
Here are three examples showcasing soft skill How tactics. For instance:
* Give someone’s self-esteem a boost by acknowledging their good idea
* Make a smart choice to de-escalate before a misunderstanding takes on a life of its own
* Use compassion and recognize that while everyone’s role in a situation may not have equal weight, it is equally valuable
Start building alliances if you want to get to the finish line with ease, speed, and fun. It’s hard to get winning stats if you practice people skills now and then. So instead, keep people front and center and cultivate a success mindset where everyone can win.