Here is a new excerpt from my next book, THE COMPETITIVE BUDDHA, on that is aligned with Mindful Leadership the Buddha way.
Regard your athletes as your children, and they may follow wherever you lead. Look upon them as your beloved sons and daughters and they will stand by you until death.
Sun-Tzu, The Art of War
For the past few decades, I have learned and honed my leadership wisdom from the best of the best in the coaching world. To name a few, there is Dean Smith, Steve Kerr, Pete Carroll, Phil Jackson, Anson Dorrance, Bill Walsh, John Wooden, Cindy Timchal, Pat Summitt, and Tara VanDerveer. What I notice is how much they honor, respect and promote very similar leadership styles as the Buddha, using a more heart filled approach to their leadership. These coaches, like the Buddha, are fiercely authentic, vulnerable, courageous risk takers, pensive listeners, flexible, adaptable and balanced in life and spiritually awake. They lead by example not by coercion. How would it be if leaders of this country employed such methodology?
Another such coach is Quin Snyder, head coach of the NBA Utah Jazz. On a recent Way of Champions podcast, we were conversing about how Quin is the master of the relationship game, getting his athletes to work hard, be loyal and go the distance in practice and games alike. We affirmed his talents with this aspect of leadership. That night his team was competing in a very tough game against the Boston Celtics in Boston. The Jazz were outstanding in their victory. The next morning, I received an interesting text from Quin: “I think the uplifting podcast spilled over to our team.” Yes, it did, I said. When we are reminded about the ingredients of a healthy relationship game, we tend to bring these traits to our work with those we lead and coach.
Over time, I have been witness to a virtual sea change, a huge paradigm shift taking place in the profession of coaching; athletes are demanding positive relationship change with their leaders. Such an historic shift tells me that those being coached are seeking a change of heart from those doing the coaching to a more dynamic, multifaceted approach. Still interested in the necessity of developing and learning the essential skills, tactics, and strategies of their sport, the athletes also seem to desire being taught this knowledge in environments that are marinated in respect, trust, love, compassion, and integrity. In other words, while they care about what you know as their coach (X’s and O’s), they also want to know that you care (inspire and empower). In a sense, they are asking their leaders to “dance” with a mindful noble heart. Coaches who are successful in sport are beginning to realize that they need to win the “relationship game” and when that happens, the athletic game takes care of itself. What they are discovering, much like the Buddha path, is that coaching is ultimately a “path of the heart,” arelationship dance between athlete and coach, and the counterpart dance between teaching the athletes skill-sets for optimal performance coupled with the wisdom of inspiration that empowers the athletes to discover their greatness in sports and life.
To be the mindful Buddha coach, mentor, leader and teacher, you must be a good student and learn what needs to be known from the student (the athlete) in order to teach them what they must learn. In this dancing relationship, each individual is interdependent – forming a bond of equal fulfillment, love, and respect in a harmonious atmosphere of openness, communication, and loyalty. Each person involved in this mutually beneficial dance genuinely experiences the gifts each has to offer. This fluid, rhythmic, flowing, and dancing union between coach and athlete, serving and sharing together for the greater good of all, is an extraordinary process to behold. It is the cornerstone of the awakened noble heart leader. True learning and development take place in all arenas of life when giving and receiving are intrinsic to each member of the relationship. When you feel relevant, important, valued, respected and empowered, you will go the distance, be loyal and mentally strong.
Extraordinary Buddha leadership and coaching involves a devotion of the coach’s time and energy to performance management, strategic planning, and a myriad of other “X’s and O’s” preparatory exercises. While these aspects of leadership are absolutely essential to the coaching piece, there is the need for a union that enables you to inspire and empower those being led. Herein lies the essence of mindful Buddha leadership.
The challenge at this point is for all of us to discover ways to create safe environments and develop mindful relationships with heart, where we as leaders, can perfect the Buddha qualities of love, inspiration, compassion, respect, understanding, and integrity while helping concurrently to develop the skill sets so necessary to perform the tasks at hand. When we influence our athletes in this way, they feel valued and perform more optimally in an encouraging environment, free of fear and intimidation. With an increase of love, compassion, and spirituality, people become happy, trust and respect deepen, and the results and outcomes are greatly enhanced. Simply stated, when we develop relationships like this, those we lead are more joyful, cooperative, and happy and therefore work harder; when anyone works harder, results and outcomes usually improve.
Additionally, athletes in such environments will begin to prepare, practice, play, compete, and live with heart themselves. Your coaching becomes the model used by all those under your guidance for their own personal leadership on and off the field.
The mindful Buddha coach leads by example and attitude. The Buddhist way is one of coaching by guiding rather than forcing others to comply, building resentment and rebellion; better to create environments of loyalty, trust, respect, and cooperation where resistance and counterforce are virtually eliminated, while instilling a strong sense of personal power in those you lead. You will discover that by being such a heart-directed leader, you will empower others and, simultaneously, gain power yourself. Like electricity, the more energy and love you conduct, the more you receive. In truth, you never need to display power. Others just feel and respect it because such an extraordinary leader radiates and emanates personal power. The principles, wisdom, and overall lessons of the Buddha will guide you to develop a more athlete-centered approach for those under your guidance, thus helping you to master the art of highly effective, enlightened, and extraordinary leadership. My book, THE COMPETITIVE BUDDHA, will give you a complete look at how you can develop such leadership.
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