GREATEST SUCCESS STRATEGY EVER

 In my book, WIN THE DAY, I go into great detail about the POWER OF LOVE, the greatest success strategy ever. Here is a short excerpt from that section. I also give it some attention in my THE COMPETITIVE BUDDHA because it's THAT IMPORTANT. As Coach Phil Jackson once said, it is the one aspect to a championship team that without which, no championships happen. I use this in my leadership with astounding results. 

I was told by another coach that love is not a commodity; it’s a capacity. I took this to mean that love is the capacity to connect and care. At my annual transformative coaching conferences, I offer coaches simple yet powerful ways to connect and care and love. I tell them to fight for the athletes’ heart. To do this, I suggest they catch the athletes doing something right.

Jen Cook, past Lacrosse coach at UNC,Carolina, blew her whistle every time one of the girls made a mistake. Jen was getting nowhere with this player. When I gave her this new strategy, she implemented it for three days. On the fourth day, as she entered her office she was greeted with a bouquet of roses with a note: “Thanks coach. These last few days have been the best days at practice in three years.” This athlete transformed before our eyes because of the love she felt each day from her coach who now coached with a “whistle of love.” She won the day.

Another suggestion I often make is asking others to liberally use my “Oneness Rule.” Simply implemented, you and your staff choose one

athlete, give them one positive comment and do this one day at a time. It’s infectious and I notice that everyone who tries this can’t stop at one. They break the code.

In this electronic age, I find it effective to use my devices to email or text my teams and individual athletes about something positive that I notice. I do this regularly and I usually get lots of love in return.

Finally, for now, try the magic acronym, L.U.V. (love) to win the hearts of your athletes. L is for listen, the most powerful skill in your leadership toolbox. U is for understanding by asking questions that show interest in others as people. V is to validate when their responses to your questions are statements demonstrating positive reactions and commendable thoughts and ideas.

Sun-Tzu, in his ancient classic THE ART OF WAR, emphasizes the importance of love for success. He strongly encourages Taoist leaders and generals to take care of the troops as they would take care of a child who was loved. He says that by loving others, the chances of victory are greatly enhanced.

Mother Teresa’s words on the value of love say it all: “When we come face to face with God, we are going to be judged on how much we loved.” And how often we won the day.

Now, I leave you with some refreshing new thoughts about love from my last conversation with Missy Foote, the iconic Middlebury College women’s lacrosse coach and winner of four national championships; this is so beautifully stated:

“It’s really all about LOVE, isn’t it? for many years I carried with me in my coaching clipboard (and now in my wallet) a printed, laminated copy of the Irish proverb, ‘It is in the shelter of each other that the people live’ to remind me that our love shelters our family and friends. As a coach and a servant leader my obligation was to help a group of individuals come together to be the best they could be. It wasn’t until I realized however that the ONLY way to help people reach their potential was through love and compassion that I became a better coach. I hope my players feel that I loved them because I did.”