From the Evansville Courier Press, July 12, 2009
Having dedicated so much of my free time to reading books authored about great coaches, managers, and leaders, what originally had started as a hobby of a literature major in college became an obsession. I was eager to learn more and more about what made each of these coaches successful, what motivated them and what they was like away from the field of competition.
The more I read about successful coaches and managers, the more I realize that many of them have been drawn from their experiences of being around other great coaches and leaders to help formalize their own philosophies and the styles of management that they employed in their own careers. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to have worked for two of the real giants in college soccer in John Rennie (Duke University) and Fred Schmalz (University of Evansville). I also know that the opportunity to work with coaches like Rennie and Schmalz, as well as the chance to work in the same athletic department staff as Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, is valuable and not available to everyone.
Most successful coaches have been greatly influenced, be it for good or bad, by the coaches or teachers they have had growing up. Knowing that most of the characteristics of my own coaching personality have been developed by coaches that I have played for and worked with, I also know that a number of coaches and leaders who have authored books that I have read have influenced me as well.
After recommending a book to a former player, I thought that the experiences I had drawn from some of the books I had read might help other coaches or aspiring coaches who have not experienced the mentorship like I have. With that in mind, I put together a resource other coaches could use to help make themselves more effective. Whether that is done by introducing new concepts, seeing “how to do” or “how not to do” or maybe to broaden horizons and provoke thought, I hope this is something that can be put to use.
Listed below is the compilation of a number of the books in my collection I think any leader of a team or company would find beneficial in their own development. Some are biographies, autobiographies or books about coach’s theories or philosophies.
Barnett, Gary: “High Hopes”
Bolchover, David: “The 90-Minute Manager”
Conner, Dennis: “The Art of Winning”
Conroy, Pat: “My Losing Season”
Dent, Jim: “The Junction Boys”
Dorrance, Anson: “Training Soccer Champions”
Falkner, David: “The Last Yankee”
Ferguson, Alex: “Managing My Life”
Giuliani, Rudolph: “Leadership”
Huizenga, Wayne: “The Making of a Blockbuster”
Jackson, Phil: “Sacred Hoops”
Knight, Bob: “Knight – My Story”
Krzyzewski, Mike: “Five-Point Play”
Krzyzweski, Mike: “Leading With the Heart”
Lencioni, Patrick” The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team”
Luttrell, Marcus: “Lone Survivor”
Maraniss, David: “When Pride Still Mattered”
Packer, Billy: “Why We Win”
Parcells, Bill: “Finding a Way To Win”
Riley, Pat: “The Winner Within”
Russell, Bill: “Russell Rules”
Schembechler, Bo: “Bo’s Lasting Lessons”
Schwarzkopf, General H. Norman: “It Doesn’t Take a Hero”
Smith, Dean:” A Coach’s Life”
Tzu, Sun: “The Art of War”
Torre, Joe: “Joe Torre’s Ground Rules for Winners”
Valvano, Jim: “Valvano”
Winter, Tex: “Trial by Basketball”
Wojnarowski, Adrian: “The Miracle of St. Anthony”
Wooden, John: “They Call Me Coach”
Wooden, John: “Wooden”
Wooden, John: “Practical Modern Basketball”
It is important to be able to understand that what works for one leader might not work for you. Trying to lead like Phil Jackson might not fight into your personality – the goal should be to try to read about the experiences that these great leaders had, and see if you can draw common ties with your own personality and philosophies. Nothing breeds confidence like reading about how someone who is successful shares some of the same ideals. I have John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success hanging in my office – it helps remind me each day what things are important to me as a coach, teacher, father and husband.
Someone once told me that there are three kinds of people: Those who know, those who think they know, and those who don’t know. The ones who truly know, who are experts, are few and far between. The people to be frightened of are the people who think they are experts (those who think they know).
Personally, I ‘don’t know’. I am always looking to learn more about coaching and teaching. Don’t think that you can ever really stop learning, whether it is watching other coaches do sessions, meeting with other coaches or reading about others who are successful in management.
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