“Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” – John Wooden
If I could put every John Wooden quote on this blog, I would. The legendary UCLA basketball coach has so much incredible wisdom, both in the realms of sports and life. Maybe his “Pyramid of Success” can be a future blog post…
Last night my brother and the DePauw University Fighting Tigers traveled to the University of Evansville for a pre-season exhibition game. There’s nothing better than basketball in Indiana, so to say that I’m excited for basketball season to be upon us would be an understatement.
I came across a great article that my brother had been interviewed in and mentioned the following:
4 NON-NEGOTIABLE DEMANDS
1) Be a great teammate
2) Give a great effort
3) Be coachable
4) Hold yourself and others accountable
These words of wisdom got me thinking. And because I’m a true believer that sports not only teach us valuable lessons on the court but more importantly teach us crucial lessons about LIFE, I related these 4 non-negotiable demands to my job/life right now. Here’s my take on these 4 non-negotiable demands from a consultant and leadership development point of view:
NON-NEGOTIABLE
Let’s start with “non-negotiable.” You do these things because you are expected to do them. There is no discussion here; it’s understood that when you join the team or sorority, these are your expectations. As Tony Dungy said in his book Quiet Strength, “No excuses. No explanations.”
BE A GREAT TEAMMATE
When you join a sorority, you become a part of something much bigger than yourself, and this is something I think a lot of chapter members across the country struggle with. I’ll admit, sometimes it is hard to see the big picture. But, that’s no excuse. Not only are you expected to be a team player for your own chapter but also for the national organization. That means abiding by all policies and procedures and putting aside your personal beliefs and goals for the good of the overall chapter and national organization if the two do not line up. We are all in this together. Think about how great we could be if everyone made a promise to do anything for this “team.” Be a great sister and continue to move the sorority forward. As my volleyball coach used to say, “It’s amazing how much gets accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit. Play for the team, not for yourself.”
GIVE A GREAT EFFORT
Really, that’s all I ask. If you are trying to follow policies and procedures and if you are trying to do the right thing for your chapter, I already have so much respect for you. It’s when you know there’s something wrong and you choose to do nothing about it that we start to have a problem. Be brave. Try. Make an effort. If you’re going to fail, make sure that it’s not because of a lack of effort. You’ll look back in 10 years and wish that you would’ve done something. There’s absolutely no excuse for a lack of effort. Another great quote from my brother, “If not now, when?” No excuses. Stop procrastinating and give a great effort no matter what and do what needs to be done.
BE COACHABLE
I think we can all agree that in sports, the coach does his/her job because he/she wants you to succeed no matter what. Every little thing the coach does is because he/she is trying to set the team up to succeed. When you’re running all of those timed suicides in practice and the coach is screaming at you because you can’t do anything right, it’s hard to see the reasoning. But, at the end of the day, you know why the coach does what he/she does. In sorority world, it’s no different. I can only speak for myself, but especially as a consultant, know that we are here to help! We are sort of like a coach, and we want nothing more than to help each and every chapter succeed. We are not there to tattle or to get you in trouble. Talk with us, be honest with us, and give us a chance to help you. Be coachable and remember that we have your best interest in mind at all times. We want to give you the best opportunity to succeed, but we can only do that if you are open and willing to listen to our suggestions and work with us to develop solutions to any problems!
HOLD YOURSELF AND OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE
Do what you say you will do, when you say you will do it. Make sure that you are completely committed to your position and that you will do whatever it takes to fulfill your responsibilities. Don’t be afraid of confrontation and holding other people accountable! The team is only as strong as the weakest player, so if someone is falling behind, help them and pick them up! Don’t just let it slide. Do something to fix the situation by holding every single person accountable. As our Creed says, believe that our given word is binding!
Alright, off my soap box now. The college student-athlete in me comes out every now and then. J
