Basketball season is upon us. I’d like to consider the game for more than just its entertainment value.
My favorite movie of all time is Hoosiers. I’ve seen it dozens of times, and it never gets old. Here’s the storyline:
In 1951, washed-up college basketball coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) takes the job of coaching the small and undisciplined team at Hickory High in Hickory, Indiana. His methods are unorthodox; the residents are suspicious of him; the vice principal (played by Barbara Hershey) doesn’t make his job any easier. And Coach Dale gets the town drunk (Dennis Hopper, who won a best supporting actor Oscar) to be his assistant coach. Then Dale and his plucky team aim for the state championships.
I believe this story holds some excellent leadership lessons.
Coach Dale is more than a good head coach; he’s a great leader. He sees his team not for what they are, but for what they can be.
Then there are these specific leadership examples: he comes to the team with a proven method of success, built over time and based on his experiences; he knows what works and what doesn’t; and he goes with what he knows.
As the leader, he doesn’t give in to the team’s or town’s outspoken opposition. He doesn’t back down; he risks being fired rather than give in to pressure.
He brings his team together. They buy into his system, his way of winning, and they come together as a team and achieve success. A leader must get buy-in from those he leads.
But the greatest leadership takeaway came from the championship game. Coach Dale’s boys were playing a better, stronger, taller team; and they were anxious. The game comes down to the final 19 seconds with Hickory High holding the ball and calling their last time out. Coach Dale outlines the final play — using their best player as a decoy and giving the last shot to one of the other boys. The players are disappointed and doubtful.
Here’s where the leadership lesson comes in. The coach asks his team what’s wrong. The players have learned to trust in their coach’s model of success, however they step up with an alternative plan. The team’s lead scorer tells the coach he’d like the ball and that he’ll score if he gets it.
This is this leader’s defining moment—and it’s something that all leaders face sooner or later. He must decide which strategy is best—his or the one put forth by the team. Coach Dale goes with the team’s suggestion. Of course, they execute the play beautifully, and Hickory High wins. And the team, the town and the coach all learn from the experience.
Leadership is complicated.
A successful leader sees his team not for what they are, but for what they can be. A real leader won’t give in to opposition or distractions—even if it means losing his leadership position. A good leader earns the trust of his team. An effective leader has a proven method of success, but he or she is not afraid to listen to what others have to say. They are open to input, and they are not afraid of change.
This kind of leadership works on the court, at the office, in a marriage, with your kids, in your spiritual life, in the community where you live. I believe Hoosiers-like leadership can help you do what you do better—in and out of the office.
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