Jon Gordon: Sharp Knives… And Focusing On What Matters Most

Posted by Jon Gordon

I was once speaking to the employees of a hotel/resort and the head chef shared a comment that really stuck with me.

“Yep, I’m a typical chef,” he said. “At work my knives are all nice and sharp. But when I cook at home, all my knives are dull.”

Sharp knives at work… Dull knives at home.

How many of us need to spend more time sharpening our knives at home?

12-13 Raiders

Jon Gordon: Training Camp

Rajon Rondo on Team Decisions

"It's What's Best for the Team"

  "My job is to play, whether Doc throws an 8th grader out there...I'll try to make his job easier and bring the best out in him."  That’s Rajon Rondo talking about how he isn't concerned with who starts and who doesn't.

Part of leadership is getting the team to buy into the importance of team over self, and that's what Rondo is talking about.  There are some great lessons in this quote if you spend some time thinking about it: leadership lessons, teammate lessons, and trust lessons.  Let's take a look at each of these:

LEADERSHIP LESSONS:  Rondo is basically saying it's not as important who starts and who doesn't; the key is that the best lineup at any given time in the game be what's best for the team.  He's putting team before individual and he fully understands that the best decisions for winning are decisions that put the team above the individual.

TEAMMATE LESSONS: This is a tough one.  In one sense, he's saying, "we want the best player out on the floor for that time of the game."  This gives that teammate tremendous confidence in that Rondo is saying, “I believe in you".  On the other hand, the player who's not out there may be thinking, "he believes in him more than he believes in me."  This is where leadership becomes tougher than people think -- that balance between keeping guys happy, motivated, and engaged when their number isn't called.

TRUST LESSONS:  What Rondo is really saying here is, "I trust the decision my coach is making.  I know my coach makes his decisions based on what's best for the team.  I trust this and now it's my job to help that player excel."

The ultimate lesson here is even bigger.  What you say can be very important to the success or failure of a team, an organization, or a business. Whenever a statement is made with an individual's name in it, you can bet that person will pay attention to it and he will make his own interpretation of the message.  So what you say does become important.  I just warn players to think first, talk second. And the same applies to us as coaches.

There are even more messages we can learn by Rondo's statement.  These are just a few to get you thinking.  It's a good exercise as you read articles on other teams and players as well as your own.  To quote one of Doc's favorite phrases: "I know what he said, but what did he say?"  

Doc Rivers

Holding Others Accountable

From Championship Coaches Network
Link: Hold Everyone Accountable

Greg A. Shelley, Ph.D., Colgate and Lafayette Leadership Academies

Excerpt from Dr. Shelley's new book: 50 Rules to Build Committed, Confident, and Motivated Athletes and Teams 

Holding others accountable is difficult, often uncomfortable, and yet absolutely necessary. If your athletes are going to grow and develop, and your team is going to mature and progress, you will need strong coach-player and player-player accountability.

Accountability is about empowering, encouraging, and "pushing" others to accomplish a task. It is a rare person that "enjoys" being held accountable. Who wants to be told they need to gain strength, work harder, commit more, improve their attitude, or communicate more effectively?

Similarly, it is also difficult for the person holding others accountable . . . as the process of holding another person accountable often ends with that person becoming angry, offended, or feeling "singled out". In contrast, holding others accountable should conclude with everyone involved realizing their goals and expectations are within reach. All parties should have a clear understanding of where they stand in relation to any previously agreed upon individual or team goals.

Holding others accountable is about helping others reach their goals and follow through with what they initially set out to do. Below are several coach considerations for establishing individual and team accountability.