Vault: Character Development

The Iceberg Illusion & Why Mistakes Matter

Icebergs have two parts: what people see (above the surface) and what people don’t see (below the surface). Success Is An Iceberg We often get mesmerized by someone’s above the surface success and don’t factor in all the below the surface opportunity-costs they paid to achieve that success. This is the ‘iceberg illusion’. It’s been a …

Dysfunctional Teams (and Your Ultimate Trump Card)

Here’s how you end up with a dysfunctional team culture: Someone points out that one of the team members is negative and a real problem. And the coach says, And here’s how you end up with a toxic environment on your coaching staff: Someone points out that people are afraid to contradict this person. And the …

Draymond Green: On allowing his character to be attacked

The 2016 NBA Playoffs Final between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t have been scripted any better than the real thing played out. Golden State, with a record 73 regular-season victories and comparisons to the all-time great teams in NBA history, jumps out to a 3-1 lead. No team in 32 tries had ever …

Pre-Game: Sometimes You Need Perspective

This video is of Beyoncé during her dressing room rehearsal for her American Idol appearance. NO MICROPHONE. No effects. No amped mic, no reverb… Just Bey. “Sometimes you need perspective. You’ve been right in front of greatness so often that you need to step back and see it again for the first time.” —Jay-Z At …

Here’s How To Approah Failure

Those driven toward excellence and winning, should never view failure as something that saps your energy, enthusiasm and vitality. Instead, it provides an opportunity to respond famously by animating, increasing your focus, and viewing the experience itself as an opportunity to learn, develop and adapt. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying significant failures won’t …

Character Revealed

This is great insight into the impact that Buzz Williams is making on the lives of the young men that come through his program. This video on Marquette Basketball’s “Life Lessons” a testament – in more than one way… Here’s another video (via Coach Starkey’s Hoop Thoughts) of Marquette’s head coach, Buzz Williams, mic’d up …

Bill Russell On Developing An Outside-In Leadership Style

Boston Celtics great, Bill Russell, the man with 11 NBA championship rings for 10 fingers, touches on developing an ‘outside-in’ versus ‘inside-out’ leadership style in his book ‘Russell Rules‘. Here’s one of the ways he shared for business leaders, basketball coaches and players to use when they’re thinking about leadership: Remember the five most important …