Be a Coach, Not a Boss

A note to young leaders.

Be a coach, not a boss.

Former NBA star, Kevin McHale, was coached by the legendary Boston Celtics player and coach, the late KC Jones.

Kevin noticed that whenever he or his team mates pulled off an amazing feat or landed a game-winning shot – KC was never part of the throng congratulating them.

On the other hand, KC was always the first one to come over when a player messed up or missed a crucial shot. He would put his arm around the player and say: “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get ‘em next time.”

Curious, Kevin asked KC why this was the case.

“Kevin, when you win, you have fifteen thousand people cheering you on, telling you how great you are. You don’t need my encouragement then. But when you lose, when you’ve blown it, that’s when you need a friend.”

Leaders don’t follow the acclaim. They go to where they are needed most, to where they will have the greatest impact.