The unique aspect when it comes to Duke’s men basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski is that not only is the man a superior basketball genius on the hardwood, but also a special man off the court that’s truly an inspirational coaching leader in every way. The man fills his players year after year with a multitude of knowledge about the sport he loves, and also the importance of playing like a team. However, Coach K is not just worried about how his Duke Blue Devils play on the court; he cares more about being that role model his players can look up to. The man is a leadership guru and exemplifies every part of the Coaching leadership style that we selected. Coach K’s leadership behavior and traits goes hand and hand with the qualities of a great coach. He is the textbook example of a special type of coach and leader. He listens closely to his players and treats them with the utmost respect. His players view him as a second Dad and give it their all for him by always competing on the court. Ex Duke player Jason Williams said this about his former coach, “It’s a dream to play for a guy like that — a guy who’s just a rock, who believes in you every second you’re on the court. I love Coach K. I’d run through a brick wall for him” (1). To continue, Coach K knew how to push all the right buttons and lead by example which is exactly why he is a superb coach. He has a strong desire to use the game of basketball to mold his players into men, and to not just focus on winning. His principles and values are always consistent, just like his approach to the game (2). He is a man of strong character and work ethic. That is why players love to flock to Duke for the opportunity to learn and compete under arguably the greatest to ever do his job. Coach K has another great quality of being able to bring the best out of people and forming a culture that is second to none. Donald Zauderer notes how “Coach K talks about embracing the hell out of pride and personal responsibility. Each player is expected to bring their personal best to practices, meetings, and game situations. He also notes how Coach K demands them to be accountable and responsible for each other to meet expectations on and off the court (3). This is how he is so successful at instilling a special culture and brotherhood around the Duke program. This behavior is another way of how he exemplifies the perfect example of the coaching leadership style. Like mentioned earlier, Coach K is such a great example of our chosen style because he has always been there for the team during up and downs. After a tough stretch of games where the team struggles, or even if his squad suffers an agonizing upset, Coach K is able to look at the bigger picture and learn from the failure. He is quoted by saying, “It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success” (5). Coach K is invested into the team year after year and is all about creating everlasting relationships with his players. Coach K shows his coaching leadership when he is there emotional support and a source of encouragement to the players. By examining the remarkable career of Coach Mike Krzyzewski, one can learn an endless supply of valuable wisdom and lessons. He is an inspiring leader that listens to his players and builds them into better players and humans. Coach K leads by example and forms a welcoming environment where his players thrive. He is able to take failures and turn them into positives. Everything he stresses on the court, from determination and teamwork, to trust and hard work can be applied to life as well. This is why he is so motivating and a respected leader in the coaching profession. Hopefully people can absorb everything he is about and apply it into their lives. Overall, Coach K has all the attributes and characteristics of the perfect leader. He exemplifies everything about the coaching leadership style through his actions and qualities that he shows both on and off the court. Nobody says it better than the man himself when he notes, “I don’t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball (4).” By looking at the great Mike Krzyzewski, one can walk away with tons of knowledge about how to be an impeccable human being, coach and leader.
Citations
1) http://experiencematters.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/coach-k-demonstrates-winning-leadership/#comments
2) http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/setting-goals/success/four-leadership-lessons-from-coach-mike-krzyzewski/
3) http://www.dzauderer.com/coaches.pdf
4) http://coachk.com/coach-k-media/quotes/
5) https://twitter.com/CoachKWisdom