A couple of discussions inspired me to reflect further about Dean Smith and delve deeper into his coaching philosophy and leadership style. Certainly, this post may have been timelier had I published it at the time of Smith’s passing in 2015 but I feel that the thoughts remain relevant because of his lasting impact on the game. When I began coaching, I was drawn to Smith’s methods because of his winning track record and the fact that he was one of the limited numbers of coaches who had published a book that was easily available in the 1990s. To me, …
Meditations & More Than Meets the Eye
Morpheus proves a pseudo-philosopher in the Matrix Trilogy, much like Marcus Aurelius in his collection of musings, Meditations, and Optimus Prime in the summer blockbuster flick, Transformers. The latter two offer interesting ideas but fall short of anything truly significant, like Tony Soprano quoting Sun-Tzu or mentioning Machiavelli to Dr. Melfi. Marcus Aurelius repeats themes regarding man’s control over his own destiny and how the world and universe will carry on irrespective of one’s actions. One memorable point: “even if you burst with indignation they will still carry on regardless.” Another: the potential of the directing mind to speak loudly …