Insight #4

Most of us “guys” and even some gals, have their all-time favorite sports moments. For me it was UCLA winning the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1995 over the defending champion Arkansas. The team had great senior leadership, they survived a second-round scare from Missouri, and they finished the season with a 31-2 record. It was a year for the ages.

Recently I watched a podcast where the 4 coaches from that team met to reminisce about that year and what winning the championship meant for their careers. All of the assistant coaches eventually moved on to multiple head coaching jobs, and the head coach Jim Herrick coached at two other schools before retiring. That 1995 title remains the only title UCLA has won since the great John Wooden retired in 1975 after winning 10 titles himself.

During the podcast, one of the assistant coaches recounted a story where he was trying to decide on which recruiting call he should make one Friday afternoon. He caught coach Herrick as he was going out the door, and he asked him which recruit he should visit. Coach Herrick’s response in his West Virginia drawl was: “If I have to tell you what to do, I’ve hired the guy.” He then threw his jacket over his shoulder, walked to his car and drove away.

Two of the assistant coaches recounted a similar story where they got that response from their boss, and both of them said they learned in that moment an important leadership lesson. Don’t only let people do their jobs but expect them to, and give them opportunities to make decisions and take actions on their own.

As leaders, we need to mentor, coach, challenge and support those who look up to us. We probably have a leadership position because of our experience or expertise, or in some cases, because of a fancy job title. Many times, people will look for help in making decisions because they lack the confidence or experience

Coach Herrick’s simple statement both challenged his assistants and gave them confidence by telling them he trusted them, and that they were fully capable of making the decisions on their own. It also gave them permission to make a different decision than their boss might have made, whether it turned out well or not. That’s a pretty powerful message wrapped up in just one sentence.

There are many facets to leadership, but two important ones are trust and delegation. Empowering others is as important a skill as any other role a leader plays. By challenging others to make their own decisions, it not only helps them grow, but it helps leaders grow, moving away from micromanaging, while creating a more dynamic, confident and trusting team beneath them. All from the simple concept of delegating decision making and reminding others of their own capabilities.

As a leader, don’t always be the person with the answer, even if asked directly. Sometimes it’s better to defer or throw it back to the person asking, challenging them to decide on their own. Sometimes they will hit a wall, and you will realize they do need your help. But most of the time they will run with the challenge and feel empowered in the process, creating just the kind person you want on your team.

Baxter Scruggs

No matter what your definition of success is, or where you find yourself on this journey called life, these thirty stories will provide a fresh perspective, and help you rethink those beliefs that limit your goals, dreams and aspirations.