The following article appeared in the December 2007 edition of Seahorse Magazine. Its author, Rod Davis, is a 2-time Olympic Medalist and former coach and manager for the Prada and Emirates Team New Zealand America's Cup teams. He is currently the director of the New Zealand Olympic Sailing program and a regular contributor to Seahorse.
I believe his coaching advice to be some of the best when it comes to team organization and mental preparedness, and this will be the first of several that I share with you. Today's article discusses his "rules to live by" and I think SESIA would be well served to apply them to how we manage our programs, as I will be applying them to how our district is run. Sincerely, Blake Billman SEISA Graduate Director Your Choice By Rod Davis I keep lots of notes. Most are handwritten in lecture books, like the ones you used in school. My favorite list, and far and away the most used one, is my lessons of life. Here is a condensed version. There is no particular order as each one has its own place and time as it applies… *Execution – *No matter how great the plan, it is totally worthless without great execution. Most organizations are good at having meetings and making plans, but when it comes to executing or implementing them they are found wanting. By executing I mean, on a day in day out basis, for the next three years. Often the problem is not the plan, but the fact that it starts with a hiss and a roar and fizzles in a few weeks – that is bad execution. A swim coach once that success in swimming is only 10 percent program and 90 percent how the swimmer implements that program each and every day. I use the phrase "swim all the way to the wall" to remind me – it's all about execution. No regrets – I don't want to look back in five hours, five days or five years only to say, "I wish I had done that". If there is any chance I will say that, I just go for it and do it. If I wanted to bungee jump (and I don't), I would go do it, rather than let the opportunity go by. Do what is right – Often it comes down to the right thing versus the easy thing/ The "right" thing is the one that takes you closer to your goal, the one that treats people they way you would want/expect to be treated. The right thing has commonsense on its side, unfortunately it is also the more difficult path/ The easy one is just that; easy, but not right. *Back yourself – *If you're on solid turf (ie know your stuff) then back yourself, don't let people talk you around to their point of view. Often they are expressing their own self-interest and perhaps not what is best for you or your program. I am not saying to be closed minded, but if you know you are right, back yourself. *Don't talk down -* Complaining breeds more complaining. After a while everyone is bitching and moaning about anything and everything – back stabbing and bitching become the standard. Be the one that does not follow the sheep. I am not saying you have to break into some corny song when times get tough, but don't encourage the downward spiral. In the last America's Cup we had our tough times at Team New Zeeland; I used to say, "don't destroy it before we have time to fix it". Spend your energy figuring out how to fix the problem, not adding to it. *Enjoy the experience *– Really, that's the only thing you take with you, and no one can ever take away from you. The trophy will go back, the money will go to pay tax, even your picture in the newspaper will be wrapping fish within a week. But your memories and experience are something they can't take away. You have a choice in life: you can mentally take those bitter/sour pills each morning or take happy pills. Either way, what goes on is going to go on the same, but your outlook will be night and day different. *No history *– Just because your last attempt did go well, don't let that influence your next attempt. History… really, it can haunt you. Pity the poor guy who missed his last shot at goal and is now lining up to kick his second. With no history it would be a piece of cake, but his mind is cluttered with all kinds of doubt and fear. What happened before can often lead to the next outcome. I have often said, "Don't let the first mistake lead to the second one, because it's the second one that [EMAIL PROTECTED] you!" *'It takes two to lie, one to tell it, the other to listen' *– Treat people the best way the situation will allow you to, but don't believe everyone else plays by those rules. If you get conned or screwed by someone, it is just as much your fault for not having your eyes open and allowing it to happen. I can remember Dennis Conner saying 'bet on self-interest, it is always running' – an important concept to keep in mind. Personally I use the old Soviet/US policy: trust, but verify. *Be the best you can be and make the people around you the best they can be *– This is the big one! You have two jobs, both have equal weight. One is to make yourself the best you can be and more effective in your role.* *That is pretty straight foreword. The other job/role is to make the others around you as good as they can be. If everyone does the same, think how far that group will go! *Values are woven into the fabric not painted on *– From day one the people around you will take note of everything you do. If you spend the day surfing the net, they will know. If you are slacking off in your job, they will take note. If you are pushing hard to make a better product or program they will notice that too. All this helps to establish the values of 'who you are and what you are about' for both you personally and the rest of the team (office, club, whatever). Values are slow to build and quick to destroy (see Execution). I'm not going to say life will be wonderful, full of fame and riches, if you follow these thoughts. They are from my own experience and are what I am trying to live by, and more important, teach my children. They seem right to me. _________________________________________________ seisa mailing list [email protected] http://www.collegesailing.org/mailman/?listname=seisa
