Last night I had the opportunity to watch the Alabama Crimson Tide hoopsters take apart a pretty good Arkansas squad in Fayetteville. The interesting part of the game was that the Tide was playing without their two best players who have been suspended on and off for most of the season. While Jamychal Green and Tony Mitchell never made the trip to Bud Walton Arena, the remaining guys pulled together and dominated after a shaky start. In today’s world of instant gratification, it is highly unusual for any coach to make a decision that hurts the current situation for the benefit of the long term. However, most great leaders know that early pain and discomfort is often critical in creating the necessary structure for success down the road.
When I hired Anthony Grant six years ago I posed the question, “How will you know if your players buy into your system?” Interestingly he said that if they do not buy-in, they will quit because they do not want to put in the required effort or it will be so apparent that they will soon not be a part of the team. Sure enough the first year, his two tallest players both left the team and Coach Grant was left with short numbers and no starter over 6’6. While that might have seemed like a sure fire way not to succeed, just the opposite happened. Those who truly committed came together and embraced the system, the coaches and their teammates, and set a Colonial Athletic Association record for most wins in a season, won the conference tournament and beat Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Anthony Grant has a set of values and everyone in the program must understand the importance of those values. Remember that the reality of leadership is making decisions that are good for the entire group and accepting the responsibility for the success of the mission. It is about building a solid enduring organization or team. Sometimes leaders have to rid themselves of individuals who are destructive and bring the rest of the group down. It does not mean that they are bad people but it means that they are roadblocks to creating the correct culture. Coach Grant is always talking building a culture on his team. If you can build a culture where everyone understands and has focus on the same objectives, your chances are very good you will achieve at least to the ability of the individuals and you actually have a chance to achieve above the ability of the individuals. Some leaders (coaches) feel they can change anyone’s attitude and make them valuable contributors. The one thing to realize is that attitudes are formed over a lifetime and you may not be able to affect attitudes of some folks. When it become apparent that someone will not adapt to your value system, you may need to pull an Anthony Grant and cut loose the individual for the good of the group. Addition by subtraction may be most important play that you call to build a winner.
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