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Attempting to Define Happiness

In 2013 I read an article about the Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle.  It wasn’t your typical sports column: it talked about Clint’s  daily inspirational messages, the love for his family, and his past struggles.  In the article, there was a quote from John Lennon that is displayed in the Pirate skipper’s office:

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

Boom! The light bulb went off for me.  For years I had similar thoughts and feelings.  The Hurdle article and Lennon quote provided clarity: I wanted to be happy.

Misconceptions About Happiness:

When you talk about love or happiness people get uncomfortable.  They think these terms are “soft.”  Actually, it takes incredible toughness to pursue happiness.

I can’t tell you, or anyone for that matter, how to be happy.  It takes self-awareness and the courage to take a deep, sometimes painful, dive into yourself.

I do know that our society often paints a false picture of happiness.  In our country, status, wealth, celebrity, accumulation of possessions– things centered around the ego–are considered success.  We believe that being the star player, the CEO, the movie star will make us happy.  This is a big lie.

For me I had to identify things that I thought would make me happy but weren’t providing the return.

  1. Circumstances: Like most people I believed, “If I just made more money I would be happy.”  Or, “If I lived in a better climate things would be perfect.”  So many of us, me included, have the belief that circumstances dictate our happiness.  I’ve met a lot of people, who on the surface, have “everything” and they are miserable.  On the other hand, I’ve met people who have very little in terms of material things who exude joy.  Relying on circumstances to determine our mood is dangerous.
  2. Ease or Comfort: I believe the obstacles and challenges are what makes life great.  Personally, I am not my best in times of comfort. I feel most alive when I’m outside of my comfort zone; creating, trying, and failing.  Most people are pain adverse; we’ll go to great lengths to stay safe.  We’ll do the same thing for our children.  However, the strenuous life is were we find the greatest rewards.

Happiness:

As I mentioned earlier, happiness is a personal journey.  What makes one person happy will not make another one happy.  You must do the hard work to self-analyze and see what truly brings you joy.  Like you, I’m still on my personal discovery of self-mastery.  Here is a present list that brings me contentment.

  1. Pursuit of a worthy goal: “for success, like happiness, cannot be pursued, it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a greater cause than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself”- Victor Frankl.  This is why I’m such an advocate for teams and team sports.  Sports provide the platform to lose yourself in the team.  There are great personal rewards in this.
  2. Being Healthy: Living good, eating and sleeping right.  Movement is incredibly important to my mental well-being.  When I am eating poorly and inactive my mental is off.  It is important to remember the power of moving the body.
  3. Displaying Courage.  There are many ways to show an act of courage; physical challenges, mental challenges or simply stepping out of your comfort zone.  I feel a rush when I step out on the edge and overcome fear.
  4. Growth: Continual improvement is critical.  If I become stagnant or complacent my mood sours.  Relaxing is not good for me; instead, I prefer the term recovery.  Recovery for me involves reading, writing and in-depth conversations.  Sitting idle doesn’t do it for me.
  5. Rhythm in Life: I love my job and I also love my family.  Both of these “loves” are time demanding.  It’s impossible to strike a balance.  There are times when I am “all in” with work and not as present with my wife and kids.  We are good with this.  There is a point, however, where it’s necessary to be “all in” at home.  If this rhythm is extremely interrupted, on either end, my happiness is compromised.
  6. Service to others: I find the old saying, “it’s better to give than receive” true.  I’ve lost count, but my “guestimation,” this is my 100th newsletter.  I am far from a natural writer; it takes me a long time to craft an article.  What keeps me going is the satisfaction in hearing from others how much they enjoy reading.  It’s my small way of giving back. It fills my bucket with joy.

Conclusion:

I hope in 2018 you continue your pursuit of true happiness.  You are the only one who knows what will make you happy.  Please be cautious of the ego-driven pursuit of things.  I’d recommend pursing experiences instead.

It’s funny how life works.  Roughly four years after reading the article about Clint Hurdle I know consider him a mentor and friend.  Hanging in my office now is the same John Lennon Quote about “Happiness.”

May your 2018 be full of challenges and fun,

Mike

P.S. To help you continue in your pursuit of self-awareness I highly recommend Victor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning.”

 

 

 

 

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Get out of your comfort zone: 10 things to do to ‘shake it up’

For the past year, every recruit and family that I sat across from, I deliver this unsettling message.  “At some point, and maybe several points, during your collegiate experience you will consider transferring.  There will be a time when you think you made the wrong choice.”  Why do I believe they will want to transfer at some point?  The reason is we are going to knock them out of their comfort zone.

Being in the comfort zone is extremely dangerous. Please allow me to share an example from sports.  It never fails, every year we are working with one of our players on something new in their fielding, hitting, or pitching.  Inevitably one of the players will respond, “this feels weird; I don’t feel comfortable.”  This comment is far from uncommon and the questioning of the new technique is completely understandable.  However, the response from the athlete from that moment forward is critical: they can go one of two ways:
Response one: They decide to “bite down.” They develop a growth mindset and start to look at the experience as a journey.  There are bumps, bruises and hardships along the way; however, these wounds are only temporary.  A decision is made that it will not be easy, but they will triumph.
Response two: “Poor Pitiful Me” syndrome kicks in.  They start complaining to anyone who will listen.  They will long for their personal instructor, high school coach, or summer coach.  Next, they develop built in excuses: “I can’t hit because they messed me up.”  Eventually a victim’s mentality is formed.

My Advice to Parents:
Many of you who read this newsletter have children, how you choose to handle this situation is critical to their development.  If your child is lucky enough to be in a competitive sports program be thankful.  Your son or daughter’s coach has the ability to challenge and push them in a way you cannot.  Embrace this.  Show empathy.  Explain that you too know what it is like to be thrust into difficult situations; that these situations are extremely challenging.  I would speak of the virtues of courage, grit, and trying new things.  I would tell he or she that I am proud of them for having the fortitude to valiantly attempt new endeavors. Remind them that you love them and that in no way is their self-worth determined by “playing time” or skill competency.   On the other hand, I would avoid enabling and giving them an easy out.  This is one of those “game changing” moments in your child’s life.  Ask yourself two questions: One, what would a more experienced parent do in this situation?  Two, what lesson do I want my child to learn from this?

My Advice to Coaches:
Two things: one, keep pushing.  It is becoming harder and harder to put young athletes in difficult situations.  Many coaches are living in fear.  It is easier not to “rock the boat” than it is to do what is right.  In society’s defense, there have been some horror stories of coaches in the past few years that have made our jobs tougher.  If your heart is in the right place, stay the course.  No one said it was going to be easy.  The following quote from Andrew Wiggins on his coach, Tom Tibodeau should provide you with strength, “He’s going to bring out the best in me.  He’s a hard-nosed coach.  He’s tough.  And that’s what everybody on this team needs.  We need our coach to take us out of our comfort zone.” The second part is we must show empathy.  It’s not easy to leave your comfort zone.  We have to recognize this and realize that it often takes time.  It is important to be slow to label our athletes: “uncoachable,” “soft,” “entitled,” or “lazy.”  Oftentimes these labels are completely wrong.  The problem is we lack the skills and knowledge to reach them properly.

My Advice to Everyone:
Have you noticed virtually everyone agrees that living in the “comfort zone” is not a great place to be?  Have you ever found yourself encouraging others to take risks; however, if you truly self-reflect, you are not following your own advice?  It all starts with the leader.  How can we ask others to do things we ourselves are not willing to do?  Here are ten simple (although not easy) things we can try this week to “shake things up.”

  1. Drive a different way to work- Are you in auto-pilot mode? Many times we hop in our car and just begin going. We fail to see the beauty around us.
  2. Engage a conversation with a complete stranger: The news and talk radio have many of us feeling like there is no hope for our country/world. This is B.S.  I had an amazing conversation this week that warmed my soul. Give it a try.
  3. “Thank ‘em up” At the end of every practice, training session or game we have our players thank each other.  At first it was like pulling teeth; now, our guys love it. Go out of your way to thank others and encourage those you lead to do the same.
  4. Read/watch something that goes against your point of view. You normally watch Fox News, watch CNN. Listen to NPR, tune into Rush Limbaugh.Crazy huh? Our country’s biggest issue is an extreme lack of empathy. If you stay in your bubble nothing will change.
  5. Pick up a new activity- Love to run but hate to strength train? Stop running for a week and start lifting. Hate to run but love to lift?  Put down the protein shake and start hitting the track.  Have you always wanted to try boxing, grappling, or karate?  Go do it?  What’s stopping you?
  6. Wear something different- I find myself wearing the same five polo’s every week? Switch it up? Throw on something different.  Does this sound silly?  Sure.  But try it, it can make you feel alive.
  7. Search for professional development opportunities: As a baseball coach, going to a faculty writing workshop was hard.I was a fish out of water. But I loved it. Also, I went to a Tony Robbins seminar last year.  It rocked my world. Try something different!
  8. Wake up 30 minutes earlier- You really want a challenge? This is really hard for a lot of people. But is it THAT hard? No.Give it a shot for a week.I bet you end up enjoying it.
  9. Count your calories: Keeping track of calories is quite simple (not easy) now with apps and websites like myfitnesspal.com.  Getting out of the comfort zone of eating what I want/when I wanted was difficult for me.
  10. Put your phone in another room. Do you really want to rock the boat?  When you are home, avoid being in the same room as your phone f or one week. Pay attention to the greater engagement you have with those in your company.

Conclusion:
Growth cannot occur in the comfort zone.  It’s our job as leaders, coaches, and parents to; first, challenge ourselves and second, challenge those we lead.  The goal this week is to “be aware.”  It takes presence and courage to know if you are “going through the motions” or if you are pressing forward.  We can do this!

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A Simple Way to Make an Impact: The Handwritten Note

Happy New Year!  Are you looking for a simple way to make a difference in 2015?

Commit to writing more handwritten notes.

I have a great friend who owns a radio station in Marietta, OH.  Several years ago, he challenged me to write five handwritten letters a week.  To date, I haven’t been able to keep up the pace of five a week; however, I am confident that the notes I have sent out have been well received.  The general theme of my blog is “Life Lessons Learned through Athletics.”  First, let’s take a look at two handwritten notes and one typed note from athletics.

1. Fall 2013.  Kansas State hosted  a FCS opponent North Dakota State in their season opener. Although NDSU is a perennial power, the smaller school was not supposed to have a chance against Kansas State.  In a very tight, physical game NDSU defeated KSU 24-21.  If you follow college sports you know that there is a ton of pressure to win.  Programs like Kansas State are supposed to dominate smaller schools, compete for conference and even national championships.  A loss against a FCS opponent brings ridicule and can often lead to the firing of the coaching staff.  What’s amazing about this story is not NDSU “slaying the giant”; it is about how KSU’s head coach, Bill Snyder reacted.  What was Coach Snyder’s reaction? He wrote NDSU’s star quarterback, Brock Jensen, a handwritten note.

Following a devastating loss, Coach Snyder reacts by sending a classy note

Following a devastating loss, Coach Snyder reacts by sending a classy note

2.  The “Iron Bowl” is one of the most intense rivalries in all of college football.  The game means everything to the fans of both Alabama and Auburn.  Alabama’s kicker, Cade Foster, had a tough game in their 2013 loss missing all three of his field goal attempts.  He received death threats on social media following the game.  Former President, George Bush, took the time to write the discouraged kicker.

Our 43rd President took the time to pen a letter to #43 for the Crimson Tide

Our 43rd President took the time to pen a letter to #43 for the Crimson Tide.

3.  Recruiting is a competitive environment.  If you have ever recruited, you know that it is crushing when a prospective athlete chooses another school.  So much time and energy are invested into the prospect that very strong emotions, even anger, can overcome you.  In 1980, Coach Krzyzewski lost a decent player to arch rival North Carolina.  Did Coach K respond by telling Michael Jordan what a bad choice he made?  Did he bash UNC and Coach Dean Smith? No, he sent Michael Jordan a letter.

Pure Class

Pure Class

Please allow me to pass the challenge on to you, increase the number of handwritten notes you send this year.  Here are some specifics for the challenge:

  1. Write five handwritten notes a week: You can do this.  Head Virginia Tech Basketball Coach, Buzz Williams, wrote 425 letters a week when he graduated college.  If Coach Buzz can write 75 notes a night, we can surely do five a week.  Here is a blog post from Coach Buzz describing his passion for note writing.  He is one of my favorite leaders to study. http://coachbuzzwilliams.com/2014/10/handwritten-notes/
  2. It Must be Handwritten: Emails do not count.  Take the time to “put pen to paper.”  We’ve become inundated with email; we’ve almost become desensitized to email.  A handwritten letter leaves a much bigger impact.
  3.  Make sure some letters are to people who can do nothing for you: Sure, we all want to send letters to potential employers or donors, but I challenge you to write to someone who cannot help you.  What you will find is that by lifting their spirits you will also lift yours.

Let me share four handwritten note experiences that are very special to me:

  1. My Aunt Maureen sends me a birthday card every year that includes an update on her family.  She has been sending me these letters since college.  I look forward to receiving her card and note in the mail every September.
  2. One of my favorite things to do is give our seniors my favorite book, The Alchemist.  I’ve been doing this for several years dating back to my time as an assistant at Marietta College.  The best part for me is writing a note in the back of the book to each individual.  Corny, maybe?  But my hope is the book (and note) will help them at some point in their life.
  3. Following our first National Championship in 2006, I sent handwritten letters to 50 coaches that I dreamed to work for.  I received several responses but one note resulted in a mentorship that I greatly value.  One simple letter has resulted in nearly a decade relationship that has had a tremendous influence on my career.
  4. Last year, a close friend of mine gifted me the book, “David and Goliath” by Malcolm Gladwell.  The book was great; however, what I value most is the note on the inside cover.  I’ve read the book twice; I’ve read his note countless amounts of time.

photo (2)

I’d enjoy to hear your stories on how handwritten notes have impacted your life.  Please send me your story or provide me with an example of the power of a handwritten note.

Be Outstanding,

Mike

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RESULTS > Process

I don't think I will be in the majority with tonight's post

I don’t think I will be in the majority with tonight’s post

Let me get the following off my chest: I think dip and chew are gross; I wear “tweener” baseball pants; I still believe in the sacrifice bunt; and I believe results are more important than the process.  I know, I know, everyone is preaching the importance on focusing on the process.  If you listen closely, those that emphasize results are being ridiculed for their approach.  Before you ostracize me from the baseball community please consider the following:

  1. Are you sure your not focusing on results????  Focusing on quality at-bats (QAB) is the new buzzword for offenses.  Metrics, like batting average, are largely out of the hitters control.  The critics will say that batting average is too results based; that QAB’s allow the hitter to focus on the process.  Here’s the question, if you are using the QAB metric are you posting the results?  Are your players consistently asking if they are going to get credit for a QAB?  Isn’t this focusing on results?  I’m not here to argue the metric used; I’m not arrogant enough to claim I know the best measurement for offensive production.  However, I am questioning whether or not we have simply switched the metric but are still focusing on the result.
  2. Respect the Mental Game but realize it’s just one component- In the fall of my senior year of college I read Harvey Dorfman’s “The Mental Game of Baseball.” It was an “ah ha” moment for me.  Since then I have enjoyed Ken Ravizza’s work and Brian Cain’s information.  I believe in the process, having prospective, and developing routines.  I do, however, believe that this is just a tool to add to your toolbox.  Fundamentals, athleticism, and skills still matter.  If I am playing tackle football with 5th graders I’m pretty darn confident and mentally tough.  Now, if I line-up for a pass and Darrelle Revis is across from me my confidence will be compromised.  I can take a deep breath, visualize, bring energy, etc; however, I have strong feeling Mr. Revis will get the best of me regardless of my mental game.  Respect the mental game and use it to your teaching advantage, but realize it is much, much easier to develop the mental game in big, strong, fast and skilled athletes.
  3. What’s wrong with competition?  If you are like me, you’ve enjoyed watching the “Omaha Challenges” that most Division I programs just completed.  The majority of these programs posted individual RESULTS and team RESULTS.  I noticed there were rewards for the winners and sometimes punishment for the losers.  I didn’t see any competitions that rewarded the process.
  4. The real world is about production- I have a friend who owns a successful business.  One day we were discussing his sales team.  I asked him, “what time does the day start and end for your staff.”  His response, “they have a goal to hit.  Some guys can hit their goal working less than others.  It’s about RESULTS, not how many hours you put in.” Most business are not “try hard” focused; their focus is on production.  In baseball, we tend to praise the “grinders” and “dirtbags.”  Chances are if you got into coaching you were the grinder/dirtbag type.  You loved the game and worked hard at it.  Not everyone is like you.  Some guys can just flat out hit, run, and play.  They may not need to “grind” as much as others.  And, to me, that is o.k.

Before you sentence me to selling insurance or coaching another sport please let me share with you my beliefs.

  • I believe in developing short and long-term goals.
  • I believe in developing plans and routines that maximize your chance of success.
  • I believe in deliberate practice that centers around achieving your goals.
  • I believe in self-reflection to clarify if what you are doing is getting you closer to your target.
  • I believe self-reflection is extremely challenging for athletes (that’s where coaches can assist).
  • I believe in coaching your club and players extremely hard.
  • I believe failure is the best teacher.
  • I believe winning and losing doesn’t define your self-worth.
  • I believe you must guard against complacency amongst yourself and players daily.
  • I believe results are more important than the process.

I just finished a book called “The Advantage” by Patrick Lencioni.  The book focuses on the importance of organizational health.  Lencioni is a huge proponent of building trust, conflict, commitment and accountability.  With that being said, he also believes in results.

“One of the greatest challenges to team success is the inattention to results.  Some people find this extreme emphasis on results to be a little cold and uninspiring.  But there is no getting around the fact that the only measure of a great team-or a great organization- is whether it accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish.  See, no matter how good a leadership team feels about itself, and how noble its mission may be, if the organization it leads rarely achieves its goals, then, by definition, it’s simply not a good team.”

I know very few of my baseball colleagues will agree with this post.  Disagreement is good.  If you see me on the field I’d love to discuss your thoughts.  Just look for the guy chewing gum, rocking “tweener” pants, wearing old school sunglasses, and agonizing over results.

Be outstanding,

Mike

P.S.  I’m working on a future post to help all new parents.  If you have ever coached (youth, high school, college pro, etc) or  taught on any level please send me one thing you would not do or say because of your experience working with kids.

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“I Got Next”- Lessons Learned Playing Pick-up Basketball

If you grew up playing basketball in Washington, PA in the 90’s you knew the names: Park and Dewey; 8th Ward; Brownson House; “The Y”; Stanley’s Hall; and “The Center.”  These were the locations to some of the best runs in the city; and, looking back, some of the best lessons you can learn in life.

1.  Winner Stays- On certain days the court on the corner of Park Avenue and Dewey would be packed.  There may be 30 guys looking to play.  Once the games began if you won the game you stayed on the court.  If you lost you had to sit, and on busy days, you may sit for a long time before you got another chance to play.  Winner stays made you do several things:

  • Choose your teammates wisely: Just because someone was your “friend” you may not have them on your team.  Being a friend was great, but you needed to surround yourself with the best players because if you lost, you sat!
  • It’s all about the team- no good pick-up player I know counted stats.  If you could score you scored, if you could rebound you rebounded, if you could defend you guarded hard.  It wasn’t about YOU- It was all about doing whatever you could do to win.
  • You get honest feedback- If you have played pickup hoops you know the disappointment when you don’t get picked.  Guys wanted to win; if your game wasn’t up to speed, they’d say, “I don’t want that bum on my team.”  Pretty harsh- huh.  Well, you learn quick- either bring value or go home.  There were no parents there to tell you how good you are or to try to convince the other guys to let you play.  Nope, you had to decide what you were going to do to get on the court.
  • Learn to hate losing- If you lost you were done- it was crushing.  It was instant feedback; other guys were playing and you had to sit and watch.

2.  You learn to “get comfortable being uncomfortable”- I can vividly remember walking into the LeMoyne Center (aka “The Center”) and being one of the only white people in the gym.  I first started going to The Center when I was in 8th grade.  I would get dropped off, take a deep breathe, walk in, and try to compete.  Here’s what you learn:

  • Not to judge- I made some really good friends who, on the surface, looked completely different than me.  We may have come from completely different backgrounds.  If it wasn’t for sports, we may have never communicated.  I met some really amazing people who most people never got to know.
  • Sports can bring out the best in people- I’ve often said how sports bring out the “crazy” in people.  If you go to an organized event you will see doctors, lawyers, people of the church, etc. acting completely inappropriate.  However, sports can also bring people together- there is a common language we all use.  Guys like Ron Moore, Chad “Chizzy” Johnson, E.J. Barfield, and the late Michael Brown took me under their wing.  They took someone who looked different (me in this situation) and made them feel welcomed.
  • You learn toughness- I remember getting a rebound, taking two dribbles and getting shoved two rows deep into the stands.  I was stunned; I turned around and waited for something to happen.  All I heard was, “check it up.”  Really?? I was thrown out of bounds and all my team received was the ball.  Lesson learned- either be tougher or continue to get knocked around.

3.  How does this apply to baseball and life?  Well, many of these lessons form a lot of my beliefs as a coach and parent.

  • Team First- I value selfless people who are willing to sacrifice to be great.  It is much harder to be a good player on a great team than it is to be a great player on an average team.  We want to be surrounded by competitive people who put the team ahead of everything else.
  • Best Players Play- I don’t have any hobbies.  My life revolves around my family and our baseball program.  I mean it when I say we love our players.  However, that doesn’t mean everyone is going to get an equal chance and that everyone will play.  Playing time is earned and, as coaches, it is our responsibility to put the best players on the field.  Period.
  • Value the Differences in People- Every person has gifts and every person has problems.  Our cultural differences are what make us unique.  We should all be much slower to judge.  When you really get to know people you will see that we are a lot alike.
  • Kindness Matters- Our words and actions make a huge impact even if we don’t know it.  The guys at the LeMoyne Center probably weren’t aware that by saying, “stand over there and I’ll get you a shot” meant so much to me.  It’s important to look for ways to help others.
  • Compete- Life isn’t easy- you have to battle.  I have learned to enjoy competition. You give everything you have to try to win.  If you fail, you are not a bad person.  You should feel no shame if you tried as hard as you can and end up falling short.  However, the rewards go to the winner.  It’s part of life.

You don’t see nearly as much pick-up sports anymore.  Pick-up has been replaced by AAU, travel ball teams, and other organized (by adults) programs.  It is kind of sad when you think about it.  The next time I am back in Washington I plan on visiting some of the old playgrounds- I hope they are not empty.

Mike

If you enjoy this article, please check out the courses on these topics at clearlearn.com. The promo code DEEGAN is now good for 50% off any course.

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P.A.C.E. (Play After Critical Error/Event)

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

Life is challenging.  Accepting a leadership role is challenging as well.  If you accept the responsibility to be a leader you will make mistakes; some minor and some critical.  Today, we will steal a phrase I heard used for evaluating quarterback play: P.A.C.E. (Play After Critical Error/Event).  There is not a more demanding job in professional sports than a NFL quarterback.  Physical tools are not the issue; there are lots of athletes who possess the arm strength, size and accuracy to play the position.  In addition, nearly every quarterback in the NFL studies film and prepares at an incredibly high level.  So, what makes a quarterback elite?  It’s how they respond after they make a mistake.

If you play QB you will make mistakes and oftentimes cost your team a victory.  If you are a coach or leader the same theory applies; you will make critical mistakes that will sabotage your teams chances of winning.  Every leader makes crucial mistakes; the elite leaders respond in a smart, decisive and powerful way.   Let’s take a look at two ways crucial errors and events manifest themselves in the game of baseball and life.

1. You make the Error:  A scenario: It’s 3-2 going into the 9th inning.  Your ace has given you eight outstanding innings of work and the look in his eye says it all: he is finishing this game.  However, you have a closer who has been great all year.  He’s rested and ready.  You think the closer gives you the best shot of winning, but you feel your starter has earned the right to go out for the 9th.  You send the starter out and he walks the first batter.  You get your closer in with a guy on 1st.  Unfortunately, he gives up a 2-out walk-off home-run to lose the game.  The players are devastated.  More importantly, you are devastated because you made a poor decision.

If you have coached in the game long enough you can relate to this situation.  I truly believe our job as a skipper is to give your team the best chance to win; when you fail to live up to this standard it is crushing.  It is an incredibly lonely feeling; trust me, it has happened to me on several different occasions.  My advice is to accept responsibility in these situations.  Stand up- let your men know you made the mistake and you will be better in the future.  This isn’t the time to blame others, nor is it the time to play “poor pitiful me.”  Athletes (and people in general) appreciate honesty with the promise that you will learn from the mistake and improve.  Once you recognize the mistake and analyze what you could have done differently, then it is time to move on.  You cannot allow your previous mistakes to effect your future decisions in a negative fashion.  Tony LaRussa said it well, “You can’t allow what happened the day before to distract from your competitive edge.”

2.  Your Player Makes a Critical Miscue: Most coaches are competitive people. Unfortunately, our ego frequently gets involved.  For example, you lose a game because one of your players makes a mistake that you rehearsed several times.  They know better, YOU COACH THEM BETTER- there is no way that mistake should have occurred. You just lost a big game to an inferior opponent.  What is worse, it appears that you were out-coached by your opponent.  How you handle this situation is critical.

We already stated that what oftentimes makes an elite athlete is their P.A.C.E.  Your initial reaction will be to come unglued on the young offender.  You will want everyone to see that it was his fault, not yours.  Next, you will want to punish them by burying them on the bench.  While this may be necessary, please keep in mind that you are limiting their ability to respond to their critical error.  As coaches, I think it is vitally important to control our ego in these situations- we can not take it personally.  I know, this is easier said than done.  However, I am a big believer in teachable moments.  Big mistakes give us raised attention levels to deliver a clear message.  Sometimes this involves yelling, but not always.  The important thing is that what ever happened is now in the past and we must all learn from it.

You are going to make mistakes.  The great news is so is everyone else.  Any time you are in the arena there will be critics and second-guessers.  Take comfort in knowing that failure and mistakes are a part of life.  Change your mind-set: the next time you make a critical mistake be excited.  Only thru failure and mistakes do great things arise.  If you have made a crucial error something special is right around the corner.  Don’t miss the opportunity.

Be Outstanding,

Mike Deegan

P.S.

How about the P.A.C.E. from the Little League coach this summer?  In case you missed it here’s a link:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11373945

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Ways to Improve in the Summer

With the temperatures plummeting and the holiday season upon us, I thought it would be a good time to discuss ways coaches can improve in the summer. Coaching is a highly competitive field.  When I started coaching, I had no idea what I should be doing during the summer months.  Here are five things you can do in the summer to help your career.

1.  Recruit-  Most of us have visions of grandeur.  Most of us have the aspiration to advance in the profession.  The best way to “get noticed” is to do a really outstanding job with your current program.  The best way to make your current program better is to attract really good players and people into your program.  The only way I know to make this happen is to be on the road seeing as many prospects as possible.  Also, the best way to “network” in our profession is being on the road and watching games with other coaches. Don’t be mistaken, coaches are not only evaluating the skills of the players, they are also evaluating the work ethic of the other coaches.  Here are a few simple (not easy, but simple) tips for recruiting:

  •   Arrive early: Showing up early gives you time to organize your materials and get everything in order before the event begins.
  •   Pack your lunch: I’ve wasted a lot of time and missed good players searching for a place to eat.
  •   Be the guy who knows everybody in the area: Work hard to know the players regardless of their level of play.  When a coach from another school has a question about a player and you have solid information it enhances your credibility.
  •   Pay attention: You are at work; focus on the game.  We all daydream from time to time but realize this is a time waster.  Either watch the game or go home.  There is no sense in sitting there if you aren’t engaged.
  •   Avoid being the guy who talks constantly: Even if you aren’t seeing any players for your program please don’t annoy the guys who are “working.”  Some coaches like to chat; others like to sit and concentrate.  Don’t be the guy who asks a thousand questions while someone is trying to lock in on a player or players.

2.  Coach a Summer Team:  Coaching a collegiate summer league team can be a great experience.  I was fortunate to manage the Southern Ohio Copperheads in the Great Lakes League.  This provided me with the opportunity learn to make decisions as opposed to merely making suggestions.  I also was in charge of selecting the players; therefore, I was in contact with coaches throughout the country.  In addition, being an assistant coach can also be a great experience.  It provides another opportunity to learn from a new coach.

3.  Work Camps:  I really missed out on this as a young coach.  If I had to do it all over again I would have actively searched to work camps for several reasons:

  •   A lot of coaches will not hire you without seeing you work.  The only way for them to see you work is for you to coach at their camp.  Make a list of the programs that you are interested in and reach out to them to see if they have any staffing needs.  This is your first chance to get your foot in the door.
  •  Networking Opportunities:  Our business is all about relationships.  The more people you can meet and connect with (especially when starting out) the better.  Most camps will have other coaches besides their own staff working.  Get to know as many people as possible.
  •  Observation: Great programs run great camps.  Working a camp is like observing a good program only you get hands-on experience.
  •   Lessons: There is no substitute for teaching the game.  Lessons are a great time to practice your delivery, try new things, and figure out ways to communicate your message. Some of the best teachers I have been around are people who give lots of lessons.
  •   Invest in a “Think Week”- Below is a link to an article about Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.  I was amazed that Bill Gates takes two weeks a year to read books and articles and simply think.  I have designated four days this winter: December 22-23 and December 29-30th to try this exercise.  The article is impressive- I highly recommend you check it out.

http://qz.com/231907/why-bill-gates-and-warren-buffett-are-so-successful-in-one-word/

Take action on investing for your summer growth now.  There is no shortage of great people looking to make a career out of coaching; like collegiate players, what you do in the summer can greatly enhance your chance of improving.  Make sure you are doing something to differentiate yourself from the competition. 

Please be on the lookout for Sundays blog: P.A.C.E. (Play After Critical Error).  Thanks for helping me improve.

Mike Deegan

P.S.  Here is a link to our camps this summer.  Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested in attending or working.

http://www.mikedeeganbaseballcamps.com/

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Lessons Learned at the Race Track

Don’t judge me- I spent a lot of time at the Meadows Racetrack as a kid.  My dad loved the horses, I loved my dad; therefore, I ended up loving the race track as well.  By the time I was ten years old I could read a racing program with the best of them.  I could tell you the best drivers (I went to harness horse races, they were drivers not jockeys) and trainers at the Meadows; in addition, I could tell you the difference between an exacta and an exacta box.  As a ten year old, I wanted to grow up to be either Ozzie Smith or a horse race driver.

Amongst the cigar smoke and beer, a kid can learn a lot at the racetrack (for the record, I never saw my father take a drink of alcohol or smoke).  Today, I will discuss the lessons I learned and how they apply to baseball and leadership.

1.  Statistics can be misleading- There is a ton of information in a racetrack program- some people would spend an exorbitant amount of time analyzing the data.  While it is important to look at the information, somethings can be misleading.  For example, you could look at two horses and see one ran the last race in 2:00 and another horse ran it in 1:57.  On the surface, it looks like you should go with the 1:57 minute miler.  But what if horse A raced on a 1/2 mile track (which are typically slower) and horse B raced on a 1 mile track?  Or, what if horse A has a more experienced driver this week- could that make a difference in its performance?

In baseball, we have become inundated with statistics and numbers.  If we are not paying attention to analytics we are missing out on a great opportunity to help our programs.  However,  we cannot allow the numbers to paralyze us; especially in the college game.  Most of the statistics we receive are numbers from the pro game.  Call me “Johnny College Guy”, but if there are runners on 1st and 2nd with 0 outs, and we are down a run in the 9th, we will be bunting 99 out of 100 times.  On a side note, if the same situation occurs in the 1st inning will be bunting 95 out of 100 times.

Just like evaluating horses, you must respect the numbers but also realize that they are…just numbers.  Some of the best handicappers trusted their gut when “picking their ponies.”  My advice in baseball (and business) is to gather as much information as possible and then make a bold, decisive decision. Numbers can lie.

2. Long Shots Can Win

If you go to the races long enough you will see a 30-1 shot win.  No matter how poorly the horse performed in the past, how bad of a driver was leading them, or how great the competition- as long as you were in the race there was a chance.

At Marietta, we were always the hunted- it was like having a bullseye on your chest.  We were a measuring stick for a lot of programs.  During my years there we were beat by many “long shots.”  I learned to always prepare regardless of what the competition looked like on paper.  Coach Schaly and now Coach Brewer never “saved” a pitcher for another opponent.  If your best pitcher was ready- he threw regardless of the situation.  Those men knew that you could be beat on any given night.

At Denison, I learned what it was like to be the underdog.  My experience at the track allows me to get excited to play the best teams regardless of what the match-up looks like on paper.  We want to play the best teams and see their best pitchers.  Games are not won or lost based on previous results unless you allow yourself to be beat mentally prior to the contest.  If you are in the arena you have a shot; long shots can and do win.  You must go into every battle expecting a positive result.

3.  Pay Attention to the Bloodline

My dad always wanted to know the mother and father of the horse.  He was a big believer that the physical and mental traits of the parents would eventually emerge in their offspring.  Even if the horse failed to perform to date, dad would say, “His father was a competitor.  He’ll be good one of these days.”

For the past two years we have tried to find players that are “good fits” for our program.  However, you are not just recruiting the player you are also recruiting the family.  As we all know, parents are involved in the lives of their children more than ever before.  We want to make sure that the parents understand and share our vision for the baseball program.  We explain our core principles and try to drive home that we are committed to playing who we believe are our best players.  When it comes to playing time, it is never personal, it is a meritocracy.  Our staff makes mistakes, my wife thinks I’m wrong with who we play and parents do as well; however, we are trying to put the team on the field that gives us the best opportunity for success. I believe this is critical to the health of your program.  If the parents display red flags during the recruiting process there is a strong chance that problems will develop later.  Our goal is to recruit motivated, young men from strong families.

4.  It’s More about the Driver than the Horse

Year after year you would see the same drivers at the top of the standings for wins and winning percentage.  Some people just had a knack for getting the most out of their horses.  Oftentimes, the best drivers would be asked to drive two or three different horses in the race.  Who they chose to drive would be a great predictor of who would win the race.

It seems like you see the same programs near the top of the standings every year.  They graduate great players, lose assistant coaches, and injuries occur; however they still have successful campaigns (Ohio State football just provided us with a great example).  I truly believe leadership is the most accurate predictor of success.

When I was younger, I believed that the drivers were successful because they had a gift- that they were simply blessed with the ability to win races.  Now I know that like any great leader, chances are they developed this “gift” by tirelessly working on their craft.

Every life experience provides an opportunity to learn.  At the time, being at the track meant spending time with my dad- there was nowhere I would have rather been.  Who would have thought those “tutorials” would still be benefitting me today.

Be Outstanding,

Mike Deegan

Here is a link to a video of Will Smith sharing his secrets to success.

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Leadership Study Part 3

lions

If you have taken the time to read this blog you want to improve as a leader, coach and person.   Just like you, I believe in continual improvement and being a life-long learner.  Our program has stolen the Japanese business word “Kaizen,” meaning continuous and never-ending improvement, as our mantra this year.  We try to get just a little bit better everyday.  Today we will discuss the most critical thing you can do to help achieve your personal, professional and leadership goals- surrounding yourself with people who are obsessed with success.

How many of you have told your players that they must be careful of who they hang around with?  I know I have.  While we know intellectually the importance of this concept, are we (as coaches and leaders) paying acute attention to our circle of friends?  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life; however, the one thing I have been consistently able to do is put myself around people who shared or inspired me to be better.  Today, I will discuss three networks that can help greatly enhance your chances of becoming a great leader.

1.  The Person(s) you work for- The best way to increase your leadership skills is to be in the presence of a great leader frequently.  As you know from my previous blogs, I am a huge proponent of reading, listening and observation; however, the most effective way to learn is through a dynamic apprenticeship.  If I could give a young coach one piece of advice it would be to find a way to work for an elite coach or coaches.  This business is all about who you hitch your wagon to.  Are you aligning yourself with people who share your values?  Is your boss committed to helping you reach your goals?  These questions are very important.

I recommend you do your homework.  You should have a stretch goal of working at one of the “big time” programs.  Also, you should make a list of programs and leaders that are on the rise.  If you are just getting started chances are the position will not be glamourous: long hours, “grunt jobs,” and little or no pay will be the reality.   Look at this as an investment for your future; the return on your investment will be huge if you are involved with the right program.  Below is a link to an article that I love on how Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams got his start in coaching.  Would you be willing to make that kind of investment?

http://blog.chron.com/sportsjustice/2011/03/if-you-dont-like-marquette-coach-buzz-williams-now-you-will-after-reading-his-story/

I was fortunate.  I had the opportunity to play for Don Schaly, the ABCA’s Division III Coach of the Century.  My first baseball job after working for two years at Coca-Cola was with Marietta College under Brian Brewer; who went on to become the National Coach of the Year in 2006, 2011 and 2012.  I learned a tremendous amount about leadership by being in close proximity to these two men for over a decade.

If you study the top coaches in any sport there will be one common theme: they will have worked or played for an outstanding coach.  

2.  Coaches in Other Sports- I have close relationships with several coaches in sports besides baseball.  I love the game of baseball, but I will admit we can learn a lot from coaches in other sports.  For example, I believe we are way behind in video analysis compared to football and basketball.  Once again, I was very fortunate.  While I was an assistant at Marietta I developed friendships with three assistants who are now head coaches: Curt Wiese (Minnesota Duluth-Football), Andy Bucheit (Heidelberg University- Men’s Basketball), and Denny Dorrel (Bluffton University- Football).  In addition, one of my closest friends is Jon Vanderwal, who has turned Marietta College Basketball into a national contender.  I’ve learned a lot about leadership from conversations with the men listed above.

3.  Friends Outside of Sports- I value people who are striving for excellence- regardless of their chosen profession.  I have great friends who are leaders in business, entrepreneurs, lawyers, dentists, etc.  Each one of these people provides unique leadership lessons.  As baseball coaches, oftentimes we get caught in our own silos.  Hearing from a voice outside of athletics can be enlightening.  For example, a couple years ago I was struggling over a discipline decision.  My close friend (who is a business owner) said, “Deego, if it were my son, I’d support whatever you decide.”  That short and simple sentence provided me with the confidence to make a tough decision.

We remind our players of the importance of who they are surrounding themselves with.  Are we following our own advice?  Are you surrounding yourself with people who share your mission?  As Jim Rohn said, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Thank you for taking the time to read the three part series on leadership.  By far, the best part of writing has been connecting with other coaches.  We share something in common, we want to incrementally improve.  I look forward to learning more from you.

Be Outstanding,

Mike Deegan

P.S. Sunday’s blog will discuss what I learned about baseball at the Race Track.

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Study Leaders: Part 2- Observation and Listening

Coaching is leadership.  The one thing all coaches should start doing immediately is studying leaders.  In Part 1 I discussed how reading books and articles on leaders in industry and sports is critical to the development of a coach.  In case you missed it, below is a link:

The One Thing You Should Start Doing Immediately

In Part 2 of Leadership Study I will provide three ways in which you can enhance your leadership through observation and listening: utilizing podcasts, audio books, and videos; observing another coaching staff; and leveraging the knowledge of other coaches in your department.

If you don’t enjoy reading, or you struggle to find time; podcasts, audio books, and videos are a great way to gather knowledge.  As baseball coaches we spend a lot of time driving. During the summer we are traveling from one event to the next and the spring months are filled with time on a bus.  When I was younger this was my time to listen to music or talk radio.  As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to use this time to invest in gaining knowledge. Below are three Podcasts that you should know about:

1.  Top Coach Podcast- They do an amazing job of lining up top coaches from all levels to discuss their programs.

2.  KWB Radio Joe Ferraro and Kevin Wilson’s podcast focuses on hitting but they also have great guests with elite knowledge in all aspects of the game.

3.  Brian Cain- An expert in the “Mental Conditioning”, Cain has recently developed a podcast.

In addition to the podcast, I began investing in audio books.  Two guys who I regularly have in my headphones are Anthony Robbins and Brian Tracy.  Anthony Robbins is the master of providing tips to motivate yourself.  Brian Tracey’s “Goals Program” is definitely worth researching.

Every Tuesday are the press conferences for NFL coaches.  You can watch the majority of press conferences on nfl.com.  You can learn a lot simply listening to how these coaches discuss their teams strengths and weaknesses.

The second way to gather leadership information is by observing another coaching staff. This will be the best investment you ever make.  I have been to several conventions and clinics, but I have learned the most by watching other coaching staffs, hands down!  Heres’ some advice on how to make the most out of your observation:

1.  Pick a program that you or others admire.  Do some research.  Of course everyone wants to watch elite SEC and ACC programs work.  While seeing these programs is fantastic; oftentimes, they have staffing and other resources that makes it difficult to transfer the information to your program.  There are some truly outstanding small school coaches and high school coaches that are providing a great baseball education.

2.  Call or email the coach in advance. I like to speak to the coach prior to see if we can sit down either before or after for a conversation.  This is my favorite part of the visit and allows for great learning.  The majority of coaches will honor this request.

3.  Try to take one thing away that will impact your program.  Just like we tell youth campers, if you can leave with one nugget of knowledge it was worth the trip.  I wouldn’t look to change your whole  program; instead, I would try to find one powerful concept that you think will make a difference in your program.

Another great way to study leaders is to leverage the knowledge of other coaches in your department.  My favorite question to ask coaches, “What’s the one thing you are doing in your program that we should be doing?”  You would be amazed how much this one simple question has impacted me.  This year alone we have changed our player evaluation forms, how we handle our “leadership committee”, and our recruiting materials stemming from this question.  Many of your colleagues are doing really outstanding things; therefore, why not reach out to them and ask for advice?  It takes confidence and humbleness to seek out assistance from your peers.

Continual learning is an important part of leadership.  You and your program can learn a lot about leadership simply by observation and listening.

Two questions for you:

1.  What podcast, audio books or videos do you recommend?

2.  What coaching staff: high school or college would your recommend observing?

On Thursday we will discuss the final piece in studying leaders: surrounding yourself with people who are passionate about success.

Be outstanding,

Mike Deegan

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