Heading Hart Essay
«Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life» worth to be called the fundamental work to get the real sense of dedicated and selfless coaching with the great heart. In fact, this book is mostly directed to those who are busy in sports, college basketball especially. However, it is also relevant for everybody who looks for aspiration in his/her profession. At last, the main idea of read text devoted to the idea of leadership, drawing analogues between business and sports.
“Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life” tells its readers about the season of Duke University Blue Devil basketball team. The entire work contains four parts: Preseason, Regular Season, Post Season and All-Season. Every chapter is started by quotes from Coach, which touch different aspects of his business. The title of this book is not random, as opened to analogues mind will easily get interconnections between sports and business, as the concepts of proper management are all the same: “If our culture is properly developed, if it’s nurtured and cared for and watered every day, then in the heat of competition, in those moments when you need to slam home a message, where you need to “spike it,” an individual, or the team collectively, will respond well”.
The author tells a lot on different aspects of the team organizing and management. However, there is one idea that is stressed as the main one of the plot – manager takes the great part of responsibility. This is not just the responsibility for success of certain campaign. Coach told about responsibility towards people who play in his team and their development. In addition, the writer is clear with the idea that stimulating progress and interests of individual is useful to reach the common goal: “We have only one rule there: don’t do anything that is detrimental to yourself. Because, if it is detrimental to you, it’ll be detrimental to our program and Duke University”.
Talking about how I could use knowledge obtained from the book towards track & field to make myself a better coach, I made several conclusions actually. To begin with, «Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life» is helpful to learn the practical tips, which are essential for sportsmen who are interested in own progress. At second, the spiritual part is not less strong. In this regard, I’ve outlined for myself the importance communication, pride and trust. All mentioned features and specifics are important for really successful coach, to generate the proper leadership in team. These are the general impressions of read text. However, there is one idea that became determinative for me. In fact, it can be explained with quote from the book: “Too many rules get in the way of leadership … They just put you in a box. People set to keep from making decisions”. As for me, it is the strongest thought from the entire plot! These words persuaded me finally that coaching is not just pattern business. Today, I’m pretty sure that this profession requires making risky and responsible decisions, notwithstanding the possibility to fail. This knowledge make me scared sometimes, however, now I’m familiar what challenges have to be taken by professional and fully dedicated coach.
