Lessons from Coach Pat Summitt

I am a very big fan of college basketball AND a very big fan of the younger generation that has recently entered the workplace. 

For those of you who are not fans of college basketball, let me tell you a little bit about Pat Summit. Her stats since she became the coach of the Lady Vols’, Tennessee’s basketball team, are astounding:  18 NCAA Final Fours, 27-for-27 reaching the NCAA “sweet 16”, 14 Southeast Conference regular season titles in 27 years, and this week she is expected to win her 1,000 game.  Her overall career record:  998-186.

By any standard, you would have to acknowledge that she knows how to get the most out of her players.  In a recent interview published in USA Today, she revealed something that I believe all managers can learn from.

In the USA Today article (Tuesday, January 27, 2009 edition), her assistant coach for the past 24 years noted that Coach Summitt has changed her coaching style in the last several years, noting that Ms. Summitt’s style used to be “my way or the highway”  but “it’s a different way of motivating today’s kid----she’s adjusted to it”.

Pat herself describes her confrontations with her team members now as “informed challenges”.  In fact, her team members are given personality tests and they meet with sports psychologists so that Ms. Summit knows how to approach each individual to bring out the best in them. 

I have to believe that it wasn’t easy for her to move away from her old command and control mode to her new way of coaching, but I also have to give her a big pat on the back for adapting to the new generation.  It is paying off----her winning streak continues.

Every day I talk to senior leaders who are frustrated with the new generation that they find themselves leading.  Most of the time, their lament is the same one that we heard from our parent’s and from our parent’s parent----why can’t they be like us----why can’t they bring the same work ethic---and on and on. 

The next time you find yourself thinking that way---stop for a minute---think about Pat Summitt----after 27 years she doesn’t ask why----she just makes adjustments.  And guess what----it is paying off as she chalks up win number 1,000 and counting.