Featured courses
- Mastering Basketball Defense: Techniques, Drills, and Strategies for Success by Justin Tran
- 2023 NBA Draft: Skills and Technique from Top Prospects by Justin Tran
- From College to the Pros: Transitioning the Dribble Drive Offense by Justin Tran
- Positionless Basketball: Redefining Roles on the Court by Justin Tran
- Revolutionize Your Offense: Proven Concepts to Elevate Your Basketball Game by Justin Tran
- 5 Essential Fastbreak Drills Every Basketball Coach Should Know by James Locke
- Game-Changing Strategies: ATO Plays in the EuroLeague and Olympics by Justin Tran
- Off-Ball Movement Tips and Strategies: Lessons From the NBA Finals by James Locke
- Player Development: Scott Drew’s Tips for Producing NBA Guards by James Locke
- A Guide to the Pack Line Defense by Alex Martinez
- Battle of Two Great Coaches: Best Plays from the NBA Finals Contenders by Justin Tran
- Zone Defense In the NBA Eastern Conference Finals by James Locke
- Mastering Court Mobility: Tips for Effective Movement in Basketball by Justin Tran
- 5 Basketball Shooting Drills: How to Develop a Sharpshooter by James Locke
- 6 Points of Emphasis for a Successful 5 Out Offense by Jaycob Ammerman
- Effective and Efficient Methods to Practice During the Basketball Season by Justin Tran
- 5 Components to Creating a Winning Basketball Program by Justin Tran
- Guide to Becoming a Lethal Scorer in Basketball by Justin Tran
- 4 Defensive Technique Drills from Boston Celtics Assistant Coach Brandon Bailey by Marek Hulva
- 5 Drills to Improve Ball Handling by Tyler Linderman
- 13 FUNNY BASKETBALL GIFS by Alex
- BASKETBALL SPEED AND AGILITY: 8 QUESTIONS FOR COACHTUBE EXPERT RICH STONER by Jaycob Ammerman
- Defensive Strategies for Basketball by Ryan Brennan
- 4 Keys To Turning Your Program Into Championship Contender By Dallas Mavericks Coach Sean Sweeney by Marek Hulva
- What You Need to Know About the 2 Side Break by Lason Perkins
- 5 Out of Bound Plays vs. the 2-3 Zone by Marc Hart
- Repeat after me: Shooting is about practice, practice, practice by Brandon Lawrence
- 3 Keys To Shooting Better Off The Pass by Tyler Linderman
- 10 Shooting Tips That Will Increase Your Shooting Percentage by Brandon Ogle
- The Best Ways to Practice Dribbling by Brandon Lawrence
- How Coaches Can Help Build Team Chemistry by Criag Haley
- 2021 Men's NCAA Tournament Teams Courses & Playbooks to Study by Jaycob Ammerman
- 3 Actions from Southern Utah's Highly Ranked System by Jaycob Ammerman
- Coaching Analysis of Thursday NCAA Men’s Tournament Games by Jaycob Ammerman
- How the point guard is basketball's quarterback by Craig Haley
- Full Court Press Drills by Emily Reich
- 3 Transition Offensive Drills to Play Fast by Jaycob Ammerman
- Running Inbounds Plays in Youth Basketball by Craig Haley
- New Favorite Actions from Around the World by Lason Perkins
- How to Create a Pick-and-Roll Offense by Brandon Ogle
- Improving Your Three-Point Shot by Ryan Brennen
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Coaches….And People, Too by Lason Perkins
- 5 Spain PNR Plays for Your Playbook by Lason Perkins
- Three Skills Every Guard Needs by Derek Brown
- Top 4 Pre-Season Basketball Drills by Derek Brown
- 3 Plays From Zipper Actions To Create Open Looks by Coach Lason Perkins
- Favorite Plays From Around The World: The Argentina Cross Screen Action by Coach Perkins
- Throwing A “Grenade” Into Your Offense!! by Coach Perkins
- More Zipper Plays From Around the World by Coach Perkins
- 3 Phases Coaches Are Studying by Coach Perkins
- MARCUS GINYARD TALKS AAU BALL, ROY WILLIAMS, AND PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY by Brandon
- My Failure as a Coach by Tom Kelsey
- How can I improve as a coach? by Tom Kelsey
- 3 Reasons Steph Curry Has Separated Himself in the NBA by Derek Brown
- 3 REASONS STEPH CURRY HAS SEPARATED HIMSELF IN THE NBA by Chris
- 4 Basketball Offenses You Need to Start Running by Derek Brown
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Team Practice by Derek Brown
- 5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A YOUNG COACH by Jamy Bechler
- Communication Between Coaches and Players by Kyle Ohman
- 56 GREAT BASKETBALL COACHES AND TRAINERS TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER by Alex Kirby
- Drills To Improve Speed And Endurance With And Without The Basketball by Fran Kilinski
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Methods to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Text from Parent to Coach by Derek Brown
- Game Day Guide: How to Prepare for a Basketball Game by Brandon Ogle
- Coaching Generation Z by Derek Brown
- 5 Strength Training & Plyometric Drills to Improve Rebounding by Alli Williams
- Tips for Running and Handling the Ball in Transition by Brandon Ogle
- The Art of the Outlet Pass by Frank Kilinski
- How To Play Off-The-Ball At A Young Age by Brandon Ogle
- 4 Tricky Basketball Moves That'll Keep You On Your Toes by Fran Kilinski
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Coaches….And People, Too
When Dr. Stephen Covey published The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People in 1989, it had a tremendous impact on people across the world, including coaches looking to increase their effectiveness and impact. I personally was so moved by the material that I spent 3 years working for Dr. Covey’s company as they were providing 7 Habits content to school systems across the country.
It has been years since I read the book, as well as Dr. Covey’s books after publishing 7 Habits. So I decided to go back recently and review the principles from 7 Habits and how they apply to coaching.
So what are the 7 Habits and why should I be interested in them?
Well, I would say that if there is any area of your life that you are looking to perform better at, the 7 Habits can help you.
Let’s start with Habits 1, 2, and 3. The first three habits are designed to help people move from a state of dependence to independence. Dr. Covey stated this by saying “Private victory precedes public victory” so there are steps to take first.
Habit 1. Be Proactive.
Rather than explain what it means to be proactive, let me ask you a question. Do you make choices based upon /values/principles or upon your mood, feelings, or circumstances? Are you teaching your players the importance of making good choices?
Dr. Covey explained being proactive with his famous quote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.” One of the best visual illustrations of this was in a workshop I attended where the presenter used a bottle of Coke (reactive person) and a bottle of water (proactive person) to represent how we respond.
If we want to make this easier, we can put it this way. Think before you act vs. act before you think.
Habit 2. Begin With The End in Mind
Again, let me ask a question. Do your actions for your team and your own individual life flow from a meaningful mission statement? We know that businesses and organizations use vision statements to clarify what is important to them and why they exists (besides making a profit or winning). What about you and your team?
Here is a basic understanding of Habit 2, directly from the Franklin Covey website: “Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default.”
As you consider putting together a mission or values statement, keep in mind that your statement should inspire you, tell what you are about, what you value, and what you stand for.
Habit 3. Put First Things First
This habit simply comes down to this question. “Are you able to say no to the unimportant, no matter how urgent, and yes to the important?”
We know that planning is important as a coach when we sit down and prepare for the season or a game. With all the demands on our time and energy, we have to make good choices where we focus, especially with social media and other activities that can us off track.
Dr. Covey developed this framework to help individuals identify where they allocate their time.
Habit 3 is basically about focusing on relationships, not schedules or tasks. It’s easy to get caught in Q3/Q4 activities on a daily basis and takes you off track from what you have identified as important. You will have temporary imbalances, so don’t be too hard on yourself when those occur.
For me, I have broken my planning process down to two things.
What roles do I have?
What is the most important thing I can do this week/today in my role as ________?
Habit 4. Think Win-Win.
It may be the most misunderstood habit and has become somewhat of a cliche. Habit 4 focuses on how we can create mutually beneficial decisions and having the courage to walk away from situations where a win-win deal is not possible. Habit 4 also centers around having an Abundance Mentality vs. a Scarcity Mentality.
Writer Dean Yeong puts it this way: Win/WIn is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win/Win means that agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually satisfying. With a Win/Win solution, all parties feel good about the decision and feel committed to the action plan. Win/Win sees life as a cooperative, not a competitive arena
Since coaching and athletics is world of competitiveness, can you still create win-win agreements with others?
Habit 5. Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood.
This habit is focused on two things: The ability to listen with empathy and the ability to make your expectations clear. Look at the order here. Before we can express our expectations, we must listen first.
Dr. Covey introduces the concept of the Emotional Bank Account in this habit. Very simply, its about making deposits into others rather than withdrawals that leave others feeling empty and unappreciated.
This is a challenge for everyone, including myself, especially during the season.
Habit 6. Synergize.
Synergize is basically the idea of creative cooperation and the ability to build better outcomes with others called the Third Alternative. It focuses on valuing others perceptions of reality.
Again, another habit that is easy to talk about but difficult to implement. What areas in your program have you had a challenge with Habit 6?
Habit 7. Sharpen the Saw.
This is the habit of constant renewal in 4 key dimensions: Spiritual, Physical, Mental, and Social/Emotional. The concept of continuous learning and improvement fit nicely into Habit 7.
How are you staying sharp and renewing yourself in these areas? Are you out of balance?