Just call me coach

June 19 marked a significant day in my life: It was the day I became known as "coach," and it eventually changed my entire philosophy about leadership and management. \nWhat makes my experience so unique is the fact that I chose to become the freshman basketball coach for the Orange Lutheran High Lancers instead of getting an internship, a risk many in the Kelley School of Business might not be willing to take. \nThe truth is that I learned more about business in my experience coaching high school basketball than any internship ever could have taught me. Many of the principles and values that we as business students apply every day in our college careers parallel the values exemplified through sports and competition.\nBut before you drop what you're doing to get a coaching job, let me explain what I learned. \nAs a basketball coach, I learned the true value of a team. Building a basketball program is much the same as building an organization. It starts with the players. The key at this stage of development is to understand the value of each individual and how he or she contributes to the success of the team. \nFor example, in basketball, it is not always the most athletic and talented lineup that wins games. I was able to take a team of underrated and underappreciated individuals to the championship game of a major summer league tournament by realizing what they had to offer.\nThe next stage of building a team is finding competent assistant coaches. This is critical because the assistant coaches teach players the fundamentals of the game. They maintain stability and focus, much like managers focus the goals of a work team.\nNext in the development is hiring the head coach. This individual determines the vision of the program. The coach exemplifies what the team stands for. He or she upholds the values of the team and sets the tone for the entire program. In business, this could be any high-level executive or leader. \nUltimately, the goal of any athletic team or business is success. In business, success might be determined by profit, revenue or even customer satisfaction. But in basketball, it is defined by the accomplishments of the team and the support of the fans. \nSo what have I learned? \nI have learned that to be a success in business or in sports, you have to be committed to building your organization from the bottom up. Through building upon the strengths of the most fundamental aspects of a business -- the employees -- a leader or manager's potential for success becomes endless. \nJohn Wooden, former head coach of the UCLA Bruins, won 10 national championships and had four undefeated seasons. Never once did coach Wooden consider a loss a failure because to him, success is "peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."\nTo see this philosophy in action, you don't have to look further than our own campus. What IU football coach Terry Hoeppner brings to our football program is a perfect example. We are fortunate to have a leader with the dedication to player development and the vision for our program that has us headed in the right direction. \nJust as coach Wooden always said: "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there." That's lesson that is beneficial to all of us.