Bring In GREAT People

Great coaches do everything they can to bring in and retain the BEST PEOPLE.

It's hard to replace your best players and its especially hard replacing your best leaders, but author and school leader Todd Whitaker wrote that one of single most precious commodities on a team is an open spot, and this is especially precious for a new coach to a new team who is trying to change a culture.  That open spot could be an opening for a player, a coach, a manager, or a trainer, and the quickest way to raise team expectations, morale and your culture is to bring in GREAT people every chance you get.

When we bring in new people, its important to keep them enthusiastic by spreading their energy and their excitement to the other members of the team.  When a new player first comes on, they are eager to please and eager to show what they can do.  They come in early, they work hard, and they stay late.  They have to do what they have to do to earn their spot.  Use that energy and momentum to better the entire team and to reset expectations and work ethic for the whole team.  If you can help these new athletes sustain their drive, you can raise the level of our team instantly and set a new normal.

Look for great players, and GREATER people.  Look for exceptionally hard workers, and look for leaders.  Look for people who will bring a positive influence to your team.

Look for 'talent,' people who have the total package - love of the game, quick and active learners, a positive attitude, congenial personalities, great work ethic, leadership skills, and charisma.  Everybody doesn't have everything, but know and memorize some of the few things that you need to look for when bringing on new people so that you can spot it when you see it.  We can teach athletes how to execute, dribble, pass, shoot, and throw better just like we can teach coaches new plays.  But many of the 'talent' skills are inherent and harder to teach, so it's important to seek out 'talent.'

Find people who have high standards for themselves.  Find people that you know will work hard to get better.  Find people with a growth mindset.

When you bring in talented people, value them.  Recognize and appreciate the people that have been there.  If you bring in new people and cater to them at the expense of the people who have been there, you risk losing the entire team, but make decisions based on who is doing the right thing, making the right plays, with the right attitude, the right energy, and the right enthusiasm.

One of the best times and places to establish the the right attitude is during the tryout, recruiting, or interview process.  Before bringing someone new on the team, state what you are looking for and your expectations CLEARLY.  "I am looking to bring someone on who wants to be a part of the best ___________ in the United States."  This is what we are looking for:  [insert expectations at the highest level].

Set the stage early for new team members to do the right thing, especially if you know they are going to be walking into an environment where they might recieve or see and hear some negativity around them.

If you know that you have some members of your team who are negative and don't have the best work ethic and energy, ask them how they handle themselves when around negative teammates; this is important to know upfront.  You want them to commit to raising the culture of your team, not succumb to it.  They also need to know what you expect from them coming in, then as the year goes on, you can remind them of these initial conversations and expectations as needed.

Set expectations early and follow through.  The game is much more fun to play if the rules are clear from the start and the rules don't change in the middle of it.  Great coaches bring in great people to help the team achieve their goals.