Wisdom Wednesday: Pat Summitt: The Definite Dozen and Standards Based Leadership

Pat Summitt was one of the greatest coaches in sports history, best known for building the University of Tennessee women’s basketball program into a national powerhouse.

She was a standards based leader, meaning she clearly defined what “good” looked like and consistently expected, modelled, and reinforced it — every day, in every situation.

Coach Summitt had 12, non-negotiable standards she called the “Definite Dozen.”

• Responsibility – Be accountable for your actions and choices.

• Hard Work – Nothing substitutes for effort.

• Discipline – Do what you’re supposed to do, even when it’s hard.

• Loyalty – Be committed to the team and to one another.

• Mental Toughness – Stay strong, focused, and resilient under pressure.

• Team Attitude – Put the team above yourself.

• Self-Discipline – Control your habits, emotions, and preparation.

• Desire – Bring passion, hunger, and competitive fire.

• Conditioning – Be physically and mentally prepared to perform.

• Fundamentals – Master the basics; never skip them.

• Poise – Handle success and adversity with composure.

• Confidence – Believe in yourself and your preparation.

Coach Summitt’s 1,098 wins didn’t come from talent alone. They grew from clarity, communication, and accountability. Great leaders define expectations clearly from day one, they manage them by recognizing and rewarding above the line behavior and recognizing and correcting below the line behavior, and they model their expectations all the time.

What are the standards you need to define for the people you lead, and how do you plan on clearly communicating those standards?

How will you recognize when people are living up to your standards, and how will you reward them?

How will you recognize when people aren’t living up to your standard, and how will you correct and convert them?

How will you monitor yourself so that you are always modelling the standards you have set?