Winning Formula

March Madness is one of my favorite times of year. I am a big fan of college basketball and enjoy watching this tournament take place with all of its drama and unexpected results. The upsets are part of the beauty of the tournament. They aren't always predictable and it leads to teams taking on the mantle of "Cinderella" as they make surprising runs deep into the tournament. This unstable environment is part of what makes filling out a bracket such a fun challenge. No matter what I read to prepare or how I trust my instincts I still won't be 100% correct. Regardless of what popular opinion reveals, the game must still be played out for a win to take place. A team won't move on just because they should progress.

The same is true for us. There are many things we should be capable of conquering and working our way through, but it won't happen just because it seems like it should. We've got to have a plan to put into action and then execute that plan to get the results we desire. While this won't bring a 100% certainty of success, it does set us up for the best potential outcome.

Lifelong Coach

I saw a segment on ESPN today that highlighted Mike Krzyzewski, head coach of the Duke
University Blue Devils and the USA men's national team. There were four sports journalists talking about his career and influence and three of them were former players of his. I have great respect for Coach K, but was left with more appreciation for his character and leadership after listening to his proteges. There were several leadership principles that he obviously practices and should be applied by compassionate leaders as well.

He always wants his players to be better.
This wasn't just geared towards better athletic performance, but in being a better person overall. Being a better person makes you a better teammate and overall contributor.

He never stops coaching you.
One of his players said that even though it had been over 30 years since he had played basketball for him, he was still coaching him in life decisions and character development. This shows genuine compassion for the long haul and not just for immediate results.

He wouldn't tell us what to do, but would ask you the right question to get you to think.
The most effective leader will help you discover the best path as you discover more about yourself.

He's not just about basketball, but is about developing people.
Coach K understands that basketball can help to teach life lessons and shape our character more than just teach us how to play a game. A career as a basketball player will eventually come to an end, but the lessons learned will carry on throughout the rest of life.

His players would do anything he asked them to do because they trust him.
Effective leaders have committed followers because of the level of trust they have established with each other. Earning complete trust comes through consistent servant leadership and a belief that the leader is invested in you and not just what you can produce.

Unpredictable

I love March Madness. There is a thrill to the national tournament that rivals any other postseason sporting event. Some athletes will step into the spotlight and become part of tournament legend while others will wilt under the pressure of expectations and millions of viewers. There will always be a upset or two as some favored team under-performs and an underdog makes all of the right shots. It's exciting to watch and (almost) impossible to predict with 100% certainty. In fact, I believe the unpredictability is one of the most compelling factors to the NCAA tournament's success. No matter how much the experts believe they are right there will always be some games that defy logic and expectation.

I think this is attractive to us even though our brackets might be affected because the uncertain outcomes don't really have an effect on our lives. Unpredictability is enticing to watch from a distance, but much less pleasant when it directly involves our personal lives. The thrill of the unknown is compelling as long as it doesn't change what we have to deal with ourselves. We'd rather watch it and enjoy a second-hand thrill than have to figure out how to adapt when our own world gets turned upside down. It's the difference in being a thrill-seeker/risk-taker and a voyeur.

March Madness

I love March Madness and the excitement of so many games in such a short period of time. I love great finishes with unexpected winners (and losers) and big shots in big moments. There are some years with heavy favorites to win the title and others years where the field is wide open for whatever team gets hot at the right time. I know that millions (if not billions) of dollars exchange hands throughout the tournament even though I have never been one to place any kind of financial wager on sports (I'm too cheap.) Even though I won't wager on it, I still fill out a bracket for my own competitive nature. I'm fairly well-versed in sports, but I still end up with a so-so bracket because there are simply results that I cannot predict. I could get frustrated about it & maybe if money was exchanging hands I would. I simply credit it to the fact that when human effort and skill is involved, things are not always 100% predictable. Interesting parallel for life, isn't it?