Relationships: A Key to Your Success 

Relationship has become a huge buzz word not only in athletics, but in the corporate world, higher education, and elsewhere. It seems like everything we read has a reference to the importance of relationships. What's interesting is that that’s actually true!

Relationships are the foundation for everything that's important in coaching, leading, and personal success. In coaching it’s about getting players to buy into your system. Getting buy-in is directly related to how strongly your players believe in you. And their belief will be a byproduct of their relationship with you. I don’t know of many players who dislike and distrust their coaches and still go out and play hard for them.

So relationships are important, and they also have a foundation. That foundation is caring, that is, showing players that you really do care for them and want what's best for them and their futures. I know that in the NBA if players can sense that you are in it for them they are more apt to follow your lead.

A coaching friend sent me a great quote that I'd like to turn around a bit so that it relates to the player/coach relationship. If you believe like I do -- that caring is one foundation of building a strong relationship -- then think about this: Caring is spelled T-I-M-E.

Spending time with those you lead will show them that you care for them and are interested in them. This doesn't mean spending hours and hours. Sometimes the best coaching we will ever do will be in one personal and positive comment we make to a player when no one else is around. It’s the quality of the time and caring, not the length of time,

Spend T-I-M-E with those you lead!