“Great players let you coach them!”
I heard this quote from my friend, John U. Bacon. It was told to him by Chuck Daly, the former Head Coach of the Detroit Pistons team that won back-to-back championships in the late 80s and early 90s. He was also the coach of the “Dream Team,” the USA basketball team that won the gold medal in 1992.
Chuck Daly coached some of the greatest players of all time, including Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. He told John that great players let you coach them. Why? Because they wanted to win and maximize their potential and opportunity.
Everybody needs a coach in some shape or form. If you think you’re a great player with all the answers and don’t feel like you need to be coached, I don’t think you’re maximizing your potential. In my opinion, that’s not a team player or how you build winning teams.
At Service Express, I have the fortune of being around super talented people and people who have long records of high standards before and during their time at the company. One of the biggest things these players have in common is their ability to humble themselves and know that they don’t have all the answers. They know that they need to listen, learn and collaborate. Most importantly, they’re not afraid to be coached; they seek feedback and always strive to get better.
