May 08, 2019   |   Tagged Coaching,

Coaching with Humility

10 expectations great basketball teams should commit to exceeding.

Humble basketball coaches have power. They do not abdicate (give up) power through humility they gain and wield power wisely because of their humility. What defines a humble coach? A coach who is not driven by ego or pride. Former NBC Director, Scott Rueck, head woman’s coach for Oregon State and just named a candidate for the Naismith Coach of the Year, is a model of humility. When you observe Rueck coach, there is no question of the power he emanates on the court. His players believe he cares, he is fair and he is flexible to listen and adjust. He never lets his ego interrupt his vision and mission for the team. One of the hallmarks of Coach Rueck’s leadership is his willingness to serve his team. Each player knows he would do whatever it takes to help them be successful.

Take some time to review your season. Here are key questions to consider.

How much did you have to navigate your ego?
The greater the crisis you faced, the more your ego has to be self-regulated. Crisis exposes our ego tendencies.

Do your players, even the ones that don’t get much time, feel that you would do everything in your power to help them become their best?

Being a great player, coach or person requires to stay self-regulated when our ego becomes threatened.

“Humility is most accurately judged when it is under strain. Humility involves self-regulation which, like a muscle, can be “weakened” with short-term use, but strengthened with regular exercise. Just like courage is easier to judge in the context of danger, humility ought to be easier to judge in contexts that evoke egotism, defensiveness, and conflict.” Quote taken from an article entitled, “Measuring Humility and its positive effects,” from the Association for Psychological science.

How do you handle the following?

• Criticism
• Correction
• Failure
• Rejection
• Losing
• conflict

Qualities of Humility in Conflict

• Open minded
• Willingness to acknowledge another point of view
• Willingness to receive feedback
• Ability to acknowledge the strengths and success of others
• Appreciation for the contribution of others
• Teachable
• Flexible

If you want to be your best, the question is not how well you believe you do on these qualities, but how those on your team and in your family would say about you.

About NBC Basketball
NBC Basketball is about the most masterful way to live and coach. Masters have a different mindset than coaches who merely coach for the win/loss record. A master coach is a coach who lives from the inside/out and who transform teams and players through their insight, wisdom, and emotional intelligence. NBC Basketball is committed to building of these types of coaches. Coaches who change the world for good. For more information about NBC Basketball visit www.nbccamps.com.