Move Ahead 1 Advance News - January 2005
By Special Guest Columnist, Brian Dodge
 Developing People
How does a leader develop people? I am sure that there are many books on this subject but I am going to attempt to give you an insightful outline in just a few short paragraphs. I once observed a coach who was hired by a small private school to start up a 6th grade basketball team. The children that were assigned to him had never been exposed to any kind of formal sports program and basically did not even know the rules of the game. I was very impressed at how fast this coach developed these unsuspecting kids into a winning basketball team. I have often meditated on what I observed happening and I continue to look back on it now because this coach, whose name was Leroy, applied the following great leadership principles that work for any age group in developing people:
1) Vision
First of all, he gave his students vision. He told them that "by the end to the season they were going to be a basketball team that their parents and school will be proud of."
2) Importance and Worthiness
He made every player feel important and worthwhile. He constantly looked for ways to find satisfaction and significance in their performance.
3) Encouragement
He always found sincere ways to encourage them. Leroy employed the knowledge that a spirit of approval was far better than a spirit of criticism.
4) Caring
He showed each player that he cared about them personally. This coach had a natural instinct in this area knowing that it was not just the position of leadership but the person that occupies that position. He won his teams confidence. He saw their potential.
5) Planning
Although the team did not know how to be successful, this coach planned each step for them. He prepared his team for every opportunity on the playing floor.
6) Building Self-Esteem
He knew the importance of developing their self-esteem so he got sponsors to help create an environment that attributed to their self-worth. He understood that children are naturally motivated so he made certain that a high level of enthusiasm and excitement filled every practice session and game.
7) Permission to Make Mistakes
He allowed them to make mistakes. He never put them down for doing wrong but used their mistakes as an opportunity to teach them a better way.
The exciting thing about these successful leadership principals that Leroy used to develop a basketball team is that they can be used to develop a sales team, a small business, a department, a corporation or an organization of any kind. The more people leaders develop, the greater that organization will be. The person that establishes his ability to develop people is a leader without limits.
Bryan J. Dodge
http://www.bryandodge.com/ | 
