I have a number of books in my library on the subject of leadership. I have been an avid sports fan since my late days in elementary school. In high school, I played basketball, football, tennis, and track. In those endeavors, we were fairly successful; however, if I had the knowledge contained in Coach Mike Krzyzewsi's new book entitled "The Gold Standard," I would have been a much better player and a much better leader in the days that followed.
"The Gold Standard" is a book about organizing, selecting personnel, building relationships, setting standards rather than rules and building a championship organization. The methods utilized by Coach K, Jerry Colangelo, and the incredible staff brought American basketball back to the status of Olympic Champions in 2008. Reflecting on the past and building on the good things of that reflection also discovering the things that previously led to less than the expected, brought the gold medal back to the United States.
In reading this book, I have found the best writings of leadership on the market today. Developing outstanding relationships, communication from coaches to players and players to coaches, transforming individual egos into a team ego, establishing a plan on the court that includes ideas from players as well as coaches, are strategies every coach of every team and every leader of every corporation should incorporate. "Imagine how much better your team can become if you can engage the mind and spirit of each individual and, even more, imagine the level your team can achieve if you share the same mind and spirit." Coach K uttered that and how true it is.
Coach K is a great coach of Duke basketball. He was a great coach of the 2008 USA basketball team. Reading this book will give you insight how to build a great team or a great organization. I greatly value its contents, especially when his players messed up his hair as the gold was secured.
