Leadership Lessons For Junior Management

Coach CarterCoach Carter

An Exceptional LeaderAn Exceptional Leader

Who are Leaders?Who are Leaders?

““Leaders are individuals who establish Leaders are individuals who establish direction for a working group of individuals, direction for a working group of individuals, who gain commitment from these group who gain commitment from these group members to this direction, and then motivate members to this direction, and then motivate the members to achieve the directions’ the members to achieve the directions’ outcomes. This activity is something outcomes. This activity is something individual members could not do on their individual members could not do on their own.”own.”

J.A. Conger,J.A. Conger,Learning to LeadLearning to Lead

What is leadership?What is leadership?

““Leadership is mobilizing the Leadership is mobilizing the actions and efforts of others to actions and efforts of others to achieve common goals.” achieve common goals.”

Why do we need to Why do we need to develop new leaders?develop new leaders? Fresh ideasFresh ideas EnthusiasmEnthusiasm

Leadership traitsLeadership traits

Decision MakingDecision Making MentoringMentoring PlanningPlanning Role ModelRole Model CommunicateCommunicate MotivateMotivate Build TeamsBuild Teams

Leadership traitsLeadership traits

Solve ProblemsSolve Problems Resolve ConflictsResolve Conflicts Manage ChangeManage Change Promote CreativityPromote Creativity Inspire a shared visionInspire a shared vision Enable others to actEnable others to act


Coach Carter based on the true story Coach Carter based on the true story of Coach Ken Carter, a top basketball of Coach Ken Carter, a top basketball player who returned to his local high player who returned to his local high school to coach this dysfunctional school to coach this dysfunctional team. team.

An excellent movie to illustrate the An excellent movie to illustrate the challenges of mentorship, coaching challenges of mentorship, coaching and leadership not just in sports, but and leadership not just in sports, but in every organization.in every organization.


In 1999, Ken Carter accepts the In 1999, Ken Carter accepts the job of basketball coach for his old job of basketball coach for his old high school in Richmond.high school in Richmond.

Carter learns the team members Carter learns the team members are rude and disrespectful.are rude and disrespectful.


Carter sets out to change both the Carter sets out to change both the poor attitudes of his players as well poor attitudes of his players as well as their dismal play performance. as their dismal play performance.

He gives the team individual He gives the team individual contracts, instructing them to contracts, instructing them to attend all of their classes and attend all of their classes and maintain a minimum grade maintain a minimum grade average.average.


He also imposes a strict policy in He also imposes a strict policy in written contracts that include written contracts that include stipulations for respectful behavior, stipulations for respectful behavior, a dress code with good grades in a dress code with good grades in order to participate in practice and order to participate in practice and games. games.

Three players including Timo Cruz Three players including Timo Cruz refuse to follow the contract and quit refuse to follow the contract and quit the team.the team.


Nonetheless, Carter coaches the Nonetheless, Carter coaches the team well and allow them to win team well and allow them to win their first victory whilst playing their first victory whilst playing properly.properly.

The initial resistance from the The initial resistance from the boys is soon dispelled.boys is soon dispelled.

The team, under Carter's watch, The team, under Carter's watch, becomes an undefeated becomes an undefeated competitor in the games. competitor in the games.


However, the overconfident However, the overconfident team's behavior begins to stray.team's behavior begins to stray.

Carter learns that too many Carter learns that too many players are doing poorly in class.players are doing poorly in class.

He takes immediate action which He takes immediate action which outrages the team, the school outrages the team, the school and the community.and the community.


Carter initiates a lockdown on the Carter initiates a lockdown on the gym, forbidding the team from gym, forbidding the team from playing until they improve their playing until they improve their grades, angering the locals and is grades, angering the locals and is verbally and physically abused by verbally and physically abused by numerous people.numerous people.


Carter cancels all team activities Carter cancels all team activities and locks the court until the team and locks the court until the team shows acceptable academic shows acceptable academic improvement. improvement.

Carter fights to keep his methods, Carter fights to keep his methods, determined to show the boys they determined to show the boys they need to rely on more than sports need to rely on more than sports for their futures. for their futures.


Following a confrontation with school Following a confrontation with school (which lift the lock out from gym) (which lift the lock out from gym) Carter quits his job, but finds the Carter quits his job, but finds the team studying in the gym, unwilling team studying in the gym, unwilling to play basketball.to play basketball.

Cruz reveals to Carter his deepest Cruz reveals to Carter his deepest fear, which Carter asked for fear, which Carter asked for repeatedly in the film, is being repeatedly in the film, is being unable to fulfill his true potential.unable to fulfill his true potential.


Eventually, the team improves their Eventually, the team improves their grade but lost their last game of the grade but lost their last game of the season.season.

Six of the players went to college and Six of the players went to college and played basket ball thereafter as well.played basket ball thereafter as well.

Coach has affected them more Coach has affected them more profoundly than he himself had ever profoundly than he himself had ever expected.expected.

Leadership TakeawaysLeadership Takeaways

People are naturally resistant People are naturally resistant to change. to change. When Mr. Carter first steps When Mr. Carter first steps in as the new basketball coach and in as the new basketball coach and implements changes in the training style, he implements changes in the training style, he is met with a lot of resistance by the players. is met with a lot of resistance by the players. The film depicts the emotions of these The film depicts the emotions of these players very well. As a leader, when you players very well. As a leader, when you make changes to the status quo, expect the make changes to the status quo, expect the same kind of emotions and resistance by same kind of emotions and resistance by those with you.those with you.


Think long term. Think long term. Mr Carter knew that Mr Carter knew that for basketball to continue to be a part of the for basketball to continue to be a part of the players’ life, they had to get their other part players’ life, they had to get their other part of their lives together too: their academic of their lives together too: their academic results. Although he was a basketball coach, results. Although he was a basketball coach, he saw the need for balance in his players’ he saw the need for balance in his players’ life so that they could progress on to their life so that they could progress on to their next stage in life. Despite stating clearly next stage in life. Despite stating clearly what he saw, Carter still faced a lot of what he saw, Carter still faced a lot of opposition from the community.opposition from the community.


Leaders have to make Leaders have to make unpopular decisions. unpopular decisions. Carter faced a Carter faced a lot of opposition in his shutting down of the gym lot of opposition in his shutting down of the gym from the community. He became a public from the community. He became a public enemy because no one really understood the enemy because no one really understood the purpose of his actions. Nonetheless, he stood by purpose of his actions. Nonetheless, he stood by his decision, and won his players over to his decision, and won his players over to himself. As a leader, you will face situations like himself. As a leader, you will face situations like this where everyone else is pitting themselves this where everyone else is pitting themselves against you and the only thing you can stand on against you and the only thing you can stand on is your values.is your values.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

““True leadership must be for the True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers not the benefit of the followers not the enrichment of the leaders.”enrichment of the leaders.”

Robert TownsendRobert Townsend

Leadership Lessons For Junior Management

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