I jumped off my couch yelling and screaming. To say I was excited would be an understatement. My neighbors probably thought I was crazy, but that did not matter. My favorite college basketball team had just pulled off an unforgettable victory. They were able to rally. They won on an unbelievable last-second shot. Holy Moly!! It was on 1 March 2018. What a great game! What a remarkable win!
The University of Virginia is my school
This decade has been an awesome one for the UVA basketball team. They have performed really well. Last year they were ranked #1 in the country. It has been decades since the last time we achieved that kind of recognition. Over the years UVA has been good, but not great.
Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.
Jim Collins, from his book Good to Great
UVA’s leader makes them successful
The primary reason for the team’s success is the coach, Tony Bennett. Several years ago he turned the program around. Nowadays UVA is a winning program. Year in and year out – we have a winning basketball team. I wish I could say the same thing for our football team. Unfortunately, the UVA football program continues to struggle. Hopefully, that changes soon.
Great teams win, even when they are not playing well…they rally
UVA became the #1 team last year because they won a lot of games. They did not win them all, but more than other teams. Expectations for the UVA basketball team were low at the start of the season. They were unranked. No one thought UVA would beat teams like Duke last year, but they did. The team did not play well every game, but they kept winning.
How did UVA climb to the top in 2018?
There are many reasons. Coach Bennett teaches a specific approach to the game. They focus more on defense than offense. The team keeps the score down so that they always have the opportunity to win. Some critics call Tony Bennett’s coaching approach boring, but it sure does work. UVA wins games, even when they do not play well. He also teaches a specific philosophy for how the team will play the game.
Winning teams know how to rally when they are down
Another reason UVA won so many games last year is that they know how to rally. They were able to overcome adversity. Several times during the season it did not look like they would win. The offense was not clicking, and they were unable to score many points. During more than one game they rallied and walked away victorious. If you are going to be an effective leader, then you need to know how to rally your team to win.
The best example happened on March 1, 2018
UVA was playing Louisville. The team was not performing well. They trailed almost the entire game. In fact, they were down by several points with only seconds left in the game. Somehow they managed to win. It was a big surprise, especially to the Louisville fans. This game provides several lessons that we can learn about how to rally your team. I will describe only three of them.
1. Keep your team focused when they are struggling – prepare to rally
Louisville was playing better than UVA almost the entire game. It was obvious to everyone. No matter what UVA did they could not close the gap. But, Coach Bennett kept his team focused. He did not come up with some radical new strategy to win. He kept the team playing their style, chipping away, keeping the game close. The chances of UVA winning were slim. But they still had a shot.
What about your team?
As the leader, how do you respond when they are struggling? Do you keep them focused on winning? If not, then don’t be surprised when you lose. The leader’s role is to inspire the team to win, no matter the odds of losing.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
Michael Jordan
2. Craft a strategy that gives your team a chance to win
In the last few minutes of the game, Tony Bennett called several timeouts. During these breaks, he communicated the
What about you?
Do you know how to craft a winning strategy, especially when your team is struggling? Don’t turn to your team for the plan. They will expect you to do that for them. Make sure you know how to deliver when it counts.
Hope is not a strategy.
Vince Lombardi
3. Call the play that will win the game
The game clock showed less than one second, and UVA was losing by two points. Louisville had the ball. They were ready to pass the ball into play. Everyone was expecting UVA to lose, especially the Louisville fans. Coach Bennett called for a tight defense to try and force an error. The Louisville player made an error – a big one. He moved down the line which is not allowed. As a result, UVA got the ball back. Coach Bennett called for a three-point shot. UVA passed the ball in for a three-point shot. The shot went up. It was not pretty. But, it went in. Three points. Game over. UVA wins. If you have not seen the highlight video. It is below, and worth watching.
Are you able to rally your team to victory?
I am sharing some observations from a team that was able to overcome adversity several times during last year’s season. Learn how to rally your team from UVA basketball team coach Tony Bennett. Keep your team focused when they are struggling, craft the strategy that gives your team a chance to win. Call the play that will win the game. As the leader, it is up to you to rally the team. Now – get out there and make it happen.
ATW! is designed to make you a better leader
I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!