I just finished reading Mik Krzyzewski's book Leading from the Heart. It was a very good read and contains much to commend it. It certainly wasn't the best book on leadership I've read but it may be the most surprising. I went into the book with a dubious attitude at best. As the basketball coach at Duke University, I have watched him coach for many years. A few of those games have been against the University of Kansas. In fact Duke has an overall 6-2 record against the Jayhawks. So when someone recommeded this book, I was skeptical.
As I turned the last page and put the book down I started wondering how many times I have put myself in a position of not learning something because of my preconceived notions about a person or a situation. It seems to me that if I am open to the possibility that I may have misjudged someone based on faulty evidence, I might be able to learn from unexpected places. It certainly was the case with Mike Krzyzewski.
There is much I could share about the lessons Coach K has learned over the years. Suffice it to say that beyond the many points of leadership that he makes, I was most taken with the personal stories he shared. At times I was moved to tears as he shared anecdotes about his players, his mother, other coaches (especially Jim Valvano), and his staff.
I know that I've read an important book when I continue to think about it after I have read it. This is such a book. Let me leave you with one quote: "I believe one of the reasons we're here on earth ... [is to]... develop gifts we are given. And just like none of us walks through life alone, none of us develops our gifts alone. It's a cooperative effort." I believe that he is right. As I think about my life, I need to remember the importance of seeking further development of my gifts with the help of others.
See you Sunday as we finish the series on James: "Life Ruined."
As I turned the last page and put the book down I started wondering how many times I have put myself in a position of not learning something because of my preconceived notions about a person or a situation. It seems to me that if I am open to the possibility that I may have misjudged someone based on faulty evidence, I might be able to learn from unexpected places. It certainly was the case with Mike Krzyzewski.
There is much I could share about the lessons Coach K has learned over the years. Suffice it to say that beyond the many points of leadership that he makes, I was most taken with the personal stories he shared. At times I was moved to tears as he shared anecdotes about his players, his mother, other coaches (especially Jim Valvano), and his staff.
I know that I've read an important book when I continue to think about it after I have read it. This is such a book. Let me leave you with one quote: "I believe one of the reasons we're here on earth ... [is to]... develop gifts we are given. And just like none of us walks through life alone, none of us develops our gifts alone. It's a cooperative effort." I believe that he is right. As I think about my life, I need to remember the importance of seeking further development of my gifts with the help of others.
See you Sunday as we finish the series on James: "Life Ruined."
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