“Managers hold on, leaders let go.”

I had the opportunity to meet Roy Williams, currently Head Basketball Coach of the 2005 National Champion North Carolina Tar Heels, when he was Head Coach at the University of Kansas. We met on the putting green at the Alvamar Golf Course in Lawrence, Kansas. I wasn’t about to miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most successful coaches in college basketball and asked him the following question, “Coach Williams, what do you feel are the keys to building championship teams?” His answer was simple yet profound…

“Byrd, I feel that there are two keys to building championship teams. Number one, you must have fun. If you don’t really enjoy the game and only focus on winning, you won’t sustain long-term success. The second key is that the players must be given the freedom to play the game. Yes, we have designed plays that we practice to perfection and we don’t tolerate selfish attitudes, but the players must have the confidence and freedom to go for the basket or take the open shot when such opportunities arise. If players aren’t confident to take risks, they will never perform to their full potential.”

Fun & Freedom - Pretty sound principles from one of the best coaches in the game of basketball. Is your team having fun and are they given the freedom to perform to their full potential? If not, it’s never too late to make the needed changes.

And remember, it’s all about the relationship.