Leadership
Being Niccolò Machiavelli
Introduction
Over human history, many complex problems have been solved by combining art, science, and creativity. Many great thinkers have unraveled a number of puzzles coaches face on a daily basis.
Niccolò Machiavelli
“Minds are of three kinds. One is capable of thinking for itself, another is able to understand the thinking of others, and a third can neither think for itself nor understand the thinking of others.”
Machiavelli always argued that the only qualification for a position of power was holding said position. Coaches find themselves in a role where they must not only manage players during games but guide them so they can make good decisions when not with the team. That requires an understanding of how people operate and the willingness to carry out whatever actions are necessary.
The ideal ruler should be a person of virtù, capable of varying their conduct as the circumstances dictate. Every situation is different and should be handled differently (“as the winds of fortune and circumstances constrain”). Fortuna is another concept described in The Prince: an unexpected event that can be managed if anticipated but very destructive if not managed swiftly. A coach cannot prepare for every situation that may occur on or off the court but they can establish a consistent framework for problems with players, teachers, parents, or spectators.
Machiavelli echoed the view that humans only comply with rules because of consequences or fear of consequences. A coach need not constantly punish players but must at least create the perception that all team members are accountable for their actions. Young people are finding themselves and may not develop responsibility independently. Choices made initially because of potential consequences will eventually become good habits.
Setting high standards at the beginning of the year will create a first-impression bias but without damaging the team environment. Players will be caught up in the enthusiasm of the new season and will not mind facing penalties. Afterwards, the rules can be relaxed slightly to handle very unique situations.
If it becomes necessary to implement several negative actions, several decisions can be made in a short period of time. The combined effect will be less than had the penalties been distributed over the course of several weeks or months. A coach can also maintain the positive sentiment for the beginning of the year by stringing out rewards through the season.
Overall, a basketball season should be a positive event. Coaches (for the sake of the players and for their own personal stress levels) should emphasize the value of the “happening” - in addition to the value of the “act” (wins and losses). Machiavelli believed that this nebulous feeling of being alive and coming together was an enjoyable part of life.
No appropriate (or effective) decision can be made with understanding the players and how they think. It’s possible that there might be significant conflict when a coach attempts to change the philosophy of a young person. Such a process should not be initiated without a good comprehension of where the student-athlete is at the moment, breaking a long development process into smaller goals.
John Nash
Nash equilibrium can predict the reactions of certain players in critical situations. When working with young people, coaches may find Machiavelli’s quote about three types of people to be accurate. Anecdotal evidence can be combined with a science like economics; each of the three types of personalities might react in two or three ways to a given event.
If games are an extension of self and young players are developing their personality for the first time, an individual game such as basketball could lead to greater selfishness or poor decisions. Coaches must recognize the make-up of their players and use game theory to predict their reactions. They could gage the players’ reactions and spend more time analyzing exactly what it means. Coaching skill lies in knowing what buttons to press with each player in order to develop quality and force it to rise to the top.
“What truly is logic? Who decides reason? It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic or reason can be found.”
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius was a late stoic philosopher who believed in suppressing many of his emotions with logic. Stoicism implies that there is a rational force that organizes the universe, which is divided into the active and the passive. The active fulfils the role of Fate but the passive is matter that lies ready for use by anyone. If a coach or player do not take initiative, the team will miss many opportunities for improvement.
As clutch hitting statistics show, there really is no such thing as clutch hitting, or “lucky” and “unlucky”. Teaching student-athletes to make informed choices during training sessions, practices, and classes leads to informed choices during games. It is critical that players develop positive habits based on sound principals.
“You can react with indignation if you want but they will carry on without you.”
Coaches should teach players how to control themselves in the face of adverse circumstances, opponents, or spectators. As a friend once said to me in a timeout huddle, “only you can make yourself feel embarrassed.”
It’s important to play with passion but the team should remain under control. Coaches should avoid provoking negative emotions like anger, fear, or embarrassment if possible.
Plato
Plato often expressed an urge to leave the repugnance of typical human relations behind in order to focus on the purity of beautiful forms. One could say that coaches want to escape the minutiae of coaching in a school setting in order to focus on the joy of the game.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
It is true that student-athletes must deal with many issues during their high school years and tolerance is paramount. This absolutely does not entail enabling poor behaviour and lowering standards. Glaucon (one of Plato’s speakers) states that men are only just because they fear the consequences of breaking the law. A coach must be prepared to enforce the penalties for misbehaviour; however he must do it the right way. Coaches must walk softly and carry a big stick.
When imposing team rules or decisions, school or coaching staff should be certain to elaborate upon their philosophy as much as possible. This makes players stakeholders in the decision and helps create buy-in. Making one-side decisions and relying upon extrinsic motivation can only carry a team so far; coaches should utilize collaboration so that players comprehend the how and the why as much as the what and generate their own intrinsic motivation.
In The Republic, Plato writes that justice in the soul consists in each part of the soul doing its own. So if each team member is honestly doing their best and improving themselves, the team is going to be in good shape. If a coach has also conveyed a strong definition of the term justice, using teachable moments, they will have fulfilled their job as a teacher as well.
Adam Smith
Adam Smith believed that reason is a slave to the passions (and rightfully so). Coaches should consider this when instructing teams, especially regarding behaviour off the court. Teachers and coaches must not only impart the fundamentals of good decision making but also convince student-athletes why this course of action is correct.
Like Plato, Smith devoted extensive time to the discussion of how we determine what is good and what is bad. Coaches should know that they can never govern unilaterally and must always maintain sympathy and understanding for the players they instruct and evaluate.
Team building can also be improved by sympathy between team members. If everyone on the team acts conscientiously, an invisible hand will move the team towards its goals. Coaches model the way and help players discover their feelings of sympathy.
“Self-command is not only itself a great virtue, but from it all the other virtues seem to derive their principle luster.”
Bum Phillips once said that “self-discipline is the only discipline that lasts.” Coaches must motivate and support young people to control themselves and their emotions. Whether it is because of self-actualization needs or the enjoyment they can get from helping others, players need self-control to succeed on the court, in school, and in life.
T.E. Lawrence
Lawrence of Arabia helped guide an Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I. The premise of his operations was to start from the bottom and work upwards. By making local tribes stakeholders in the rebellion, he engendered greater participation that had Britain simply made alliances with the Arab leaders.
T.E. Lawrence believed that an Arab uprising against the Turks would suit Britain’s interest but knew that it would not succeed without according the local culture a fair amount of respect and freedom. Teams work best when coaches team members leeway to make some choices, backed up by consistent consequences.
Another sound principle was the recognition that every army is unique and every battle is different. Before committing to a plan of action, a coach should take the time to thoroughly understand the situation, whether it is by using statistics, video, or a distinctive perspective.
For example, the players we coach are not the same as us. Coaches picked up their technical and tactical knowledge over the course of many years; they should be understanding of their mistakes as they learn.
Lawrence realized that the onus for his self-actualization fell on his shoulders alone. He would not become wiser or more skilled by waiting; he had to make it happen.
“Nothing is written.”
Conclusion
Though their portraits may fade and the pages of their works turn yellow, these philosophers, economists, adventurers, and thinkers have plenty to offer. Coaches should keep an open mind; there are plenty of resources to help them lead and deal with new situations that occur. These six thinkers have a similar outlook, based on their stoicism and belief that it is the individual who must make anything happen.