"If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That's all it takes..."
One of the most successful and revered football coaches in the history of this American sport had a personal philosophy that is priceless. Coach Bear Bryant said:
“I’m just a plow hand from Arkansas, but I have learned how to hold a team together. How to lift some men up, how to calm down others, until finally they’ve got one heartbeat together, a team. There’s just three things I’d ever say: If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.”
His philosophy paid off big in football: during his years coaching the University of Alabama football team, he amassed thirteen conference and six national championships. For several years, he held the record for the most wins as a head coach in collegiate football history. That’s a remarkable record by any standard. But there’s more to the story.
Young Bear Bryant started his collegiate football career before he had even finished high school—he was that good. But he understood the importance of the team, and knew that his individual efforts were only important in light of how they contributed to the success of the team. When he found himself on the Alabama team playing opposite a big star, Don Hutson—who was later inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame—he humbly and humorously described himself as the “other end” and didn’t worry about who got the credit or the newspaper write-ups.
When Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941 and the U.S. entered World War II, Coach Bryant walked away from coaching to join the United States Navy. When his ship was rammed and they were ordered to abandon ship, Coach Bryant ignored the order and saved the lives of his men—his team. This is a man who understood what it meant to be a team player. Even as the leader, he always saw himself as part of a team—and no better than the other parts.
Your team knows whether you, as the leader, really see yourself as one of them, with shared goals and shared burdens. What a difference it makes to give your team members your support, to be with them! When the heat is on, shield them from the powers above, and take the blame for their mistakes. When things are going well, give them recognition. That’s how champions are made, on the field, in the home, and at work.
A few tips:
Consider the support you provide them as they face new and tougher assignments.
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