First principles, taking credit, culture and glory hunters

"Correct principles are like compasses: they are always pointing the way. And if we know how to read them, we won't get lost, confused, or fooled by conflicting voices and values."

Stephen R. Covey

First-principles act as guides to our behaviour. What type of performance practitioner are you? Do you know what your training philosophy is? Why do you do what you do? What about your coaching philosophy? How you expect people to behave and the culture you want to create. Without a clear understanding of your guiding principles, you'll find it difficult to negotiate the choppy waters of high-performance sport and stay on course. So take some time to look at your compasses.

Source: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."

Harry S. Truman

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One of the hardest things to do is park your ego and let others take the credit for something you've been working on. I'm not saying you need to roll over and let people take credit for all of your hard work, but what I would suggest is that there are times when you should be comfortable fading into the shadows and letting another member of your team take the credit. Figure out when to park your ego for the greater good.

Source: Harry S. Truman

"Culture is dynamic not static. Every person on your team and organisation creates your culture every day by what they think, say, and do. You elevate it by what you think. You improve it by what you say. And you make it great by what you do."

Jon Gordon

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There's a dark side too! You can drag the culture down by what you think. You can dismantle it by what you say. And you can create failure by what you do. So, what type of culture are you contributing to?

Source: Jon Gordon

"Most people don't want to be part of the process, they just want to be part of the outcome. But the process is where you figure out who's worth being part of the outcome."

Carey Lohrenz

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I've seen the 'glory hunters' first hand, witnessed the 'huggers' and the 'grip and grinners' pop up just as all the hard work is completed. It used to bother me until I realised that athletes could spot them a mile away too. They know the people who were there for the early starts and late finishes, through the tough times and the messy middle of change. They know the people who are worth being part of the outcome, which will do for me!

Source: Carey Lohrenz

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