Leadership by Example
- Lee Wright - Sr Writer
- Sep 14, 2016
- 2 min read
“A leader’s most powerful ally is his or her own example.” John Wooden, legendary college basketball coach.
My wife and I often discuss how fortunate Michigan State is to have such first-class coaches in Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio. So many times, in various athletic programs in universities across the nation, winning overshadows the goals and priorities defined by the university. While winning is important, vital, in fact, to the long-term success each university strives for, a coach’s first priority should be how what he/she is teaching can be used in a student/athlete’s life far beyond the time spent in college.
It’s troubling to read about individual athletes or entire athletic programs and the discretions caused by a lack of character and/or morality and how these indiscretions cause a public outcry from the general public as well as the local and national media. Two recent cases in point: the University of North Carolina and Baylor University, both dealing with how athletic programs reacted (or didn’t react) to one or more student/athlete’s indiscretions. While there have been some recent negative issues generated by a few former Spartan athletes, the football and basketball programs at MSU, guided by Athletic Director, Mark Hollis, and coaches Izzo and Dantonio, remain steadfast in keeping current athletes focused on positive goals, both on and off the field.
According to coach Dantonio, “I think culture is what you do on a daily basis. There can be a losing culture, there can be a winning culture. Culture is what you do consistently and right now we’re talking about our culture that I would say is one of graduation, of winning, of not having problems off the field…” (Detroit Free Press, August 6, 2016). It’s consistent of Dantonio to emphasize these three areas in that order – graduation, winning, and no problems off the field. This keeps his program (athletes, coaches, trainers, etc.) well defined and consistent from top to bottom.
In the many Dantonio interviews I’ve witnessed, the emphasis is always on the positives, what the athletes did right and how that will positively affect the team as it moves forward. He doesn’t dwell on the mistakes, but puts them ‘in the vault’ for future consideration away from the public eye, letting the players know that they are human and they will have to deal with mistakes the rest of their lives - life lessons.
Spartan fans can be grateful that coach Dantonio doesn’t look for just any publicity for his school, his team, or himself. He lets the actions of his program, both on and off the field, speak for itself. Future recruits can be confident that they are considering a first-class university, with a first-class coach, who leads by example.
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