Sand Castles

All opinions expressed are my own. This blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose institution. 

During the Celtics' 2024 championship season, Coach Joe Mazzulla showed the team images of sand castles, beautiful and ephemeral - washed away by the tide.

Some learning will be "shorter term" for players, skills and strategies, while others (habits, teamwork, critical thinking) can endure when applied consistently.

Mazzulla said, "at the end of the day I think you have small moments in your organization to set the temperature of what you want to be about." Your coaches and your team define your culture. 

Many influences shape the identity and character of a team. Cricketer Ed Smith, author of "Luck" and "Making Decisions" notes that there is always the inside view and the outside view. Here's an AI take:

In Smith’s terms:

• The inside view is what it feels like to be inside the dressing room.

• It’s built on intimate knowledge: training loads, personalities, effort, culture, intent.

• It’s powerful for motivation and belonging, but risky for forecasting and decision-making.

Because when we’re inside the story, we overvalue our specialness:

“We worked harder… our spirit is different… this season will be different.”  

The outside view is more analytical and detached:

The outside view is objective, comparative, and statistical. It asks: What usually happens in situations like this? It relies on base rates, historical data, and external benchmarks.

Smith believes that both contribute to better decisions. "You need the intimacy of the dressing room and the detachment of the balcony.”

The MVB 2025 "wrap" consists of how you felt and how you did. The coaches and players drive that narrative, "your story." Take ownership of your story and disallow distortions. 

Sand castles come and go, your stories endure.

Lagniappe. Build your thumb power.