Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Time Reveals Truths

Every team has a story. Time reveals which are true or 'less true'?
Coaches help players and teams write narratives. Sometimes, "we run out of silver bullets." Former English cricket selector Ed Smith tells us not to underestimate the power of stories. Which is more powerful, truth or lies? Which moves more, love or hate, positives or negatives? Smith's essay asks as many questions as it answers. 

"But WeWork failed because the story was a lie. And that’s what defines a storyteller’s long-term legacy. It’s not enough to have the confidence and the technique to make stories look right, the stories have to be right, too. And time will eventually sort that out, with no mitigation or mercy."

Team building requires coaches AND players to assemble a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Consider what Westborough accomplished the past few seasons. It's intellectually lazy to say, "they had the best player in the state and they could always 'go there' when necessary."

That diminishes their team effectiveness in 'conversion', serve and serve receive. 

Before the NBA Finals, some pundits lauded Dallas as having the best backcourt ever. Bill Simmons pushed back as did the Celtics.

Beware too much belief in our personal stories while working to upgrade what goes into them.

Lagniappe. "Play the right way." 



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