Sunday, April 1, 2018
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Australian Cricket - Lessons for Corporate Cultures
Australian cricket is probably in its worst crisis today thanks to the ball tampering incident in the recent Test match against South Africa. Australia losing the Test was not as big as what they lost here - credibility and respect that they had earned as fighting and tough cricketers over the years. Now they can wear this new label of bullies and cheats and on occasion, self righteous cry babies.
How is it any different from what we see going on all around - politicians and heads of state who do not apologise for their wrong doings ever (Smith at least had the decency to own up) or corporate houses that keep their customers in the dark while they manipulate and misuse their trust like many recent exposes show? Not very different except for the fact that the Aussies apologised and owned up but again (would they have owned up if the video footage was not so damning? I am not sure.) What shocked everyone was that the leadership of the team knew about it. Which means that pretty much everyone in the team knew about it. The technicalities do not matter - the team cheated and everyone can take their fair share of the blame. The question that one must ask is this - how did it come to this? Be it in politics, corporates or cricket - what went wrong?
The Context - School Cricket vs Test Cricket
Let's put this in context. Let's relook at those visuals of how the Australian team cheated by using hard plastic/ tape (where is that piece of evidence now? why is everyone coy about what it really was now?) to alter the condition of the ball to give their bowlers an advantage. A player takes something out of his pocket and does something to the ball surreptitiously. When this is caught on camera, word is sent from the dressing room to the player (which means the dressing room knew). The main accused slips the evidence into his underwear to conceal it (all under the eye of the camera) and act innocent until the umpires ask them. Then they lie blatantly by showing some other object. If this was your son's school team, would you be okay with this? Most would say no primarily because something is wrong if a team is cheating en masse and you don't want your child to be exposed to stuff like that. There's something seriously wrong with that team, its management, its thought process.
It's the Culture Mate
What is wrong with the team is pretty much its culture. Cultures are built on values that the team values most. These values show in its behavior - these teams eat, drink and breathe this behavior. Any transgression is non negotiable because these values are seriously valued. At best we have a minor member or a new member flouting the values - but in a team where the culture is well set - no one flouts the values. Why? Because the seniors embody these values in all that they do and the top leadership exemplifies this through their actions and behavior and everyone follows it.
So what culture and values were the Aussies displaying through their actions? That they will value a win more than anything else - even if it means that they will cheat like school children. They forgot that in that one act they smeared not just themselves, but their teams, their families, their schools, their countries and the game. Think Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Mike Tyson, Trevor Chappell and what their name brings up. Not respect as champions surely.
The culture of the team comes largely from its skipper who is a critical part of enforcing it through his behavior. But in such cases it also comes from other wise heads behind the team organisation. If there is dishonesty in the team, the entire hierarchy is to blame. There is dishonesty in the entire hierarchy. How else would one explain why someone as susceptible as Smith and Warner were entrusted with leadership - people to whom winning had become so big that that threw everything away to win, even if it meant cheating. And these leaders, the coaches and support team have all been chosen by people whose values are now under question. Anyone who tolerates such thought is guilty, definitely those who promote it are guiltier. Similarly those who elect such mavericks who speak something and do something else, who have no qualms about blatantly lying to stay in power or protect their profits are as much to blame as the guilty parties. And we have these cultures all over. In companies surely where dishonesty and lack of transparency, nepotism and you-cover-my-back-and-I-will-cover-yours exists big time. It's about us, and all else can take a hike. Why do you need any patronage?
Blame It On The Aggressive Brand of Cricket
Many blame it on the brand of cricket they are playing. We are playing an aggressive brand of cricket - taken to mean that you are allowed to sledge mothers, sisters, wives and families in the ground (but when someone says it back they hurt deeply), bring race and colour and everything else to mess with a player whom they cannot handle on the field. Play aggressively means to show aggression on the field with skill, with courage, with resilience with guts. Not with your foul mouth.
If Australia thought they were building a great culture by sledging they ought to have been told that they were barking up the wrong tree. Clearly winning was more to them than just playing the game - this was also about demeaning the other person. They lost half the battle there with thoughts and words and now with their actions. Whatever we do, we have to win. That is not the spirit of the game certainly.
But then Governments are doing it. Companies are doing it. Innocent until proved guilty.
How Do We Set It Right
Firstly, is this something we as the paying public of cricket value? Is fair play, honesty, right spirit something we all value? If we do, then any infringement on it must not be tolerated. The action must be swift and decisive - in cricket, orporates or politics. I am surprised that Smith and Bancroft and Warner were on the field after the incident. It shows that as far as they are concerned, it is something that they can sort out officially and legally - like governments and companies do. There is no penitence or remorse. We got caught - so what's the big deal? Australia should have conceded the match - after all they cheated - or even played with 8 - minus Bancroft, Smith and Warner. If I was the coach of a team caught cheating like this I would have instantly conceded. But here we have a coach who appears complicit (and if he is not, what is he doing enjoying a vacation?) Maybe the referee should have done it then. Awarded the game to the opposition - Australia has already conceded the game by its actions. The individual punishments could come later. Not one match certainly but enough for Smith to realise the enormous damage he had done in a position of responsibility. This shatters the illusions of many on whom the world depends to maintain that balance.
What happens to a leader of a company or a country who admits to cheating after he is caught? A corporate head? It is not funny that we see this rot everywhere. Most times they get away easy because the enforcers depend on these individuals more than the individuals depending on the enforcers. Which is why they get away repeatedly.
Decisions Must Take Long term ViewIt's time everyone in the game woke up in all spheres. Tags of 'gentleman's game' and 'fair play' for cricket are a joke now. Make decisions that are not weighed by commercial gains or losses because in the longer term your losses will be much bigger than what you save now. Act right, act swiftly and strongly and show that there is no place for cheats and dishonesty at this level. If you do not reverse this culture, all we will have is a bunch of dishonest teams trying to outdo one another in cheating. Choose the right leaders who have their heads in the right place. Judge them by their actions consistently over a period of time. They will set it right.
It is a label that Steve Smith and his team has to carry for life. Not just his team but Cricket Australia will have to take a hard look at how it has built this culture. The Aussie team consistently flouts the spirit of the game. On top of flouting the spirit with sledging and aggressive behavior, they crib like babies when confronted with oppositions who do not back off. If ever there was an shred of respect for Australian cricket, it is all gone now. And they have themselves to blame for letting it slip to this stage and for entrusting their leadership to people with such dubious characters.
If I were an IPL franchisee, I would think twice about carrying such players on my team. I am not surprised at their weak responses. It's the leadership everywhere and what they encourage which is what brings such behavior on. In a short while we will see Smith and Warner showing what they are made of to our audiences, to kids. They will shoot ads and sell stuff to us. They will spout some well versed lines and continue to behave like this. And such behavior defines our culture. The sad part is that they do not come out openly and say what they value - winning at any cost, power at any cost. They cheat under the guise of trying to uphold truth and fair play. They cheat even there.
How is it any different from what we see going on all around - politicians and heads of state who do not apologise for their wrong doings ever (Smith at least had the decency to own up) or corporate houses that keep their customers in the dark while they manipulate and misuse their trust like many recent exposes show? Not very different except for the fact that the Aussies apologised and owned up but again (would they have owned up if the video footage was not so damning? I am not sure.) What shocked everyone was that the leadership of the team knew about it. Which means that pretty much everyone in the team knew about it. The technicalities do not matter - the team cheated and everyone can take their fair share of the blame. The question that one must ask is this - how did it come to this? Be it in politics, corporates or cricket - what went wrong?
The Context - School Cricket vs Test Cricket
Let's put this in context. Let's relook at those visuals of how the Australian team cheated by using hard plastic/ tape (where is that piece of evidence now? why is everyone coy about what it really was now?) to alter the condition of the ball to give their bowlers an advantage. A player takes something out of his pocket and does something to the ball surreptitiously. When this is caught on camera, word is sent from the dressing room to the player (which means the dressing room knew). The main accused slips the evidence into his underwear to conceal it (all under the eye of the camera) and act innocent until the umpires ask them. Then they lie blatantly by showing some other object. If this was your son's school team, would you be okay with this? Most would say no primarily because something is wrong if a team is cheating en masse and you don't want your child to be exposed to stuff like that. There's something seriously wrong with that team, its management, its thought process.
It's the Culture Mate
What is wrong with the team is pretty much its culture. Cultures are built on values that the team values most. These values show in its behavior - these teams eat, drink and breathe this behavior. Any transgression is non negotiable because these values are seriously valued. At best we have a minor member or a new member flouting the values - but in a team where the culture is well set - no one flouts the values. Why? Because the seniors embody these values in all that they do and the top leadership exemplifies this through their actions and behavior and everyone follows it.
So what culture and values were the Aussies displaying through their actions? That they will value a win more than anything else - even if it means that they will cheat like school children. They forgot that in that one act they smeared not just themselves, but their teams, their families, their schools, their countries and the game. Think Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Mike Tyson, Trevor Chappell and what their name brings up. Not respect as champions surely.
The culture of the team comes largely from its skipper who is a critical part of enforcing it through his behavior. But in such cases it also comes from other wise heads behind the team organisation. If there is dishonesty in the team, the entire hierarchy is to blame. There is dishonesty in the entire hierarchy. How else would one explain why someone as susceptible as Smith and Warner were entrusted with leadership - people to whom winning had become so big that that threw everything away to win, even if it meant cheating. And these leaders, the coaches and support team have all been chosen by people whose values are now under question. Anyone who tolerates such thought is guilty, definitely those who promote it are guiltier. Similarly those who elect such mavericks who speak something and do something else, who have no qualms about blatantly lying to stay in power or protect their profits are as much to blame as the guilty parties. And we have these cultures all over. In companies surely where dishonesty and lack of transparency, nepotism and you-cover-my-back-and-I-will-cover-yours exists big time. It's about us, and all else can take a hike. Why do you need any patronage?
Blame It On The Aggressive Brand of Cricket
Many blame it on the brand of cricket they are playing. We are playing an aggressive brand of cricket - taken to mean that you are allowed to sledge mothers, sisters, wives and families in the ground (but when someone says it back they hurt deeply), bring race and colour and everything else to mess with a player whom they cannot handle on the field. Play aggressively means to show aggression on the field with skill, with courage, with resilience with guts. Not with your foul mouth.
If Australia thought they were building a great culture by sledging they ought to have been told that they were barking up the wrong tree. Clearly winning was more to them than just playing the game - this was also about demeaning the other person. They lost half the battle there with thoughts and words and now with their actions. Whatever we do, we have to win. That is not the spirit of the game certainly.
But then Governments are doing it. Companies are doing it. Innocent until proved guilty.
How Do We Set It Right
Firstly, is this something we as the paying public of cricket value? Is fair play, honesty, right spirit something we all value? If we do, then any infringement on it must not be tolerated. The action must be swift and decisive - in cricket, orporates or politics. I am surprised that Smith and Bancroft and Warner were on the field after the incident. It shows that as far as they are concerned, it is something that they can sort out officially and legally - like governments and companies do. There is no penitence or remorse. We got caught - so what's the big deal? Australia should have conceded the match - after all they cheated - or even played with 8 - minus Bancroft, Smith and Warner. If I was the coach of a team caught cheating like this I would have instantly conceded. But here we have a coach who appears complicit (and if he is not, what is he doing enjoying a vacation?) Maybe the referee should have done it then. Awarded the game to the opposition - Australia has already conceded the game by its actions. The individual punishments could come later. Not one match certainly but enough for Smith to realise the enormous damage he had done in a position of responsibility. This shatters the illusions of many on whom the world depends to maintain that balance.
What happens to a leader of a company or a country who admits to cheating after he is caught? A corporate head? It is not funny that we see this rot everywhere. Most times they get away easy because the enforcers depend on these individuals more than the individuals depending on the enforcers. Which is why they get away repeatedly.
Decisions Must Take Long term ViewIt's time everyone in the game woke up in all spheres. Tags of 'gentleman's game' and 'fair play' for cricket are a joke now. Make decisions that are not weighed by commercial gains or losses because in the longer term your losses will be much bigger than what you save now. Act right, act swiftly and strongly and show that there is no place for cheats and dishonesty at this level. If you do not reverse this culture, all we will have is a bunch of dishonest teams trying to outdo one another in cheating. Choose the right leaders who have their heads in the right place. Judge them by their actions consistently over a period of time. They will set it right.
It is a label that Steve Smith and his team has to carry for life. Not just his team but Cricket Australia will have to take a hard look at how it has built this culture. The Aussie team consistently flouts the spirit of the game. On top of flouting the spirit with sledging and aggressive behavior, they crib like babies when confronted with oppositions who do not back off. If ever there was an shred of respect for Australian cricket, it is all gone now. And they have themselves to blame for letting it slip to this stage and for entrusting their leadership to people with such dubious characters.
If I were an IPL franchisee, I would think twice about carrying such players on my team. I am not surprised at their weak responses. It's the leadership everywhere and what they encourage which is what brings such behavior on. In a short while we will see Smith and Warner showing what they are made of to our audiences, to kids. They will shoot ads and sell stuff to us. They will spout some well versed lines and continue to behave like this. And such behavior defines our culture. The sad part is that they do not come out openly and say what they value - winning at any cost, power at any cost. They cheat under the guise of trying to uphold truth and fair play. They cheat even there.
It's a familiar story in companies, in society. It all goes back to the leadership. The culture. The values. It's time to stop being so blindly greedy.
Anjali - Don't Say a Word
'I cannot wait for the exams to get over,' said Anjali. 'These days I dream of that feeling when the exams get over and I am enjoying my holidays.'
The fact was that the exams were not over yet. As an adult I felt I must immediately reduce these unwanted happiness and joy at the enjoyment after the exams. It was time to focus on the exams. Not indulge in such fanciful frivolities.
'But first,' I began. 'Finish your exams. Then you can enjoy your holidays...'
Anjali reached out from her seat behind me and closed my mouth before I could say more and completely ruin her fantasy. I stopped as soon as I realised what I had done. She knows it all well. She is doing her best. But I had to put in my two bits and take credit for what she was doing.
How often do we do that? How often do we mess up somebody's beautifully woven dream with such inane, insensitive and useless remarks?
Many times, it is best to remain silent. Let them flow with their happiness. We have no right to take that moment away.
Sorry Anjali. Next time, I will hopefully participate in your happiness.
The fact was that the exams were not over yet. As an adult I felt I must immediately reduce these unwanted happiness and joy at the enjoyment after the exams. It was time to focus on the exams. Not indulge in such fanciful frivolities.
'But first,' I began. 'Finish your exams. Then you can enjoy your holidays...'
Anjali reached out from her seat behind me and closed my mouth before I could say more and completely ruin her fantasy. I stopped as soon as I realised what I had done. She knows it all well. She is doing her best. But I had to put in my two bits and take credit for what she was doing.
How often do we do that? How often do we mess up somebody's beautifully woven dream with such inane, insensitive and useless remarks?
Many times, it is best to remain silent. Let them flow with their happiness. We have no right to take that moment away.
Sorry Anjali. Next time, I will hopefully participate in your happiness.
Steve Smith - Courageous Leadership Traits Under Tremendous Duress
Steve Smith has already paid the price for his moment of weakness. All leaders face such moments in their lives. It is when the stakes are high that their character is tested. All leaders make wrong decisions - morally, ethically - at some point or the other. Some blow up in their face. Like it did for Bill Clinton. Some escape. But given the fact that they all make some bad calls, what redeems some and what would not redeem some.
In his case, Smith stands neck and shoulders above most people masquerading as leaders today. The way he handled himself after getting caught was exceptional and most leaders can learn from that.
Have the Courage to Own Up and Take Responsibility
That Smith made a bad mistake was clear. His first response was to take up the responsibility - instead of denying it or bullying the youngster or washing his hands off the incident. He quickly took the blame and said that he knew about it and since it happened under his watch he will accept the responsibility. The fact that he owned up shows character - despite all that he would lose including the thing he loved the most. Full points to him.
As opposed to Smith there are many leaders in the world who do not apologise for the things that happened in their watch. Things they actively perpetrated in some cases. They could all be sitting and saying - "hey we did not get caught like Smith yet" - but dude, everyone knows what your moral responsibility was. As head of the organisation it is your moral responsibility - these things happened under your watch. So Sutherland cannot wash his hands off. Nor can any of our Ministers, or Chairmen of companies involved in scams where some small fry is caught. You have to take the blame. You have been given power and authority - and with it comes responsibility. Own up. Take responsibility. That is the true hallmark of a leader. Even as he went down, Smith earned respect because he had the decency to still do the right thing. We make mistakes, and the worst of them can be forgiven. Life is bigger than all these mistakes. But the key is to own up.
Would many leaders do what Smith did? Certainly not. They lie, they will avoid, they will do anything to hang on to power. Look all around you and you can see them on your TV screens, your mobiles.
Have to Courage to Come Out Apologise
Smith then went another step and did what could be the hardest thing for anyone in his position to do. He called a press conference and apologised sincerely for his mistake. Your greatness comes from your humility, your recognition of your humanness and your acceptance of your mistake. As someone in such a responsible position, he had the courage to own up and apologise. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau apologised for the mistakes of his forefathers in the Komagata Maru incident, German Chancellor Willy Brandt apologised for the mistakes of his predecessors by genuflecting to the Polish at Warsaw in front of the Holocaust Memorial. These are tall men, who do not mind being small, shedding their ego for the greater good. I even loved the way Shahrukh Khan apologised for his behaviour at the MCA ground in the IPL. An apology does not make you smaller, it makes you bigger. It shows your heart is in the right place. It redeems your folly.
http://whatishappeningnow.org/the-age-of-apology-what-brandts-genuflection-can-tell-about-the-potential-of-our-apologies/
How many leaders in the world today would apologise for things they have done, forget about the sins of their forefathers. Instead they blame everyone else, make themselves small and mean by trying to appeal to the perceived small sense in men, so they can gain. Compared to many such leaders in the world, Steve Smith soars high. They could all take a leaf out of his book.
It's Sad, But All Is Not Lost
For Smith, it's sad. One can imagine an act of desperation and a moment of weakness. It's a tough label to live with. But Smith can take pride in the way he handled himself as a leader and a human being after the mistake was found out and he was punished. He is already on the road to recovery. It was heartbreaking to see the young lad break down in genuine penitence. In those tears he has absolved a large part of his error.
What Then Are the Lessons for Leaders
First, be clear about the values your team will espouse and build a common culture around it. Coach Lehmann should have done that. It was obviously loose as the boundaries stretched too far and what was "play hard" became "play to win at any cost". Second, to develop tough love and put any erring thought or word or action of any team member down with a tough hand. You will have rogue team mates and they have to be curtailed quickly and brought into the culture you want to be known for. Third, own up responsibility to whatever happens in the team - after all you have the power and authority for a reason. It will always be known as your team, your leadership. Fourth, show compassion, kindness and love to all your mates, including those who may err in moments of weakness. Give credit to the team when it does well and take the blame when it fails. And lastly, when something awful like this happens, at least have the courage to accept the mistake and apologise and not try to escape. As President, Prime Minister, Minister, Chairman Managing Director you have the authority, trust and responsibility. So take the responsibility and own up. Clinton did a pathetic job of it. Smith did far better than him and many others like him. People will forgive your mistakes but not your lies, deceit and cowardice. You can always come back. People have come back after having done much worse.
And Steve Smith, Find Your Bigger Self Soon and Come Back
Steve Smith, you may have done a few things wrong, but you redeemed yourself well. So far.
And like they say, it is the act that must be condemned not the person. Atone for the act. The rest of you is much bigger and better than the act. Find that, trust that and grow that and you will be soon back where you belong.
In his case, Smith stands neck and shoulders above most people masquerading as leaders today. The way he handled himself after getting caught was exceptional and most leaders can learn from that.
Have the Courage to Own Up and Take Responsibility
That Smith made a bad mistake was clear. His first response was to take up the responsibility - instead of denying it or bullying the youngster or washing his hands off the incident. He quickly took the blame and said that he knew about it and since it happened under his watch he will accept the responsibility. The fact that he owned up shows character - despite all that he would lose including the thing he loved the most. Full points to him.
As opposed to Smith there are many leaders in the world who do not apologise for the things that happened in their watch. Things they actively perpetrated in some cases. They could all be sitting and saying - "hey we did not get caught like Smith yet" - but dude, everyone knows what your moral responsibility was. As head of the organisation it is your moral responsibility - these things happened under your watch. So Sutherland cannot wash his hands off. Nor can any of our Ministers, or Chairmen of companies involved in scams where some small fry is caught. You have to take the blame. You have been given power and authority - and with it comes responsibility. Own up. Take responsibility. That is the true hallmark of a leader. Even as he went down, Smith earned respect because he had the decency to still do the right thing. We make mistakes, and the worst of them can be forgiven. Life is bigger than all these mistakes. But the key is to own up.
Would many leaders do what Smith did? Certainly not. They lie, they will avoid, they will do anything to hang on to power. Look all around you and you can see them on your TV screens, your mobiles.
Have to Courage to Come Out Apologise
Smith then went another step and did what could be the hardest thing for anyone in his position to do. He called a press conference and apologised sincerely for his mistake. Your greatness comes from your humility, your recognition of your humanness and your acceptance of your mistake. As someone in such a responsible position, he had the courage to own up and apologise. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau apologised for the mistakes of his forefathers in the Komagata Maru incident, German Chancellor Willy Brandt apologised for the mistakes of his predecessors by genuflecting to the Polish at Warsaw in front of the Holocaust Memorial. These are tall men, who do not mind being small, shedding their ego for the greater good. I even loved the way Shahrukh Khan apologised for his behaviour at the MCA ground in the IPL. An apology does not make you smaller, it makes you bigger. It shows your heart is in the right place. It redeems your folly.
http://whatishappeningnow.org/the-age-of-apology-what-brandts-genuflection-can-tell-about-the-potential-of-our-apologies/
How many leaders in the world today would apologise for things they have done, forget about the sins of their forefathers. Instead they blame everyone else, make themselves small and mean by trying to appeal to the perceived small sense in men, so they can gain. Compared to many such leaders in the world, Steve Smith soars high. They could all take a leaf out of his book.
It's Sad, But All Is Not Lost
For Smith, it's sad. One can imagine an act of desperation and a moment of weakness. It's a tough label to live with. But Smith can take pride in the way he handled himself as a leader and a human being after the mistake was found out and he was punished. He is already on the road to recovery. It was heartbreaking to see the young lad break down in genuine penitence. In those tears he has absolved a large part of his error.
What Then Are the Lessons for Leaders
First, be clear about the values your team will espouse and build a common culture around it. Coach Lehmann should have done that. It was obviously loose as the boundaries stretched too far and what was "play hard" became "play to win at any cost". Second, to develop tough love and put any erring thought or word or action of any team member down with a tough hand. You will have rogue team mates and they have to be curtailed quickly and brought into the culture you want to be known for. Third, own up responsibility to whatever happens in the team - after all you have the power and authority for a reason. It will always be known as your team, your leadership. Fourth, show compassion, kindness and love to all your mates, including those who may err in moments of weakness. Give credit to the team when it does well and take the blame when it fails. And lastly, when something awful like this happens, at least have the courage to accept the mistake and apologise and not try to escape. As President, Prime Minister, Minister, Chairman Managing Director you have the authority, trust and responsibility. So take the responsibility and own up. Clinton did a pathetic job of it. Smith did far better than him and many others like him. People will forgive your mistakes but not your lies, deceit and cowardice. You can always come back. People have come back after having done much worse.
And Steve Smith, Find Your Bigger Self Soon and Come Back
Steve Smith, you may have done a few things wrong, but you redeemed yourself well. So far.
And like they say, it is the act that must be condemned not the person. Atone for the act. The rest of you is much bigger and better than the act. Find that, trust that and grow that and you will be soon back where you belong.
Friday, March 30, 2018
Paper Moon - Movie
1973 vintage. Black and white. Hugely enjoyable. Fabulous con artists - Moze and Addie Pray.
.
.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Sunday Cricket Lessons - You Can Either Be a Coach or a Father
We were discussing the young 12 year old boy P who comes with his father for practice. I was surprised to hear the father sit next to Baig sir and shout out instructions to the boy - it is not his place nor his job. I left early that day and when I went on Sunday I heard that the father took the young, polite and soft spoken kid to the backyard and slapped him for some cricketing transgression. I was shocked. Baig sir shook his head.
'You can either be a coach or a father,' said Baig sir. 'You must choose. They will hate you later for what you put them through. And if you are not qualified, its worse.'
Truer words have not been spoken. I have seen so many father - son duos go that way. You lose the spirit of the relationship once the father turns coach. Agassi's autobiography 'Open' clearly talks about how much he hated his father.
I hope that these parent coaches realise that it is not for them to coach. They need to step back. Facilitate and leave it at that.
How Challenge Arouses Interest
The younger kids were doing their own thing as usual - knocking and drilling. I thought I would spend some time with them and walked across to the three - Aarav, Sandeep and Anish. Let's take catches I said. They made a face and lined up. After taking a few catches I thought we'd devise a game. 'Ok, if you drop a catch you get a D,' I said. 'Whoever drops the first six will progress to a Donkey.'
The boys were ok with the idea and the engagement increased. But still not as good as I thought.
So this time I made them all into one team.
'I will hit 12 catches,' I said. 'If you catch 6, you win. But if you let the ball go through and it hits the net, I get a boundary. If I get 20 runs I win.'
Ok, said the kids.
I noticed they were too far apart but said nothing. I started to hit the ball in the gaps and picked up runs easily. As I started picking up runs, they automatically closed the gaps and started playing like a team. I did not have to tell them anything. They lost the first game and wanted to play another.
This time they were diving all over, falling over one another and stopping the ball. They beat me one game. And then Aarav wanted to field in the middle. We discussed who should be fielding where and why. The concept of a left hander at point and a right hander at square leg was explained. Aarav agreed to the logic - Sandeep was the best fielder and he was better off in the middle where most catches were aimed. But just to see what happens we made Aarav stand in the middle and I won easily.
The kids would not let go. Now they dd not want to play bat and ball. They wanted catches all day. The way they were diving I worried that they would get hurt.
In the break we discussed team work, how the team was most important and how only team players get selected. We discussed how to support one another and perform better as a team.
Good session.
'You can either be a coach or a father,' said Baig sir. 'You must choose. They will hate you later for what you put them through. And if you are not qualified, its worse.'
Truer words have not been spoken. I have seen so many father - son duos go that way. You lose the spirit of the relationship once the father turns coach. Agassi's autobiography 'Open' clearly talks about how much he hated his father.
I hope that these parent coaches realise that it is not for them to coach. They need to step back. Facilitate and leave it at that.
How Challenge Arouses Interest
The younger kids were doing their own thing as usual - knocking and drilling. I thought I would spend some time with them and walked across to the three - Aarav, Sandeep and Anish. Let's take catches I said. They made a face and lined up. After taking a few catches I thought we'd devise a game. 'Ok, if you drop a catch you get a D,' I said. 'Whoever drops the first six will progress to a Donkey.'
The boys were ok with the idea and the engagement increased. But still not as good as I thought.
So this time I made them all into one team.
'I will hit 12 catches,' I said. 'If you catch 6, you win. But if you let the ball go through and it hits the net, I get a boundary. If I get 20 runs I win.'
Ok, said the kids.
I noticed they were too far apart but said nothing. I started to hit the ball in the gaps and picked up runs easily. As I started picking up runs, they automatically closed the gaps and started playing like a team. I did not have to tell them anything. They lost the first game and wanted to play another.
This time they were diving all over, falling over one another and stopping the ball. They beat me one game. And then Aarav wanted to field in the middle. We discussed who should be fielding where and why. The concept of a left hander at point and a right hander at square leg was explained. Aarav agreed to the logic - Sandeep was the best fielder and he was better off in the middle where most catches were aimed. But just to see what happens we made Aarav stand in the middle and I won easily.
The kids would not let go. Now they dd not want to play bat and ball. They wanted catches all day. The way they were diving I worried that they would get hurt.
In the break we discussed team work, how the team was most important and how only team players get selected. We discussed how to support one another and perform better as a team.
Good session.
Angamaly Diaries - Movie
86 debut actors. All feel. Malayalam movies at their real life best. Beef fry. Pork curry puttu. Dubai dreams. Love and growing up.
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