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AFM Magazine


Leadership Report: The Intangible That Makes a Difference

by: Dr. William Eickhoff
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Why does one football program consistently win while another program consistently loses? Why does one program reach the heights of excellence while most languish in mediocrity? Conventional wisdom says it’s always the coach.

When a program is not succeeding and the alumni are screaming for blood, it is always for the coach’s head. They don’t replace the players, it’s always the coach. That pretty much tells the story.

They are not looking for a coach who can draw better X’s and O’s. The deciders may not be able to measure or quantify what they are looking for, but they feel they will know it when they see it.

We believe that the intangible for a coach is leadership, plain and simple. That is why we are pleased to announce a new department to the publication - The Coach as a Leader. We believe that ‘Everything rises and falls on leadership.’ Leadership can be taught. We have assembled an editorial team that will strive to bring you the latest up-to-date thoughts on leadership. Not only will we provide the knowledge, but will be partnering with The Pacific Institute to help you implement this knowledge. Most of you know what you should be doing but you’re not. We will be bringing you the tools and the how to’s to help you go from knowing to doing.

The value of my degree – as a Michigan alum – goes up and down whether my football team is winning or not. This past season, was the worst for me. Of course, the coach got all the blame. The Michigan Nation was praying that the stars would align and Jim Harbaugh would return to his alma mater. A new leader will be leading the Wolverines.

I mention this to impress upon you the importance of the coach as a leader. Why is that? This is because Harbaugh brings in a new culture, a new way of thinking, a new attitude, and a new behavior. He has been successful everywhere he’s been – the University of San Diego, Stanford, and the 49’ers. There is a sense of anticipation. Players are transferring, recruiting has improved. There is a new culture that is acting like a magnet for like-minded people. MSU and OSU are again taking notice. There is a new sheriff in Ann Arbor.

As a freshman at Michigan – Bo Schembechler’s first year – I witnessed first hand the transformation of a football team, a university and the surrounding culture. There was a palpable difference in the way we thought of ourselves. There was a pep in our step. There was a sense of unity. That’s what good leadership is capable of.

These past few years have been disheartening to say the least. People stopped going to games, attendance and season tickets were off. People had lost hope. Sure it’s only a football game, but it’s a metaphor for life. Winning is associated with success. Everyone wants to feel successful.

Moving to Florida in the early 70’s, major football rivalries were replaced with regional games on ABC College Football. The only way I could see a major college team play was at the University of Miami. Miami played all the powerhouses and usually struggled. Then, something happened when Howard Schnellenberger became head coach. He drew an imaginary line across the state south of Orlando and said this is Cane Country. The rest is history as they say.

You don’t think leadership/coaching makes a difference? Isn’t that why you got into coaching? That is, to make a difference? That’s what we’re going to be talking about. How to raise your game/leadership/coaching and make a difference. The three coaches mentioned as leaders – Harbaugh, Schembechler, and Schnellenberger – made a significant difference in their respective programs.

Over the next year we will be discussing ‘Building Champions to Win Championships.’ Some of the topics include motivation, trust, changing the culture, changing attitudes, and goal setting.

We hope to make this series one of the most valuable you have ever read. Give us your feedback, questions, and viewpoints. E-mail us at leadership@afmmedia.com. 

This is our team: 

  • Dr. William Eickhoff, founding member of the John Maxwell Team, certified coach, trainer and speaker in the field of leadership development. 
  •  Paul Herfurth, Executive Advisor, The Pacific Institute. 
  • Chet Tart, Radio Executive, Talent Coach. 
  • AFM Editorial Staff. 
  • Football community leaders and coaches throughout the nation.


The Importance of Leadership



By Paul Herferth • Executive Advisor • The Pacific Institute

As a coach, I always knew the importance of the mind on the success of my players and teams. I was addressing it by being positive, telling players to believe in themselves and telling them that they can do it.

I’m sure all of you speak the same language when addressing your players and sometimes wonder why it doesn’t seem to help establish the leadership that you expect. Many times, coaches believe in their players more than the players believe in themselves.

My frustration continued until I discovered The Pacific Institute and their curriculum for success. It’s not just talking about behavior. It’s actually having the desire and ability to change behaviors. A common thread of a successful football team is leadership. Every coach wants to establish leaders in their program, but many times what’s missing on that team is effective leadership.

No matter how much we try, coaches cannot impose leadership on their players. What I learned through TPI was instead of telling my players what a leader is and what they should do, I should focus on the individual and their own personal belief in becoming a leader. They have to say the words, see the picture, feel the emotion and then they can become the effective leaders that we want for our programs.

The Pacific Institute delivers customized solutions that empower individuals and teams to maximize performance and reach their full potential. Developing leaders is an intentional process and the good news is that every one of your players has the potential to be a great leader. The challenge is they just don’t believe it yet. It’s our job as effective leaders/coaches to help them maximize that belief for personal success which will translate in to the success of your team.






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