Mike Krzyzewski Quotes - Page 2

In leadership, there are no words more important than trust. In any organization, trust must be developed among every member of the team if success is going to be achieved

A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That's how I want you to play.

Sometimes in a defeat, you can set the stage for future victory.

Imagination has a great deal to do with winning.

In putting together your standards, remember that it is essential to involve your entire team. Standards are not rules issued by the boss; they are a collective identity. Remember, standards are the things that you do all the time and the things for which you hold one another accountable.

It takes courage not only to make decisions, but to live with those decisions afterward

Almost everything in leadership comes back to relationships.

To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.

In our program, the truth is the basis of all we do. There is nothing more important than the truth because there's nothing more powerful than the truth. Consequently, on our team, we always tell each other the truth. We must be honest with one another. There is no other way.

Leaders show respect for people by giving them time.

It’s simply doing what you’re supposed to do as well as you can when you’re supposed to do it.

Don't worry about losing. Think about winning.

I don't think you play for other people's expectations, you know. You don't go and become a lawyer because your mother or father want you to, you don't become a coach because somebody wants you to.

Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one

Growth creates complexity, which requires simplicity.

When you are speaking to your team after a game, never talk about the kid who was the star of the game. Talk about what your other players did to help the team win. Be sure to spread the wealth... Then have individual meetings with one to three players to praise and reinforce. Make sure you touch them.

I have a plan of action, but the game is a game of adjustments.

As teachers and coaches, we must remember that when mere winning is our only goal, we are doomed to disappointment and failure. But when our goal is to try to win, when our focus is on preparation and sacrifice and effort instead of on numbers on a scoreboard then we will never lose.

Courage gives a leader the ability to stand straight and not sway, no matter which way the wind blows.

Good sound habits are more important than rules - use concepts.

Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do in the best possible manner at the time you are supposed to do it.

People want to be on a team. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be in a situation where they feel that they are doing something for the greater good.

The truth is that many people set rules to keep from making decisions.

Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name wirtten on it.

You can't defer if you're the person who's in the leadership position.