Leading Narratives

Before the start of one season, current Miami Basketball Coach Jim Larranaga took his players, assistant coaches, and the school president outside and gave each of them a small package with a live butterfly inside to release into the air. He had ordered them, and they had been shipped overnight with the butterflies in a resting state, ready to be aroused by light upon opening of the package.  According to Native American legend, the butterfly is a messenger to the Great Spirit, who will grant your wish. For Larranaga, the release also signified the start of a journey. “Begin with the end in mind,” he told his players the day before as he cited Stephen Covey’s book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Jim Larranaga is a philosopher constantly in search of new ways to advance his unusual approach toward teaching and motivating his players. He is a man who reads books by Dalai Lama, quotes Confucius, Aristotle and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the locker room, starts practices by giving play...

A farmer had a dog who used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around. As soon as one came he would run down the road, barking and trying to overtake it. One day a neighbor asked the farmer, "Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?" The farmer replied, "That is not what bothers me. What bothers me is what he would do if he ever caught one."  Do all you can to make sure that you and the people you are leading are not like a dog pursuing a meaningless goal. --From the book Leading Narratives by Dan Spainhour Leading Narratives:  The perfect collection of stories, jokes and wits of wisdom for leaders By Dan Spainhour Paperback 6 x 9; 124 pages $24.95 Buy Now   Click here to Download Instantly for $19.99 Click Here To Order by Invoice The book is available from our website & any place books are sold.

  In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.  As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.  The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.  --From The ...

You just lost. The fanbase is angry. Things are not going well at all. What can you do to stay motivated when everything seems to be turning against you? The Mindset. You have heard this before but mindset is everything. If you stop acting from a mindset of fear and start having trust in yourself, your entire outlook on life will change. You will feel more confident and stronger. By believing you will make it no matter the circumstances you will be able to push through those moments of doubt and fear. The People. The people you surround yourself with are crucial. Are they tearing you down? Are they trying to keep you small? Are they affecting your mood in negative ways? Are they limiting your thinking? No matter how strong you are, no matter your confidence, when you spend too much time with negative people it will affect you personally and ultimately hinder your performance. The more confident and successful people you surround yourself with, the better your chances for major success....