Pass It On

by Deshaun Waton

  Chad Morris epitomizes a coach who’s loyal.

  Coach Morris, who, as I write this, serves as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Auburn University, was a central person in my life in a number of ways. Before eventually settling at Auburn, he was the head football coach at the University of Arkansas as well as Southern Methodist University, and, prior to all that, was the offensive coordinator at Clemson.

  He was central in my decision to attend Clemson. Prior to my commitment, he was always there for me, answering questions and continually trying to assure me that Clemson would be just the place for me. In many ways, he complemented Coach Swinney’s focus on making sure I made the right choice. In Coach Morris’s mind, Clemson was the very best place for me to grow athletically, academically, and personally. As I’ve made clear, he was certainly right about that. He was loyal from the outset.

  Coach Morris was also loyal to the program at Clemson. Prior to his arrival after the 2010 season, the offense had continually struggled, ranking eighty-sixth in scoring. Coach Morris was determined to improve on that dismal statistic by making things as simple as possible—play fast, play with focus, and put the ball in the hands of players with the best skills to make things happen. Simple and very effective.

  From a football perspective, the rest is history, as they say.

  But Coach Morris is much more than a gifted teacher. I could sense his loyalty and the bond that we had from the first time we spoke. Ultimately, I came to see him as a father figure, one whose loyalty can never be compromised. We talk on a regular basis to this day.

  When he was hired at Arkansas, I let everyone know my feelings about Coach Morris via the media:

  “Arkansas’s got a great coach in Chad Morris. What I love about him most is he’s a very loyal man. He’s been there since Day 1 for me and been that father figure I never had in my life. He’s very energetic, very truthful and very honest. He makes everyone around him better and has a bright future. Arkansas hired the right man to lead their football program. All love to the Morris family!”1

  True to his loyal nature, Coach Morris has always been there to return the love.

  “[Deshaun is] constantly in contact with me, he talks to (wife) Paula more than he does me,” he was quoted saying on Jim Rome’s radio program. “He talks to my two kids. He’s like an older brother to my two kids. He’s the type of kid your daughter brings home and says she wants to spend the rest of her life with a guy like him. Man, you would embrace that every day. He’s that special of a person.”2

  Great coach; even greater, more loyal man.

  Ultimately, great coaches are gifted life teachers. They understand that the lessons they’re sharing go beyond what may occur on the field or the court. They recognize that something far more important than points being scored or games won or lost is taking place. By focusing their teaching on one particular aspect of your life—be it athletics, academics, or some other area—they know full well that growth is occurring within the entire person.

  Those are just a sampling of some of the gifts that my coaches have given me over the years. There are many more, but I believe these are an excellent starting point to help you identify what you would value in a coach. For me, their value boiled down to a relatively simple question: Is what they’re sharing making me into a better, more complete person? Over time I’ve amended this to include: a more skilled and intuitive servant leader?

  * * *

  GREAT COACHES ARE GIFTED LIFE TEACHERS. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE LESSONS THEY’RE SHARING GO BEYOND WHAT MAY OCCUR ON THE FIELD OR THE COURT.

  * * *

  I’m now in a position to, in effect, return the favor by acting as a leader to those around me, both on the football field and elsewhere. Naturally, I’ve tried to develop the same kind of attributes I’ve embraced in my coaches. I’ve also been inspired to focus on additional skills that I feel are critical to being an effective servant leader.

  Many of these attributes were also present in the coaches with whom I’ve worked. But I’m now seeing their value from the other side of the formula—as a servant leader looking to bring out the very best in everyone around me.

  One thing I believe great servant leaders do is inspire those around them. Through their example, they boost others’ energy level, commitment, and dedication to hard work. They help others believe they’re capable of achieving greatness and of overcoming any obstacles or setbacks.

  To be absolutely clear, that isn’t a question of being some sort of cheerleader. Most people see through a lot of rah-rah nonsense—all talk, empty words. Instead, as I pointed out, a servant leader inspires others by example. Servant leaders share what they’ve achieved, not as a form of bragging but as an illustration of what’s possible.

  That’s about more than just acknowledging what’s happened in the past. For the servant leader, serving as an example is an ongoing, living entity. To coach others about the value of hard work and dedication, servant leaders look to make everything they do an illustration of hard work and dedication. If they coach about the value of listening, they work to develop their own listening skills to the utmost.

  A coach and servant leader also works hard to support others. Support is made up of many of the qualities I’ve already pointed out, such as perception, balance, and great listening skills. Those and other attributes all contribute to a servant leader who is there when people need a lift. A great coach will certainly encourage you to learn from your mistakes but won’t let you wallow in them.

  * * *

  A GREAT COACH WILL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES BUT WON’T LET YOU WALLOW IN THEM.

  * * *

  That doesn’t mean servant leaders see everything through rose-colored glasses, that they never stop smiling no matter how challenging the situation. That isn’t necessarily support; often, that’s just kidding yourself. Instead, a skilled coach will maintain a realistic form of support—always looking to boost confidence and commitment without downplaying significant challenges and hurdles.

  In the context of support, my friend Cam Newton has also served as a great coach for me. As I’ve mentioned before, he was there for me after the devastating loss in the national championship game to Alabama. Not only did he look to boost my spirits, but he also offered practical, powerful advice to help me keep moving forward. He was supportive but a realist. The world didn’t end with the Alabama loss. As Cam supported me, he helped me understand that the game set the stage for all the work that remained to be done.

  Great coaches are also realistic in other ways. They know what they have to work with and what they don’t. This is perhaps one of their most overlooked traits. They’re dedicated to working to help others grow and improve but, by the same token, they’re not going to try to work with something that simply doesn’t exist.

  On the football field, I’ve seen what happens when some coaches have an unrealistic view of the skill of their team. For instance, I’ve seen teams try to emphasize a running game when they simply don’t have the blocking up front. I’ve seen teams try to leverage a passing game with a subpar quarterback. That isn’t constructive. Rather than trying to improve something that simply can’t be improved very much, it’s far better to address known strengths and work to make the most of those.

  You may have seen this yourself in Pop Warner football, Little League, or school sports. Perhaps a coach’s son or daughter has a role on a team that they’re simply not equipped to handle. Maybe they get more playing time just because of the family ties. I’m all for giving people every opportunity to grow and succeed, but there has to be some sort of ability or experience there to start with. In many cases, leaders who make those types of decisions aren’t truly giving others the chance to make good—they’re merely setting them up for failure. A solid coach and servant leader knows the distinction between offering qualified people a realistic chance and placing less-qualified people way too close to the edge.

  A great coach
is not only confident but is also able to convey what confidence is and isn’t. Confidence doesn’t mean being some strutting braggart, always at the ready to crow about an achievement or success. To me, that only suggests a level of insecurity. If you have to talk about it, then it’s possible you really don’t believe it.

  Instead, for me, confidence means a realistic understanding of what you can do—as well as those things that you may need others’ help with. This comes back to the importance of balance. Confidence is a balanced view of yourself—what you’re good at and what you need to work on.

  Confidence also has to do with a desire to take on challenging situations and circumstances. If you’re genuinely confident, you want to have to come back from a losing game. You want that challenge, that sense of obligation and responsibility.

  I remember hearing Michael Jordan say once that, when the game was on the line, he wanted the ball in his hands. He hungered to be in that position. Notice, too, what he didn’t say. He didn’t mention anything about wanting to take the last shot. Instead, he wanted the ball so he could position it for success—whether that meant him taking a shot or passing one off to a teammate. He wanted to have the ball so he could decide what move would work best. That’s confidence.

  * * *

  CONFIDENCE IS A BALANCED VIEW OF YOURSELF—WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT AND WHAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON.

  * * *

  Tom Brady is like that as well. In the most pressure-packed situations, he wants to be the quarterback involved in the play that decides everything. It’s not a question of whether he’s the one doing the scoring or not. He just wants to help a winning play happen, no matter who eventually crosses the goal line. For Tom, confidence isn’t just a me thing, it’s an us thing.

  That illustrates another aspect of a coach’s confidence—the ability to inspire confidence in others. And that confidence doesn’t exist in a vacuum. A coach’s confidence shouldn’t be so encompassing as to make others feel unnecessary or irrelevant. Instead, a great coach looks to build confidence in others. By boosting the overall confidence of the group, the coach helps the players move in the same direction, certain that they’re ready to meet any challenge or obstacle.

  A gifted coach and servant leader also makes it a point to be constructively critical. Criticism and feedback are necessary components of a coach’s overall responsibility, but they should never be delivered without a constructive slant. Pointing out mistakes for the sake of pointing out mistakes is easy; framing them in the context of a lesson is a completely different challenge.

  * * *

  CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK ARE NECESSARY COMPONENTS OF A COACH’S OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY SHOULD NEVER BE DELIVERED WITHOUT A CONSTRUCTIVE SLANT.

  * * *

  In fact, that’s one of the most significant tipping points between poor coaching and great coaching. Inexperienced or lazy coaches are prone to limiting feedback to simple criticism. On the other hand, gifted coaches won’t pull any punches when discussing what went wrong, but they will make certain to take it further, offering ideas and suggestions for learning from a mistake and ways to improve. One approach just pushes people away; the other draws them closer.

  That said, a true coach and servant leader knows when it’s time to keep quiet. In many ways, that runs counter to the stereotypical view of coaches—continually talking, occasionally screaming, constantly animated. But good coaches recognize the importance of allowing others to process a teaching moment or come to their own conclusions. Not every leadership moment needs to be filled with chatter or commentary.

  The very best coaches and servant leaders are flexible by nature. Of course, the more experienced they are, the more they’ll know in advance what’s going to work and what might not. But that doesn’t cast strategy and teaching in stone—anything but. When others are having a hard time grasping what the coach is trying to get across, the last thing a good coach will do is fault them for an inability to “get it.” Instead, the coach will approach their confusion as a teaching opportunity that calls for a different approach or some other alternative. That’s not a case of lacking conviction; rather, it’s a realistic acceptance of the situation and a willingness to change course in hopes of obtaining better results.

  That means great coaches and servant leaders are constantly challenging themselves as much as the people around them. They understand that they’re charged with learning and growing every bit as much as anyone else. Many gifted coaches treat every day as though it were their first on the job—they become blank slates, ready to benefit as much as they hope to serve others. Servant leaders and coaches approach challenges and opportunities as roads for growth for themselves and those around them.

  Great coaches also have terrific staying power. They display strength through longevity, a strength that allows them to continue to lead despite the adversity they will inevitably face.

  * * *

  GREAT COACHES AND SERVANT LEADERS ARE CONSTANTLY CHALLENGING THEMSELVES AS MUCH AS THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY’RE CHARGED WITH LEARNING AND GROWING EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE.

  * * *

  That’s why I think New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees has been a sort of coach for me.

  On one level, his performance and statistics are off the charts. In nineteen seasons, Brees has done almost everything he possibly can and then some: he’s won a Super Bowl, been a Super Bowl MVP, and been named to twelve Pro Bowls, and he holds several NFL all-time records. He has the respect of both teammates and opponents.

  His longevity and consistency also inspire me. If you look at his record year in and out, there’s a stunning level of consistency—four or five thousand yards passing almost every year. And considering all the physical punishment every quarterback has to deal with—as I write this, Brees is recovering from surgery on his throwing hand to repair a torn ligament—his is a remarkable example of dedication, durability, and the ability to rebound from setbacks.

  But Brees is so much more than an amazing athlete. He’s always been a guy I look up to. Every time I see him, we stop and talk. I always learn something of value from him. He’s a great role model, a great family guy, and a great father. Anybody trying to be a quarterback at this level should look up to him as well.

  He may never have won league MVP—a fact that never fails to blow me away—but, as a servant leader, he’s a repeat winner.

  My teammate J. J. Watt is another example of what I would call a more informal sort of coach.

  For one thing, we both have very visible positions in the city of Houston. In addition to our time spent playing together, we’ve also done a fair amount of rehab work together. That’s where I think J. J. serves as a coach: his determination, focus, and work ethic are all things you want to emulate.

  But it’s also J. J.’s role in the community—his work raising money for hurricane victims—that makes him an even more inspiring coach. He recognizes that being a celebrity also means taking on additional responsibility in helping others, particularly during challenging times. As a coach, he’s helped me see that individuals blessed with a particular ability or standing in the community need to do more, and he never fails to do just that.

  Ultimately, I think one of the most important characteristics of great coaches and servant leaders is their sense of gratitude. They never take their role for granted; they embrace it and the opportunity they’ve been given to influence others. It’s also one of the most obvious traits to spot. A coach’s attitude, approach, and dedication all underscore a strong sense of gratitude.

  That’s an example I’ve truly taken to heart. As a developing servant leader, I’m grateful every day for the position I’m in and the opportunity I’ve been given to make a genuine difference in the lives of most everyone I meet.

  I have a long line of great coaches to thank for that—and, one day, you will as well.

  PASS IT ON

  •Think about the characteristics and attributes you value in a coach. T
hen list the people in your life who possess those characteristics. Can you add any others to make your coaching experience more complete?

  •What does being confident mean to you? Where’s the tipping point between confidence and arrogance? How do you inspire confidence in others? If someone is arrogant or overly confident, how can you as a leader bring that person back toward a more balanced sense of confidence?

  •Think of someone you know who you consider a confident person. How does that person speak and act? Think about what makes the confidence admirable without dissolving into arrogance. Then think about how those attributes contribute to great leadership.

  YOUR CHALLENGE

  As a developing servant leader, list what skills you can offer others as a coach. Are there characteristics you think would be valuable to add? Who can you emulate to broaden your servant leadership by broadening your coaching skills?

  CHAPTER 12

  REALITY AND FANTASY: MY FAVORITE GAMES AND MY PERFECT GAME

  Every professional athlete embraces those special games or accomplishments—times when something magical occurs. Think of Franco Harris’s “Immaculate Reception” or the New England Patriots’ comeback from a twenty-five-point deficit in Super Bowl LI.