Little Giants Character Development

Transfer greater development ownership to the individual

• Encouraged players' individual skills
• Creativity with play-making
• Discovered potential

Transfer greater development ownership to the individual

Focus on collective Leadership development

Focus on collective Leadership development

• Acknowledged own weaknesses
• Creates team "network" to achieve bigger outcomes
• Relied on players to identify individual skills to strengthen team

Innovation in Leadership development

Innovation in Leadership development

• Utilized differences to make team stronger
• Encouraged creativity with play-making

Includer

• Accepting of others
• Effort to include those left out from the Cowboys team

Includer

empathy

empathy

• Senses feelings of team
• Pump up talk expresses how they overcame the odds to play
• Related to his past experiences of being caught in the shadows

Strategic

Strategic

• Created a training facility out of a junkyard
• Practiced with toilet paper to help Hanon improve confidence in catching a football
• Went against the norm (Kevin)

Developer

Developer

• Recognizes potential in his players
• Assists them to enhance their skills
• Spots their small improvements and provides praise

INdividualization

• Observes strengths each player has to offer
• Tailors teaching methods to each individual player

Character

• Displays empathy
• Genuinely cares about each player
• Gathers families to rally team
• Allows Icebox to be a cheerleader on gameday
• Prioritizes fun over winning

Competence

• Danny's weakest "C"
• Acknowledges lack of experience
• Utilizes resources
• Nubie for playmaking
• Joe Madden and crew
• Invites Kevin to help coach

Connection

• Connects with players through experience
• Creates emotional connection with town
• Kevin's wife seen cheering for the Little Giants

motivation to lead

• Coalesced from his daughter and her friends' passion to play
• Desire to fulfill his daughter's dreams

motivation to lead

Brings out the best in people

• Believed in their unconventional talents
• Inspires morale by helping players develop confidence in themselves
• Unites team toward common goal of overcoming challenges

authenticity

• Genuine - displayed when he became timid around Patty
• Trustworthy - didn't have any ulterior motives
• Self disclosure - recognizes he doesnt have the competence Kevin has

Adaptability

• "Can do" attitude
• Embraced role as a coach and mentor despite last minute notice
• Didn't complain about having a team of "misfits"
• Works with what he was given

Receptivity to feedback

• Allows Icebox to express her criticism to him as a Father
• Encourages her to find herself; doesn't push her to conform to any standard

Coaching

• Encourages improved performance
• Self-awareness
• Empathy
• Developing Others

Democratic

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Values input

Democratic

Affiliative

• Players come first
• Builds relationships
• Motivates during stressful times

Affiliative

Fostered intrinsic motivation

• Encouraged creativity
• Valued passion for playing
• Winning wasn't the end-goal

Fostered intrinsic motivation

Self determination theory

• Autonomy
• Players have input in team, leading drills and drawing plays
• Competence
• Allows plays to utilize skill set they felt most comfortable with
• Progression toward goals, skills, confidence
• Relatedness
• Kids felt like they belonged
• Part of a team

Strengths

• Uses his childhood experiences to connect with players on an emotional level
• People won't remember what he said, but will remember how he made them feel (Pep rally talk)
• Understands need for daughter to explore her emotions and try cheerleading. Instead of pushing her, he lets her figure this out.

Weaknesses

• Prone to lose control of his emotions
• Pre-game bet
• Crush on Patty

Weaknesses

Building a championship culture is a process

• Believe it
• Identify beliefs and behaviors needed for success
• Sell it
• Communicating culture to team, establishing buy-in
• Demand it
• Requirement of working together as one

YOu don't get the culture you want, you get the culture you build

• Invests in own team of misfits to reach their unique potential
• "As a leader, you are responsible for creating a winning culture that drives behavior and produces results."

Develop your program's core values and beliefs

• Little Giants:
• Creativity to overcome weaknesses
• Individualized improvement to enhance overall teamwork
• Desire to play - win or lose

• Ohio State:
• Relentless effort
• Competitive excellence
• Power of the unit