Leadership styles work most efficiently if they are adapted to the demands of the situation, the requirements of the involved people and the challenges facing the organization.
There is a difference in ways leaders approach their employees.
In the analysis of Coach Knight and of Coach Krzyszewski’s leadership types, the authors sketch two successful leaders who were great achievers despite huge differences in their leadership styles. Couch Knight led through intimidation and tough discipline while Coach K. through positive reinforcement, trust and confidence.
a) Describe Coach Krzyszewski’s leadership style. What are his basic assumptions about motivation, leading and human nature?
Coach Krzyszewski had one rule, he and his basketball team followed: “Don’t do anything that’s detrimental to yourself. Because if it’s detrimental to you, it‘ll be detrimental to our program and to Duke University.”
He believed that having too many rules keep leaders from making decisions, and instead of allowing them to be flexible and dynamic, they limit them. He is truly a leader with few simple rules which help him to build a successful team and become one of the famous trainers in the basketball history. As the West Point graduate he breathed the three main virtues: honesty, honor and discipline.
And discipline was one of the basic traits every one of his team players had to learn. Being one of the best Coach Knight’s students, he never underestimated the importance of preparation. He also expected the same from each of his boys “(…) to do what they are supposed to do in the best possible manner at the time they are suppose to do”. Coach Krzyszewski assisted his team at each exercise