As we make our journey through life things happen that are out of the realm of our experience. We write them off as weird, strange or certainly not worthy of our attention. How about this idea? They are symptoms of something and it is so big that it needs our full attention.

Change is always occurring and each generation is becoming aware of life at a different level. New ideas, technologies and influences all make a difference in the way we go about our business. Coaches/leaders need to change, not athletes.

We had an incident this past week at the University of Missouri where the football team threatened to “no show” on Saturday if the University did not do something about the abuses going on with their team.This threat came from black and white players about the treatment of some black players. Eventually, the coach resigned or was fired as was the University President.

I don’t know the details because I wasn’t there. My bet is that whatever they are would not have caused any fuss back in the “my way or the highway” coaching era. I do know something about that. That era was mine as an athlete. I am not defending or promoting anything here. I am saying perceptions change, and today’s athletes don’t see the same world as we did “back in the day.”

Coaches are leaders and, as such, need to be constantly aware and to be willing to change. Being right, dominating, continuing to justify their methods and blaming the athletes for how they are doesn’t work. They are shaped by their experiences in the world they grew up in. Show them the way.

Here is one thing I have noticed about today’s athletes … in general, of course. They don’t bounce back from adversity. They haven’t had to deal with much, as a great deal of effort has been made by their parents to remove the barriers they might face. This may be all well and good, but because they haven’t had to work through their problems their confidence in being able to do so is sorely missing. The lesson here is always that your problems in life are part of your life. Leaders come to the front to do what leaders do, provide solutions or openings for action that produce the solutions.

Remember, check the bookstore for more about being a leader.