Hot Topics on Leadership:
'Teamwork and Leadership'
Photo by John Aronson
Coach Larranaga recently won the 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from TiE-DC. TiE stands for "The Innovative Ecosystem," which is a not-for-profit global network of entrepreneurs and professionals. We asked Coach L to write a short piece on teamwork and leadership, which is critically important for any entrepreneurial venture:
Life is all about Teamwork and Leadership. The very basic concept is for people to work together to achieve a common goal. Leadership is about creating a vision. Then the leader must paint a clear picture of what he/she expects the team to accomplish. The leader must inspire and motivate the team to achieve at a level that they never could have achieved on their own. Leadership is dreaming the biggest dream and then helping his/her team make that dream come true.
Teamwork is not about the big things. It is about doing a lot of little things well. If you don’t take care of all the little things you will never get the chance to attempt the big things. Teamwork is “knowing your role” and executing it. Great teamwork requires communication and sacrifice. Team members remember that the team always comes first.
Coach Jim Larranaga
George Mason’s Head Coach Jim Larranaga is entering his 10th season at Mason and 23rd overall as a head basketball coach at the collegiate level. Under his leadership last season, the Patriots enjoyed a magical carpet ride winning four games in the NCAA Tournament, three over perennial powerhouses Michigan State, North Carolina and then one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history, an overtime win against the University of Connecticut, en route to the Final Four. When things were finished, Larranaga led Mason to a school record in wins, the school’s first-ever national ranking, George Mason’s first-ever appearance in the top 10, and the school’s first-ever wins over top 10 teams. The Patriots finished the year with a 27-8 record and ranked eighth in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. Mason also became the first CAA team to make the Final Four and the No. 8 spot in the poll was the highest-ever for a CAA club. He’s won many accolades for his accomplishments this past season and will be inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame Induction on October 6.
Honors and awards this season:
- Virginia Coach of the Year (This award honors the Division I men's basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contribution to his sport)
- DC Coach of the Year
- Nominated for two ESPY’s (Best Coach/Manager and Best Moment in Sports for George Mason’s win over University of Connecticut)
- ABC News Person of the Week (March 31, 2006)
To learn more about Athletics at Mason and to become a season ticket holder visit: http://gomason.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/041106aaa.html