“Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that’s what you have here tonight, boys. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.
You were born to be hockey players – every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over. I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. . . . This is your time. Now go out there and take it!”1
Herb Brooks
The locker room with tense with the nervous excitement one would expect before a championship event. Coach Herb Brooks was boldly talking to a group of young men in 1980 before they took the ice to eventually defeat the intimidating Soviet Russian Olympic hockey team. What gave Coach Brooks the courage to make such a bold speech? Was it simply a coach being a great motivator? In part, but I believe there was more that gave him the ability to set the vision with confidence and the team to believe it was possible.
History
These young men had fought through tough games. They had experienced the thrill of victory, the pain of defeat and the struggle of becoming a unified group of individuals working toward a common goal.
Confidence
Because of the history of the season and what Coach Brooks had seen these young men accomplish both at practice and in competition he knew they could fulfill the vision he had set.
Ability
Not only did Coach Brooks assemble a talented team, but he developed their abilities and, as leadership expert Jim Collins would say, put the right people in the rights spots on the bus to achieve success.
A Plan
One author comments on the idea of leadership: “at a certain point people need more than vision. They need a plan, a step-by-step explanation of how to move from vision to reality.”2 They had played the Russians earlier in their season and watched more film since then. They had a strategy and had practiced that plan. When the plan was followed, the results would come.
Courage
Even with all the above four in place to declare we will be the victor takes courage. Not only did he say it, but he believed it. If the leader does not believe the vision can be accomplished neither will those he or she leads.
Do you have a bold vision for your organization or team? Do you have enough history of small and even big successes to build confidence for the team? Do you have the right people in the right place? Do you have a strategy to implement? Are you confident it can happen? If so, set the standard and move forward courageously to accomplish the vision. Need help thinking into the vision or any of these other steps? Contact me for a complimentary coaching session. In the meantime, lead well.
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- https://sites.google.com/site/herosandthehistoryofsports/herb-brooks-speech
- Courageous Leadership. Bill Hybels p.55
