September/October 2020 - 16

IRON SHARPENS IRON
love, trust,
AND RESPECT
By Ken Mannie, former Michigan State strength coach
Love, Trust, and Respect - This
segment is being written on June 21st,
Father's Day. A day rightfully reserved
for honor and gratitude to dad, and
those who fill the void when needed
- mentors, teachers, other family
members, and anyone who chooses
to embrace the role out of love. With
Mother's Day still fresh in our minds,
there is obviously nothing that can
take the shine and spotlight away from
whoever wears this all-important title
in our families - dad, daddy, papa,
pops. Make no mistake; he is special.
He is loved, trusted, and respected.
But while we celebrated dad and gave
him his due, we've also had to cope with
many challenging and heart-wrenching
events in recent months and weeks. So
many things to talk about, but out of the
scope of this article to really do justice
to any one circumstance - a veritable
avalanche of images, thoughts, and
emotions constantly streaming through
my mind.
We are still very much in the midst
of the COVID-19 pandemic, one
which seems to be surging in some
states. It would appear, at least at this
particular time, that we have a way
to go yet in putting this devastating
scourge behind us. More recently,
horrifying scenes of social injustice,
brutality, racial tensions, and ensuing
protests have dominated the news for
the past several weeks.
Anger, disgust, and a call for reform
- a call for change - have been in
evidence as a result of several horrible
incidents that did not, and should not,
have ended the way they did. Voices
and actions have been loud, clear, and
visible and they will continue to ring
and be seen until true change takes
place...and stays in place.
I've always believed that there are
three words, especially when strung
together, that can mean the world to
just about anyone who hears them:
Love, trust, and respect. These words
have deep-rooted meaning. They
make a statement. They really embody
what a meaningful relationship is all
about. In your personal life, a work
environment, teaching, coaching...
hey, you name it. You might question
" love " in certain situations (e.g., at
work), then fine - substitute " care. "
The bottom line is this: In just about
any imaginable situation where it's
your job to get the very best out people,
to inspire them to new heights, to show
them a vision of the way things could
be, those three words will set the
stage for really wonderful things to be
realized when hard work is inserted as
the fourth cornerstone.
They certainly work in coaching. I
can fully attest to that with 45 years
of experience. No, it's not a fluffy,
easy-going, or a something-for-nothing
tiptoe through the tulips proposition.
Quite the contrary; it is a nose to the
grindstone, work your tail off, and as
we mentioned in an earlier segment,
very-much EARNED journey!
Think about it: What if we treated
all of humanity... well, humanely? Is
that really such a novel thought? If
not, then why don't we do it - or at
least do it enough?
Why don't we all try using the
words love (care), trust, and respect
with everyone and anyone we develop
even an interim-based relationship
with? Now, they most assuredly have
to earn that privilege, but why hold
back after they've done just that?
Love, trust, and respect are better
at breaking down the walls of distrust,
angst, pettiness, selfishness, etc. than
any jackhammer or wrecking ball.
More importantly, they are better at
building the ultimate success you seek
for your organization and program
than steel, bricks, and mortar.
Transcending sports, however
(which this segment is really about),
love, trust, and respect are the
underpinnings of strong, productive,
united societies.
This isn't about politics. Believe me,
I don't know as much as I probably
should in that regard. But I do know
this; people who love, trust, and respect
each other tend to work very well
together. They accomplish more. They
develop an air-tight, caring culture
where everyone is shoulder-to-shoulder
in attacking the tasks at hand.
Quite simply, they don't want to let
each other down, they want to lift each
other up! Isn't that the way all things
should be - especially daily life?
Who knows, maybe one day,
hopefully, real soon! Stay strong,
stay in the fight, and keep making an
impact!
16 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
September/October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2020
