Parameters

"People have to be given the freedom to show the heart they possess.  I think it's a leader's responsibility to provide that type of freedom.  And I believe it can be done through relationships and family.  Because if a team is a real family, it's members want to show you their hearts." - Coach Krzyzewski

 The job of a coach is a tough one.  He is supposed to lead and guide a team, with specific direction and goals, without stifling the strengths and the creativity the team possesses.  How can that be done?

I’d like to suggest a principle of powerful leadership that works for coaches.  In fact, it works for coaches, parents, teachers, and other leaders.  It is the principle of parameters. 

A story in the Book of Mormon illustrates this perfectly.  A man, known as the “Brother of Jared,” is given the task to build barges (i.e., boats).  As he is doing this, he encounters three problems.  He turns to the Lord, who answers in three different, distinct manners.  First, he tells the Brother of Jared exactly what to do.  Second, he asks the Brother of Jared what he’d like to do to fix the problem.  And third, the Lord says essentially that he’ll take care of it.

Each way demonstrates the Lord’s perfect understanding about being a leader.  The first and third questions are answered in a way that doesn’t require much thinking on the Brother of Jared’s part.  Might this be because the Lord knew that the issue was beyond what the Brother of Jared was currently able to fully comprehend? The second question, however, is the one I’d like to discuss, for it is a powerful principle of leadership that allows the growth of all involved.

“And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared:  What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?  For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire,” (Book of Ether 2:29).

The Brother of Jared was asked what he thought about the problem.  It was his choice, his creativity, his knowledge and skills, put to action.  However, the Lord gave him some guidelines—parameters—to follow.  No windows.  No fire.  With this guidance, the Brother of Jared was able to come up with a creative, well thought-out, idea of what could be done.  And with this experience, I believe that he became more confident in his ability to solve problems, to think for himself, and to be creative.

All too often leaders can stifle creativity, and fail to take advantage of the strengths of the group.  Yet, here is a powerful way to avoid that.  Give the group power to think for themselves.  However, if we know what doesn’t work (e.g., fire or windows) then we can start by giving parameters—the boundaries of what will work and what won’t.  That is where the principle of parameters can be a powerful tool.

Can you see how this, when applied right, brings answers to problems that you couldn’t come up with on your own?  As a leader, we must give people the benefit of the doubt.  We must have confidence in them.  If we don’t then we need to start looking harder at what strengths that each group member possesses.

This can certainly be applied as a parent.  The parent can ask the child, “What do you want to do?”  Then watch their child’s eyes light up with excitement.  Follow that up with some parameters.  For example, “We can do anything here at the house.  We can’t leave our yard or play in the road.  So what would you like to do?”  You might be surprised at how creative they can be.

Surprisingly, this is a good way to help spearhead our own problem solving.  We can look at the problem, find the parameters—the boundaries of what can work and what won’t work—and start from there.  Setting up some principles and rules will help inspiration come and ideas will flow.