The "I GOT FIRED" Club

Springtime.  March Madness.  What a great time of the year.  The flowers are blooming, the weather is nicer, yard sale signs are going up and basketball tournaments are providing us with great excitement.  However, it is also a difficult time of the year for some folks in the coaching profession.  The internet is beginning to be littered with stories and rumors of coaches being fired or getting "resigned".  As fans of basketball, this is natural and expected.  Our team isn't performing like we want them to be and so we want change.  For coaches everywhere, this is also a normal occurrence, though not one that we want our friends and acquaintances to go through.  And by all means, we don't want to go through it ourselves.  It is said that coaches are hired to be fired.  If you are a coach and haven't been fired (or had your contract renewed, or asked to resign, or been re-assigned, etc...) then you are either a relatively young coach or one of the very few fortunate ones.  Notice, I didn't say that you are one of the good coaches.  Bad coaches get fired.  Average coaches get fired.  Good coaches get fired.  Men get fired.  Women get fired.  Alums get fired.  Coach of the Year winners get fired.  No one is immune to this phenomenon.  Sometimes we see it coming; other times it blindsides us.  As a member of one of the biggest clubs around, I wanted to make mention of a couple of things you should keep in mind if you should find yourself joining (or getting your membership renewed in) The "I was fired" Club.  

1.  Proper Attitude--The old Charles Swindoll quote, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" is true.  Getting rejected (i.e. fired) stinks.  However, you can choose how you react to it.  Have class.  Stay focused on what you need to do...just like you do in games during that 14-2 run the opponent just put on you.

2.  Don't Burn Bridges--You never know when you'll need a good reference, help with another job, or something else.  Burning bridges rarely helps.  It might make you feel good at that instant but it is not a long-term solution.  

3.  Improve--You obviously were not the right person for the job, anymore, according to somebody with power.  Does that mean you are a bad coach or did something blatantly wrong?  No.  However, you will want to take stock of what you did (or didn't do) and try to improve upon it.  We tend to be stubborn or defensive in these situations, but that doesn't help us in the next situation.  Just like that 5-point game that you lost, where your star went 2/17 from the field and your point guard had two crucial turnovers down the stretch; you still pour over the film analyzing your decisions (when you called or should of called timeout, who/when you substituted, what plays you called, etc...).  Even though you may not have been able to avoid the loss, you still try to find an edge to help you next time.  Same thing with losing a job.

4.  Be a Blessing--Many people don't want to listen to how you got the shaft or were wronged or what your problems are time and time again.  They have their own problems.  However, think of how refreshing it would be to be out with friends and to talk with them about their life?  To ask about their issues, their families, their hopes and dreams?  Most of us want to talk about our selves and the predicament that we now find ourselves in.  Turn it around and be an encourager to others.  Be an inspiration. Wouldn't it be great if someone said this about us... "Wow, so and so really is staying positive after what happened to her.  I know I'd be ticked.  I wish I could have that attitude.  But I guess if she can be positive, then my problems are not so big after all."  

5.  Bad Things Happen to Good People--This doesn't mean it is easy or fun, but you can move on from this (sometimes to bigger and better things). Harvey MacKay, in his book "We Got Fired!...And It's the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Us". mentions so many examples of people getting fired and making better things come of it (Lou Holtz, Larry King, Bill Belichick, Joe Torre, Michael Bloomburg, just to name a few).  If you get fired, you are not a loser.  It is not the end of the road.  It is just the beginning of a new adventure.  Don't dwell on the bad stuff or think you are worthless.  See where this new road takes you.

6.  Public Relations--You may or may not be able to control the news of your firing.  It depends on a number of factors.  Try to keep a clear mind and a long-term perspective on this short-term problem.  Much like the bridge burning issue, in the age of social media, internet and "small-world" networking, a mistake in handling your dismissal could limit your future opportunities.  Just like you can't get rattled in a game and say things to players that you will later regret, you don't want to say or do things publicly that you'll regret.  How will the school's website handle the decision?  What will your administrators say about you? Will you be able to address the media?  Will you be able to address the team?  How will the dismissal be worded or presented to the public?  These are all questions to think about.

7.  Maintain Integrity--This can relate to the public relations issue, at times.  Not everyone needs to know every detail of your dismissal.  However, you don't want to get into a such a vicious cycle of spin that you are telling five different versions depending upon who you are talking to.  That can catch up to you eventually.  The old adage of "If you tell the truth, then you never have to remember what you told someone" is often true.  Honesty is normally the best policy, though it still is important to have some wisdom and discernment.   

8.  Be Prepared--Think about questions people might ask or situations that might come up and know how to address them.  A fan might not like the fact that New England hired Bill Belichick after his Cleveland Browns debacle.  However, the Patriots management liked his answers to what he learned with the Browns and how that experience would benefit the Patriots in the future.  You can do the same.  Just like you are always taught in interviews to turn "your weaknesses" into a positive, do the same with your dismissal.

9.  Be Picky but not a Job Snob--It is important that you bounce back in a positive manner.  Your next job can be crucial for your future.  It is important not to settle and take any old job that comes your way (depending upon your family's financial situation, of course).  You want to be picky and make sure that it is the right situation for you.  However, don't be a job snob.  You may be a great coach.  You may have a lot to offer an institution and its' student-athletes.  However, the job market is difficult.  Not everyone may see your talents or be the one to give you a second-chance.  Don't be afraid to take an assistant's job with a good program and get a little mojo back.  Don't be afraid to take that DII job or that mid-major DI job. Coaching is coaching....though the pay, prestige and pressure may vary.

When I was fired, a coaching mentor of mine (Ed Schilling) sent me a book entitled "God Meant it for Good" by R.T. Kendall.  It talks about Joseph from the Bible and all the junk he went through that wasn't his fault and how he rose above the circumstances to be a blessing to so many.  I would also recommend this book to those that have experienced a dismissal.

By the way, if you are not yet a member of the "I Got Fired" club, then file these thoughts away or keep them in mind to help out a colleague.  Also, pick up a copy of Harvey McKay's outstanding book "Dig Your Well Before You Are Thirsty".  One of the best books ever on building a true network of friends/contacts that can be a blessing to you when you enter the hallowed grounds of THE CLUB.

Jamy Bechler is the executive director of U-Leadership and a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Speaker and Coach.  Contact him at CoachBechler@CoachBechler.com to find out how you or your team can be more successful.  Click here to signup for THE ENCOURAGING NEWSLETTER