“If I had my career to do over again, I would pray God would reveal to me the players who should be on my team because they have heart… The heart is the most undervalued thing because you can’t see it.” – Coach Keith Madison, National Baseball Director of Score International, Hall of Fame former head baseball coach of 25 years with the University of Kentucky where he compiled 737 wins.
Whether you lead an athletic organization, church, business, non-profit, or educational organization, we all want people with heart. It is an invaluable attribute of great performers. But as Coach Madison said, the problem with heart is you can’t see it. You can’t measure it. But after the fact, you know it when you saw it.
Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci said of bypassing Tom Brady in the NFL Draft, “We didn’t open up his chest and look at his heart. We didn’t look at that. I don’t know if anyone did. And what kind of spine he has, the resiliency, and all the things that are making him really great right now.”
Even if they did open up his chest and look at his heart, would they have known what they should be looking for? I don’t think so.
I have long attempted to quantify a person’s heart, to find a way not to miss it in others. This past Monday I may have finally found my answers.
Last month I wrote a very popular post entitled 6 Things All Leaders Must Know About Dealing With Selfish Team Members. It was lessons I learned from former MLB head coach Clint Hurdle as part of a Zoom Bible study for baseball scouts and coaches. It is arguable my favorite 45 minutes of the week. Shown above is a picture of this week’s gathering.
If you are a baseball scout or coach at the high school, college, or professional level and want to join about 60 like-minded people each week to be discipled in the area of spiritual leadership, email NorthStar Church’s senior pastor Mike Linch at mike.linch@northstarchurch.org who leads the group. He will get you all the information needed for you to be a part of this incredible group of men.
This week’s focal passage was 1 Samuel 16:7 which states, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” We talked about what it means to have heart and the value of it.
I took copious notes as different coaches and scouts shared.
On the subject of being coachable, Andrew Bartman, Director of USA Baseball said, “When someone is coachable, they listen.” He then added, “The most successful coaches are the ones who are the most coachable themselves.”
Chicago White Sox scout Kevin Burrell said, “Look for FAT people. Faithful – Available – Teachable.” He also added, “How one manages their ‘Time & Calendar’ will reflect the condition and priority of their heart.”
When asked how coaching and his Christian faith intersected, Coach Madison said, “Consistently in the Word and putting God first in everything I did. That’s when I had peace.” Former Gardner-Webb head baseball coach Rusty Stroupe added, “Don’t compartmentalize. (Don’t say) I’m coaching now but will put my Christian hat on when I get off the field.”
With over 25 years of collegiate head coaching experience and current USA Director of SCORE International, Rick Robinson concluded, “You’re always standing for the National Anthem. When standing for the National Anthem I would pray for people committed to the program which included me sharing Christ as part of the program.” He also added later via his Twitter account, “Spend time daily praying for players, future players, and their parents. Asking God to send Families that are coachable & receptive to hearing the Gospel message through word and deeds. Also divide current players between Godly men who are willing to pray for them individually.”
As I listened to these great men and others speak, I built the following composite of what a person with heart possesses.
When looking for coaches, players, teammates, or new employees with heart, look for SCRAPPY individuals.
SCRAPPY – Skill, Calling, Rejection, Attitude, Perseverance, Purposeful, Yearn to Learn.
- Skill – The ability to perform with excellence. Even people with heart need to have talent. There was a reason Rudy never started a game for Notre Dame.
- Calling – This is the thing inside you which proclaims, “This ONE thing I must do!!!” Mike Linch said, “It’s the core of me.” He also noted, “David conquered the giant of a disconnected heart.”
- Rejection – Remember that time when someone said you weren’t good enough, that you didn’t measure up? Of course you do. This challenged your calling but you moved forward anyway. Rejection provided clarity. It stripped away all non-essentials. You worked even harder. It limited your choices and spurred work hard and creativity to find solutions.
- Attitude – Attitude determines your altitude. A great attitude separates evenly matched people and closes the gap on those more talented than you. You have a great attitude because you can’t believe you get to do what you do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
- Perseverance – Because your calling is so clear, you learn perseverance through difficult and trying times. You are willing to pay the price needed for your dream to become reality. You become mentally-strong and resilient.
- Purposeful – Perseverance and resilience births a focused approach. Your life has meaning and direction. Because you have paid the price for success, there is a single-mindedness to it. As Coach Stroupe said, “Don’t compartmentalize. (Don’t say) I’m coaching now but will put my Christian hat on when I get off the field.”
- Yearn To Learn – Scrappy people are continual learners. They are humble and seek out all the coaching, people, resources and information needed for success. You can’t stop them. They will always find a way. Continual learning helps ensure future success.
If you are looking for people with “heart”, look for SCRAPPY people.
Identify skilled continual learners with a great attitude and calling who have persevered through rejection and disappointment and come out the other side with a single-minded purpose.
These are the people with heart. These are the people you want on your team.
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