CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS – CAN’T LOSE!

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Friday Night Lights provides wholesome TV viewing. I watched all 5 series a while ago and have been meaning to highlight some of the classic performance lessons scripted in. For anyone interested in winning, there is plenty of inspiration.

  1. Mindset: Winning the state championship is the ultimate dream for the players. There is a scene in one of the episodes when Coach Taylor simply writes “STATE” on the whiteboard. Nothing needs to be said, nothing else needs to be written. The mentality is clear – we are going for STATE – that is the unifying mission and it drives the method which now has an end in mind.
  2. Method: Discipline and teamwork. This applied as much to the coaching group as to the player group. Strategy for the season and tactics for each game. Planning meetings to get to agreement and alignment. Video analysis and performance review. In addition, a clear and critical aspect of the method Coach Taylor used to get results, was his personal interest and personal relationship with each of the leaders in the team. He invested time, energy, and effort in mentoring his key players. It was deliberate, and it was a differentiator.
  3. Mood: Zero tolerance for prima donnas and egomaniacs. No one was allowed to be bigger than the team. Coach Taylor created a climate for excellence. When he was unfairly ousted from his position coaching the Dillon Panthers, he moved across to coach the East Dillon Lions who were in complete disarray. Over a short time, he led the prevailing mood from despair to hope. He created an atmosphere of belief. Most of the players remained the same but the mood changed and then so did the results. The players he did bring across were servant leaders who enhanced the mood. Clear eyes, full hearts – can’t lose.

This fictional story of a town in Texas with two schools and their respective football teams is just a story. But life is all about stories and stories can inspire us to be more, and to achieve more. I recommend this series to coaches, leaders, and indeed to any team seeking success.