In the final moments of the men’s basketball gold medal game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Coach Mike Krzyzewski remembers furiously writing up a play to extend Team USA’s lead over Spain. As he wrote the play, he recalled Kobe Bryant’s hand resting upon his hand, reassuring him that the team would get it done.
“He looks at me and says ‘Coach, we don’t need a play. We’re ready for this, we’re agile, adaptable, we’re together. We know why we’re doing it, we were made for this moment,’” said Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski – nicknamed “Coach K” – admitted he wasn’t sure if Bryant’s attitude brought Team USA to their eventual 2008 win. Still, he said he knows that mindset is critical to AI implementation throughout Federal agencies.
Krzyzewski, at the ServiceNow Federal Forum on Wednesday, said his approach to leadership focuses on the ‘four A’s,’ which include agility, adaptability, accountability, and a winning attitude.
He said agencies will be more effective when they implement ServiceNow AI into their workflows because that is what AI is intended to do.
Coach K also encouraged attendees at the forum to embrace a mindset of adaptability. He said the best way to be open to adapting is to ask for input from all members of a team.
“As you’re implementing something new, I think it’s really important to ask force multiplier questions… that makes people feel like they belong,” Krzyzewski said.
He emphasized that agility and adaptability will only work while embracing accountability throughout AI implementation. The coach said holding people accountable means telling people the truth.
Krzyzewski explained the hardest accountability conversation he had was with Kobe Bryant after a game against Australia during the 2008 Olympic quarterfinals in which Bryant did not perform up to Krzyzewski’s standards.
“If you do not hold them accountable and put it off, that means you are going down a path where you know it’s not going right and you’re not willing to make the adjustment in performance,” Coach K said.
Agility, adaptability, and accountability all inform the winning attitude that Krzyzewski said is essential to overcoming challenges as a team.
He also said holding every team member accountable to the same standards is critical to effective leadership and overcoming challenges.
“I told all the people around me, hold them accountable of our standards so I have no doubt when you hold them accountable you know that’s me holding them accountable,” Krzyzewski said.
“Be agile, be adaptable, hold your team and yourself accountable, and have your team hold you accountable,” Krzyzewski said. “With all the new things you’re going to learn and with the reaffirmation of a winning attitude, you got some really outstanding [outcomes].”
