3 Things I Learned on my First Day
ED JONES!!!!
It is my first day on the job as the Director of Player Development for the Houston Cougars Football Team.
I just got in the building and was coming out of the restroom to make sure my suit was nice.
I came back to the hallway to see my new boss, Coach Tom Herman standing down the hall with a student-athlete.
“Yes Coach.” I responded.
“Take him to your office now.” Coach Herman says.
Here I am ten minutes into my first day on a college football staff and I am immediately put in this situation.
#1 - I did not know who the player was.
#2 - I did not know why we were meeting.
#3 - I did not know where my office was.
My first day was like NOTHING I could have imagined.
But I learned three major things on my first day on the job.
Player Development is Unpredictable.
You just read about my first day. This was foreshadowing how every other day in player development would be over six years, three universities and five head coaches. A question I am asked constantly is what do the days look like in player development? My answer is you never know, and this was my first realization of this truth,
2. Communication is HUGE
The first staff meeting I went to was one of the most efficient meetings I have ever been a part of. The natural flow of communication and inclusive input ensured everyone on the staff knew where we were as a program. This was my example of the importance of communication in leadership.
3. Support of a Head Coach
During our first team meeting, Coach Herman brought me up and introduced me to the team and others. He let the players know who I was and what my role would be with the team. I did not understand the magnitude of this at the time but did later in my career. I am thankful for Coach Herman’s support during my time at University of Houston.
Check out my podcast episode on this topic here: https://youtu.be/79budhO1Xrk
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