Boston Celtics assistant coach Kevin Eastman talks about some common characteristics every great leader has. These are the special people who only need a coach to teach them what and how to do something; then they take that and run with it. They understand that a major part of their job is to be self sufficient and personally accountable for their improvement and productivity.
• They don't blame others first; instead, they look first for what they contributed (or did not contribute) to the situation
• They don't complain; instead, they look for ways to correct things that aren't working
• They don't procrastinate; instead, get things done now
• They always give more than they ask of others
• They always look to take on as much as they can handle, rather than look to pass things on to others all the time
• They are constantly trying to improve their game so they can bring more to the team and consistently fulfill their role
• They are self starters and study the game (and themselves) enough to know what needs to be done; then go about doing it
• They do the unrequired work, knowing that it simply needs to get done -- extra shots, extra weight training, extra film watching, etc. – without constantly needing a coach to tell them to work
• They hold others accountable for their jobs and roles because they know the importance of accountability as it relates to winning; this creates a collective responsibility
• They always be among of the most trusted players on the team, by coaches and players
