Failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness." - Patrick Lencioni
The third foundational value of Devon Prep Basketball is accountability. Accountability has many different looks. In our program, the first look we stress is an internal one - each one of us is challenged to hold ourselves accountable for our own actions. It is very easy to blame someone else for our own actions or mistakes. It makes us feel better to do so. It is easy to feel like it cannot be our fault that we missed the layup or turned the ball over… but at the end of the day the only way that we truly grow and get better is if we can look in the mirror and admit when we made a mistake or when we need help. That is when the true growth happens. Seeking feedback from others is one of the best ways that we strive to practice accountability. Asking someone else what we need to work on is a sign of maturity and trust. It is an action step that everyone can take and is truly a sign that we are growing both as individuals and as a team.
Another version of accountability is when we hold each other accountable. This is a lot tougher to do and can really only be done once we are able to hold ourselves accountable. We say constantly that we will never reach our full potential as a team until we are able to hold our teammates accountable. Player led teams are so much stronger than coach led teams. This is more than just correcting a teammate, it is getting to know each other so deeply that we know what makes each other ‘tick’ and then being able to communicate with each other in a way that we are telling them what they need to do but they receive it in a constructive way. It also requires that they are listening to the feedback as well. This form of accountability can only happen in environments where people genuinely care about each other. Our goal is to be able to tell each other that a certain behavior or action does not fit in with our culture and then to have that person be able to respond in a constructive way and not get defensive but rather be able to process it in a way that fosters growth. We strive to practice this all of the time - the court, the classroom, the film room, weight room… really everywhere.
Being able to practice accountability is so valuable. Accountability is a life skill that transcends sports and will help our young men in all facets of life. For this reason it is one of the foundational principles of our basketball program.
