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Carroll, Pete, et al. Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play like a Champion. Portfolio / Penguin, 2011.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1 Before the Philosophy

1 Beginning to Compete 9

2 Learning to Coach 18

3 The Inner Game of Football 30

4 Hard Lessons in New York 39

5 The 49ers Way 50

6 Getting Closer in New England 58

Part 2 The Power to Win Forever

7 Philosophy as the Foundation 77

8 Always Compete 84

9 Practice Is Everything 90

Part 3 Win Forever at USC

10 Getting the Job at USC 95

11 Laying Ground Rules 102

12 Coach Your Coaches 116

13 Coaches Are Teachers 127

14 Our Approach to Practice 138

15 Fourth and Nine 152

16 Our Recruiting Promise 161

17 Making It Fun 167

18 Playing in the Absence of Fear 177

19 Setting a Vision and Seeing It 183

20 Winning Forever On and Off the Field 189

Part 4 Win Forever Beyond the Field

21 Not Just Football 199

22 You Can Win Forever 207

Conclusion 215

Bonus Chapter: Competing in Seattle 219

Acknowledgments 229

Index 233

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Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion|Paperback

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Updated with a new chapter on Carroll's successful first season with the Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. In...

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Pete Carroll loved being competitive and playing sports but his physical body wasn't helping because it's development was super slow causing him to be a super small Freshman in high school that just wanted to be like everyone else.

Quote 1: " I entered Redwood high school as a five-foot-four-inch, 110-pound freshman needing a doctor's note in order to be cleared to play football. (9)

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Pete Carroll was still bothered about not being able to take the field as a player in the way he imagined and expected. But he decided to try out a new role which was as competitive as playing on the field which was being a coach.

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Diagnosis & Treatments Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine Department The Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine provides medical, gynecological, nutritional, and psychological care and counseling. Growth and Nutrition Program Program The Growth and Nutrition Program provides comprehensive care for children who have feeding issues or trouble gaining weight.

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Pete Carroll was influenced by other coaches at a young age, one thing really stood out to him which called the "Inner Game" the essence of it was to acquire a "quieted mind" which helped athletes to preform at the highest level. This was always Pete Carroll's first goal as a coach.

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Pete Carroll coached several different teams as a defensive coach until he reached the New York Jets. He was offered the job as head coach which officially started his 20 year coaching journey. Even though this was a great accomplishment he was bothered about one thing which was that the owner of the team didn't ever speak to him.

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After going 6-10 with the New York Jets Pete Carroll was eventually fired from his head coaching job. The success of the New York Jets went even more downhill after Pete getting fired this made him think that he didn't do too bad but could've been better. He took the next few weeks to take some comfort, but he really couldn't wait as the other NFL jobs opened up. He received many different offers for coaching but after a rough time decision making he decided to take the defensive coaching job with the 49ERS in his home town San Francisco.

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After just two years of being the 49ERS defensive coach Pete Carroll knew it was time for a change again. Two teams gave Pete a chance to be their head coach one team was the Rams the other was the Patriots. Once he heard that the Patriots wanted their team to be just like the 49ERS he quickly made his decision.

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It was the final game of the season and the New England Patriots were 7-8 meaning they couldn't make the playoffs. Pete Carroll already knew he would have to part ways with the team after this game so he decided to do something different. He gave a speech to his players that he wants them to play freely today and they ended up winning 20-3. Pete really enjoyed his time there, but it was over now.

Quote 2: "Leaving the field for the last time, I had no real idea of what was next for me, but I had a feeling that something good was just about to happen." (71)

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After Pete studied other successful coaches he noticed that it takes time to build something good which really changed his mindset.

Quote 3: "For some reason, I had never realized it had taken sixteen years to get his UCLA team to that level. (77)

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People may think that only players need practice but in reality coaches do too and Pete noticed that. This off-season he has been thinking of everything of how to be better to eventually build up a championship team.

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After a enormous process of creating a vision and philosophy it was time to make a decision. There were only a few job opportunities that interested Pete though. One morning his lawyer told him that the University of North Carolina had a opening but they weren't interested in Pete Carroll. But after a long process of interviews and talking the final decision was coaching at the University of South Carolina.

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After the first press conference it was time for Pete to focus on hiring a staff and recruiting a team. After this he started with drills to help with the team bonding, which led to their first win.

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As a head coach Pete Carroll couldn't forget about coaching his coaches. The offensive and defensive coaches also play big roles because they teach the players all the right techniques and plays.

Quote 4: "Just as with our players, I do everything I can to elicit my coaches' competitive drive and strengthen their sense of themselves in their work." (116-117)

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Even though Pete Carroll is head coach he realizes he still has to be competitive to be the best coach he can be. Also Pete Carroll studied his players off the field to see what they were like and get a better understanding of their personalities which can relate to their play styles.

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Peter Carroll and his team attended training camps in Seattle in front of crowds to help prepare for real in game situations. This was an important aspect because it makes the players more calm, composed and focused in clutch time. This practice actually really paid off because during their game against Notre Dame they were losing 28-31 with two minutes remaining in the game. The crowd was one of the loudest Pete ever heard, despite this their practice came into play as they found the back of the end-zone for the close win ending 34-31.

Quote 5: "Spectators are just another variable in the game. Players need to focus, no matter what is going on around them." (152)

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Pete Carroll's team was very different than all the other teams because he actually allowed freshman to be starters. He thought this was a good idea since the veterans would have to try their hardest knowing their spot could get taken and freshman would also try their hardest knowing they can take the other players spots as starters. This was the way to keep everyone's competitive and participation level up.

Quote 6: " So we promised them one thing: an extraordinary opportunity to compete for a position from the moment they arrived on our campus." (161)

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Although coaching is a very serious and demanding profession Pete learned that sometimes you have to ease things up. One time his team got him before he did as they faked a fight at practice scaring coach and after told him he got pranked. Pete wasn't going to let that happen as he had someone come in and tell his team that there was a very dangerous shower fungus going on which made some of them really nervous. This helped with the team bonding and with refreshing their minds.

Quote 7: "The celebrations in a victorious locker room are the most fun of all. However, there are not enough games and victories to match the enormous amount of time we spend preparing for those winning moments, so we seize opportunities to have fun whenever we can find them." (167-168)

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After Pete Carroll's nine years of coaching at USC he had so many accomplishments that he never dreamed of having. One of the biggest was that he and his team had secured two back-to-back national championships which is very hard to do. If all his accomplishments were mentioned the list would go on forever. Pete Carroll had felt that now he earned the right to be confident.

Quote 8: "When everything comes together for highly successful teams, they know they are going to win before they step out onto the field." (177)

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After the ups and downs of Pete Carroll's nine years coaching USC he decided it was time for the last destination. Pete Caroll had made the decision to step it up and go back to coaching in the NFL. He was offered the opportunity to coach the Seattle Seahawks and he knew he couldn't say no to this.

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The first few years of coaching the Seahawks was not the best experience as their seasons were not good. It was very different from when he coached USC and Pete needed to do something to change this. He knew that he needed to get closer and get to know his players more to create that unbreakable bond he was used to. He knew this might take a while but he was going to try his hardest to make the process quicker and achieve success.

Quote 9: “When this team makes it in the playoffs, which you may think I’m frickin’ crazy to be telling you that, when this team makes it in the playoffs we will be ready.” - Pete Caroll (187)

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It was the 2013-2014 season and the Seahawks had on of the best seasons every under coach Pete Caroll, they had went 12-4 in the regular season. Pete knew this was the time to win it all as he knew his team could do it. He made training very difficult while training for the final game that they got to. As they went into the game Pete was more confident in his team winning than ever. His confidence definitely made a statement as the Seahawks defeated the Broncos 43-8. This was the best thing Pete Caroll could ask for and he felt that he had achieved everything he wanted from his coaching experience.

Quote 10: "I'm thrilled that we've had this run. I really am. The level of consistency that we've demonstrated is such to make you proud. It's hard to do what we've done." - Pete Caroll (210)

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USC-Texas Championship Game  (Pete Carroll)

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Super Bowl 2014: Pete Carroll gives Seahawks incredible victory speech

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Competing at the highest levels of the National Football League (NFL) requires tremendous skill, dedication and persistence. The most successful coaches in the NFL know how to draw out a higher level of performance and consistency from their players. This is typically done with a militaristic, disciplinarian style focused on conforming to a highly prescribed game plan and approach.

Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, is the American football world's anomaly. His leadership style is the opposite of the traditional one, a more humanistic approach, based on developing and nurturing strong connections with his players on an interpersonal level and on celebrating, and not suppressing, their individuality. It is anchored by psychology and mindfulness, with Grit author Angela Duckworth noting that Carroll is tapping into something universal about human performance and potential.

Carroll believes that to elevate your game you need to start with a strong sense of purpose that is anchored in a clear personal philosophy. As a leader he is committed to the idea that caring personally about each player and his unique needs, background and aspirations is fundamental to his success as a coach. His style is seen by some as overly positive, "touchy feely" and lacking the top-down edge expected of successful coaches. But what casual observers miss is the rigor, discipline, intense spirit of competition and a passion for winning that underpin his approach. His leadership has enabled a distinctive culture that has become a magnet for highly talented players, especially those who are known as gifted and value their individualism.

His results provide clear evidence that his model works. Carroll is among the most successful football coaches of the last 50 years, achieving a remarkable level of consistently competing at the highest levels, including winning both a Super Bowl and multiple collegiate national titles. Carroll has influenced numerous championship-winning coaches in football and basketball, including the NBA's Golden State Warriors and the NCAA's LSU Tigers. And the increasing embrace of Carroll's leadership practices by CEO's including Microsoft's Satya Nadella demonstrate that his caring and humanistic form of leadership may help deliver exceptional results far beyond the football field.

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Pete Carroll: Building a Winning Organization through Purpose, Caring, and Inclusion

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Competing at the highest levels of the National Football League (NFL) requires tremendous skill, dedication and persistence. The most successful coaches in the NFL know how to draw out a higher level of performance and consistency from their players. This is typically done with a militaristic, disciplinarian style focused on conforming to a highly prescribed game plan and approach.

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Are there similarities between a career in IT and playing for the National Football League?

American football coach Pete Carroll has won both professional and collegiate championships. In his book Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion, Coach Carroll writes about his directives known as the Three Rules. They are:

Always Protect the Team

No Whining, No Complaining, No Excuses

Be Early

These three rules are part of the foundation of Coach Carroll's winning strategy for his football teams and I think they're also at the foundation of successful teams in IT. For that matter, they're at the foundation of successful teambuilding in all aspects of business, education, government, non-profits, and nearly any other part of life.

Here's how Coach Carroll's three rules apply to us in information systems and technology:

Always Protect the Team

Always protect the team means always looking out for your team members. Mentor new team members while also listening to new team members to get new ideas and new ways of looking at things. Lend a hand to team members who are struggling. Look for ways to make everyone's experience better. Maintain high standards of personal behavior both at work and in your personal life. Paraphrasing Coach Carroll here: Seek outcomes that will protect and enhance your family, your teammates, and your organization.

No Whining, No Complaining, No Excuses

No whining, no complaining, no excuses means always speaking well of your colleagues and the entire team. Of course, there may be problems and the way to deal with them is to go right to the person who can do something about the problem, instead of whining and complaining so everyone around you can feel bad. Of course, this means if you're a manager, you must be open and approachable so your team members will feel free to bring problems to your attention. It also means, when you as a team member, bring a problem to your manager, try to also bring a possible solution. The third part of this rule is no excuses. That means avoid the trap of finding reasons why you can't do something and instead look for how you might be able to do whatever it is. I've certainly fallen into the excuse trap and I've noticed that it never has led me to success. It's only when I re-frame my point of view to look for possibilities within myself instead of focusing on external roadblocks that I'm able to succeed. Frankly, this rule is about being the person who brightens the room when you arrive, not the person who brightens it when you leave!

Be Early

Rule number three is simple, be early. This is about being well-organized and respectful to your colleagues. When my sons were young, they had a football coach who told them, "If you're not fifteen minutes early, you're late." This means, if a meeting is scheduled to start at 9:00, everyone is in the room, settled in, and ready for the meeting to start at 9:00. I've noticed in some of my workshops and seminars that some people are there early, while others saunter in at the last minute, or even after the meeting starts. That's simply rude. When we're late, we're saying the appointment or meeting isn't as important as what we were doing. If you've ever said, "Sorry I'm late. The traffic was terrible.", "Sorry I'm late. The dog escaped as I was leaving.", "Sorry I'm late. The drawbridge was up.", or any of a multitude of other excuses, the reality is you weren't late because the traffic was bad, the dog escaped, or the drawbridge was up. You were late because you didn't leave early enough.

Make a Personal Commitment

When we make a personal commitment to apply Coach Carroll's three simple rules to our everyday behavior, we're setting a standard for everyone else to follow. We're making a personal commitment to rise above the ordinary. Small minded people will always find reasons not to follow them. The amazing thing to me is that these three teambuilding rules are easy to follow: Always protect the team, no whining, no excuses, and no complaining, and be early. Three simple rules for winning at work, in your personal life, and in everything we do.

For More Ideas on How to Improve Communication and Customer Service Skills

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From the NFL to IT: Coach Carroll's Three Rules (Teambuilding)

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Learn how to apply a winning NFL strategy to teambuilding in the IT world with NFL coach Pete Carroll's three rules.