Winning the Game of Belief

Dr. Kevin Sheehan is a tenured associate professor at Molloy College where he has served on the faculty for over a decade as well as being an internationally recognized coach in the world of lacrosse. In the lacrosse world, Kevin’s accomplishments are numerous including helping to coaching Adelphi University to three Division II National Championships, the Australian National Lacrosse Team to two Bronze Medals, and Massapequa High School to its first New York State Championship on the scholastic level. A member of the Long Island Metropolitan Branch of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Kevin, believes that all of these coaching efforts have been shaped and influenced by positive psychology research that defines this book. Charlie Sullivan will enter his 21st season as head coach of the men's volleyball team during the 2018-19 academic year, and will once again be an assistant professor of physical education at his alma mater. In 20 previous years at the helm, Springfield has established a pedigree of championship success and has an overall record of 396-181 for a .686 winning percentage.In addition to his role as the men's volleyball coach at Springfield, Sullivan has also had several stints with the U.S. National Team. Recently, Sullivan was chosen to receive USA Volleyball's All-Time Great Coach award in the Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division for 2015.

[This] book argues that winning teams are not always the ones with the best athletes. Rather, they are the teams that are best prepared, not only physically but especially mentally. According to this view, such teams exhibit a strong sense of belief, an unshakable character, and a foundational grit. Through stories and case studies, the authors explore common characteristics of legendary athletes and coaches, showing that the best players do not always make the best coaches. Sullivan himself, for instance, was not a volleyball player in college, and Bill Belichick was regarded as a better lacrosse player than football player at Wesleyan. But as argued here, the lack of an impressive athletic resumé may have driven each of them as a coach, making each aware that failure instructs more than success, supporting the authors' premise that encountering obstacles can lead to creative thinking.

• ForewordBrian MagoffinIntroduction: The Magic of StoriesResearch without Going to the Dentist’s OfficeBrain Research: The Fragile Nature of MemoryBrain Function and the Magic of Stories Who is Charlie Sullivan?Five Take Aways from The Power of StoriesThe Big Idea from The Power of StoriesPart I: Beyond WinningChapter 1- The Culture of WinningSpringfield Volleyball: A Culture of WinningWinning Coaches under the MicroscopeWhy It Is Some Coaches Win All the Time?Winning the Game of BeliefFive Take Aways from The Culture of WinningThe Big Idea from The Culture of WinningChapter 2- Welcome to the Game of BeliefMeet Charlie Sullivan: Welcome to the Game of BeliefThe Power of Culture: You Were Made for This!More than Pep Talks: Beyond WinningFive Take Aways from Welcome to the Game of BeliefThe Big Idea from Welcome to the Game of BeliefChapter 3- Turning Obstacles into Opportunities What Stands in the Way, Becomes the WayEighteen Pencils and a Lost Coin TossLessons from a Lost Coin TossLess than Successful Playing Career: Obstacle or Gift?Five Take Aways from Turning Obstacles into OpportunitiesThe Big Idea from Turning Obstacles into OpportunitiesChapter 4- The Power of PersonalityNFL Draft Day: You Are on the ClockSelection Results: Did You Make the Same Decision as the NFL?The Birth of Grit: Angela Duckworth Finds Her PassionWhat Makes Gritty Individuals Gritty?Driven From Within: The Power of Effort and WillThe Tom Brady and the Power of Belief and EffortResume versus Eulogy VirtuesFive Take Aways from The Power of PersonalityThe Big Idea from The Power of PersonalityPart II: Building Cultural GritChapter 5- Core Values: Failing WellTrial by Fire: Core Values Born of Struggle, Frustration and FailureWinning Coaches and Core ValuesFive Take Aways from Core Values: Failing WellThe Big Idea from Core Values: Failing WellChapter 6- Cultural GritThe Unexpected Phone Call: Science Meets SportMaking the Case for Cultural GritThe Cultural Grit PyramidLevel One: Shared Effort and BeliefLevel Two: Striving for Perfection in ProcessLevel Three: Identity and MeaningFive Take Aways from Cultural GritThe Big Idea from Cultural GritChapter 7- BeliefMore than Pep Talks: Belief Borne of Consistent EffortBelief and Effort: A Two Way StreetData Driven Cultures Built on FeedbackTransformational LeadershipFive Take Aways from BeliefThe Big Idea from Belief Chapter 8- ProcessMaintaining Focus on Process Over ProductThe Power of Being in the Moment Winning by Not Focusing on WinningFocus on Product Begins Early: A Baseball StoryFive Take Aways from ProcessThe Big Idea from ProcessChapter 9- IdentityWhich Ring?The Power of IdentityDebunking the Great Player MythTeam Identity Built on Great CommunicationCollective Efficacy: The Research behind Team CohesionFostering Collective Efficacy at SpringfieldFive Take Aways from IdentityThe Big Idea from IdentityPart III Maintaining Belief in the Face of ChallengeChapter 10- Cultures Under FireThe Haircut: Holding Fast to Core Values Team First: Even When It HurtsMaintaining Belief: Getting on the Bus with ElmoThe Initial Challenge: Maintaining Belief in Building Your CultureFive Take Aways from Cultures Under FireThe Big Idea from Cultures Under FirePostscript from Coach Sullivan- Raise Your Hand: Applications to BusinessUnbelievableFive Take Aways from Raise Your Hand: Applications to BusinessThe Big Idea from Raise Your Hand: Applications to BusinessA Baker’s Dozen of Big Ideas to Move Your Organization Beyond InspirationAppendix A: The NFL Draft: How Did You Do?Appendix B: April EmailsAppendix C: Springfield Core ValuesReferencesAbout the Authors