Hunting vs. Fishing - Chris Widener

I recently heard an interview of Chris Widener in which he spoke about business, specifically marketing and sales. He describes his thoughts on business approach in relation to fishing versus hunting.

Think about hunting for a second. The images that come to my mind are of stalking, hiding, sneaky, and camouflage. I also see a scared animal that, when fearing for its life, runs from the hunter instinctively.

Now, think about fishing. The images I see are definitely more peaceful and relaxing. There is a focused patience toward the goal. Not to mention that the animals actually come to you!

Widener suggests that the same mentality should be applied to business. Here are four pointers in using the fishing approach:

1. There has to be fish - The beauty of coaching basketball is that there are always kids that want to play. I don't see a shortage of "fish" for us coaches. Sometimes we are fishing in the wrong waters, but there are always kids wanting to play!

2. The fish have to be hungry - For college coaches, this is the direct correlation to recruiting, but for coaches at the high school and junior high levels this is important too. You have to build a relationship with your prospective players. What makes them tick? What can they bring to the team? What are their dreams and aspirations? They have got to want to play for you!

3. You need the right kind of bait - In regards to coaching, I read this as having integrity. Especially for college coaches during the recruiting process. You may have a great product (post-season appearances, developed pro players, great facilities, etc.) but the bait is still YOU! An appealing bait will attract fish, so too will a coach of integrity attract players.

4. Develop better bait - I hear this all the time from great coaches and truly believe this: You must keep thirsting for knowledge. Widener says developing your bait is working on your sales presentation. We as coaches need to do the same. What approach can I take to get my message across? What worked? What didn't? Are there other resources available to add to my program? Keep working on your craft.