A Whole New World

Navigating Trust in the Evolving Landscape that is College Athletics

By now, I am sure you have all heard about the Long Beach State Men’s basketball coach, Dan Monson, who was fired before the conference tournament, then proceeded to win the conference tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament.  What a story of inspiration (and maybe even redemption) for coach Monson and his team, right??!!  Coach Monson dealt with this situation with class and, for his efforts, the gods of basketball rewarded him.  

But not so fast, said Long Beach State Athletics Director, Bobby Smitheran’s.  Upon Long Beach State winning the conference tournament, Smitheran’s actually took CREDIT for inspiring the team: “My belief and the hope is that by doing what I did and the timing of it, they would play inspired, and that’s what they did.”

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound…And the twitter world erupted, and did its thing.  One could say Smitheran’s was blown to smithereens.  Rightfully so.  

This is just one example of the craziness that is college athletics, which begs the question, Who can we trust?  To go a few steps further, What is trust?  How do we get it?  How can we foster trust in a seemingly unstable and unpredictable environment where AD’s are taking credit for inspiring a team to win their conference tournament and dance their way into the NCAA tournament by…firing the head coach??

These are the questions plaguing leaders, and the questions that we need to do our best to answer.  In the dynamic world of college athletics, where universities are closing and merging, players are transferring left and right, and coaches are retiring and  turning over in record numbers, cultivating trust becomes paramount for athletes, coaches, and administrators. And, just as fragile as Trust can be, its powers to stabilize, support, and secure can also be the antidote to that fragility.

Let’s delve into how we can navigate the challenges and foster trust in this ever-evolving landscape.  The intricate web of relationships between athletes, coaches, and administrators demands a foundation of Trust built on 5 Core Principles, which I have outlined with a cool Acronym using, you guessed it, the word TRUST.

T - Transparency - One of the cornerstones of any relationship, team, or organization is transparency.  Prioritizing open and honest communication amongst coaches, players, administrators, and other stakeholders, such as parents, is necessary.  Being truthful and transparent builds credibility.  Truth and transparency weave together intricate patterns of thoughts and behaviors and allows us all to see the greater picture and purpose; and when we can all clearly see the design, we can all collectively see the truth.  We can trust because we can see everything.  Transparency and honesty, over time, will support our true motive and intent, which is crucial for trust to be maintained.

R - Reliability - At the core of truth is reliability, which is a cornerstone of trust.  Reliability allows individuals to rely on the accuracy and authenticity of open communication.  When individuals are authentic with their words and actions, intent is proven to be reliable.  In other words, if communication is found out not to be true, or if there is an ulterior motive, there can be no reliability.  Reliability is a commitment to honesty on a consistent basis, not just once in a while.  

U - Understanding - Understanding plays a pivotal role in trust as it bridges the gap between a multitude of perspectives because, if we believe that honesty is necessary, then we must also understand that our thoughts and opinions can, and will, differ.  When we seek first to understand, we actively listen, seek clarity, and empathize with those diverse experiences and perspectives.  Through learning to understand, we can transcend barriers, broaden the depth of our knowledge, and uncover truths, which may be similar to our own truths, and may be different.  Trusting someone does not mean you have to agree; it means you have to be open to understanding why you might disagree.

S - Sharing - Although we must seek first to understand, we must also be a willing, open, and honest participant in dialogue.  We cannot have shared experiences if only one person/side is sharing.  When we share our own truths, we render ourselves vulnerable, which creates space for meaningful dialogue, connection, and growth.  We cannot expect transparency from others if we are not willing to share pieces of ourselves.  Authentic sharing amplify’s the impact of truth, which leads to greater levels of trust.

T - Time - While we might all wish that trust could happen overnight, it doesn’t.  Time invites reflection and evolution, and it acts as a silent witness, meticulously shaping our perceptions and illuminating different facets of truth.  Without time, we cannot truly assess the reliability of supposed transparent communication.  Truths that were once hidden may surface, influenced by changing perspectives and contexts.  Quite simply, without time, we cannot truly assess levels of trust.  Time is the great revealer of truth.  The fastest way to build Trust is to take your time.

To help show what Trust looks like in action, I give you what is likely one of the greatest cinematic portrayals of Trust in the 1992 Disney hit movie, “Aladdin.” 

The scene: 

Aladdin is dressed like a “real” Prince, and is talking with Princess Jasmine on her balcony, trying to woo her.  At first, Aladdin stumbles with his words, trying to impress Jasmine, but she is having none of it, and casts him aside “like every stuffed shirt, swaggering peacock she’s ever met,” and she walks away.   In that moment, Aladdin’s genie, disguised as a bee, reminds Aladdin to “Remember, beeeee yourself,” and what happens next is that Aladdin breaks down Princess Jasmine’s walls with the transparency of his words and his understanding of her situation.  Aladdin is authentically himself, and after a little more chit chat with Jasmine, he asks her if she wants to go for a ride on his magic carpet.  Jasmine pauses, considers the option, and asks Aladdin, “Is it safe?” To which Aladdin replies, “Sure, do you trust me?”

We then watch as Jasmine looks at him curiously, and asks “What?” and, again, Aladdin asks, “Do you trust me?”

If you have never seen Aladdin, you might be thinking (besides the fact that it’s a magical Disney movie and anything can happen) Why would Jasmine go on this magic carpet ride with someone she just met and doesn’t yet trust?  She could fall off or be kidnapped?  Sure, Aladdin seems nice and sincere, and understands what Jasmine is going through, which are part of the Core Principles of Trust, but they just met, and need more time!!!

But did they just meet?   No, this is not the first time Aladdin has asked Jasmine that very question.  He asked it to her when Jasmine only knew Aladdin as a beggar off the streets as they were attempting to evade the guards.  Jasmine had experienced trust with Aladdin, and she felt it in her core.  

Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWaIxpjDGL4

What is trust?  Trust is a feeling that, over time, will lead us to have confidence in ourselves, in other people, and in our decisions.

Yes, trust can be hard to both relinquish and assess if it’s been earned, but it can also bring you on a magic carpet ride.  Just don’t invite Bobby Smitheran.