The playbook for growing a swim program is
simple. Capture some swimmers. They are
your first customers, family and friends.
Then you need leads, other swimmers. Word
of mouth and conversations convert those
leads into dues-paying customers. That's
sales and the early sparks are often
through lessons. Turn those customers into
positive reviews and then reactivate those
customers into repeat buyers. That's
exactly what our LAP platform does.
Lifestyle Aquatics Programming
Team building, leadership, even personal
growth. You've got loyalty, recruiting,
development, responsibility, even time
management. It's a very complete picture.
And the author, Jim Lutz, he's not just
theorizing. This guy spent, what, 50 years
in competitive swimming? Yeah, from clubs
right up to NCAA, USA swimming. Tons of
experience before he switched careers.
That's decades of, like, real hands-on
leadership. It's practical wisdom, not
just textbook stuff. Let's start with
loyalty. The text frames it as
foundational, but it's not static. It's
something you have to give, earn, and
importantly, maintain. Okay, and it breaks
down into five key aspects. First one is
honesty. And Luntz kicks this off with a
really vivid story, doesn't he, about that
blizzard in 78. Forty below windchills,
running out of gas, just trying to get to
a swim practice that got moved. That's a
serious dedication right there. It really
is. But the key takeaway wasn't just
showing up. It was the feedback, right?
From his coach, Frank Bush. Bush was
honest. He said, basically, look, you're
not the most naturally talented swimmer.
Ouch. But honest. But then he follows up
with, but you never miss practice. You
make it fun. I want you here. That kind of
direct yet supportive honesty, it clearly
stuck with Lutz. Yeah, it shows that
sometimes reliability and just having a
good attitude can matter more than raw
talent, and that honest feedback, even the
tough parts, can actually be super
motivating. And it makes you think about
that idea, you know, the people who really
want a career, they just show up and do
the work. No fanfare needed. And Frank
Bush, the coach, his later success kind of
validates that perspective, doesn't it?
Six time NCAA coach of the year, national
championships, USA swimming director.
Yeah, he clearly knew a thing or two about
building winning teams. His view on what
matters carries weight. So honesty is key,
but the text adds a layer, right? It's not
just No, it's about tact. Speaking the
truth, but skillfully. And also sometimes
making those tough calls, like letting
someone go if they're not aligned with the
team's best interests. But framing it as a
business decision, not personal. That's
important. Second pillar of loyalty.
Consistency. The Tony Robbins quote comes
in here. It's not what we do occasionally
that shakes our lives, but what we do
consistently. That really makes you stop
and think about your own habits, doesn't
it? Totally. Those small, everyday
actions. They add up more than the big,
flashy things you do once in a while. And
what's interesting is how that consistency
directly feeds into the third aspect,
which is confidence. Okay. How so? Well,
if people are honest and consistent,
there's less uncertainty. You know what to
expect. That creates a secure environment
where people feel more comfortable.
Reduces anxiety. And the text mentions
Bruce Gemmel talking about Katie Ledecky,
how her just relentless consistency in
practice built this incredible confidence.
And it's not just the superstars either.
That example of Jennifer, the natural
leader without the captain title. Yeah.
Just through her consistent actions,
people trusted her. She inspired
confidence. And the text also points out
that real confidence often comes from, you
know, getting through tough times,
overcoming failure, having that support
network, or maybe a strong faith. It
mentions Proverbs here. Fourth element,
the desire to excel. Loyal people aren't
just punching the clock. They actually
want to get better. And it makes that
interesting point that sometimes your best
team members aren't the most talented
ones, but the ones who really buy into the
system, the core values. Which means those
core values need to be super clear, right?
And it contrasts those who give their best
consistently with those who just do the
minimum or feel entitled. That phrase
forceful, faithful or forgettable. That's
pretty stark. It is forceful being active
contributors, faithful being reliable,
forgettable. Well, not making much impact.
Leaders need to know who's who. And that
St. Francis quote fits, too, about wanting
your life to be a testament to something
bigger. OK, and the fifth aspect. The
ability to inspire by actions. Michael
Jordan's the example here. His emotions
weren't tied just to winning or losing. He
found ways to contribute even on off
nights. That hits home for me. I
definitely used to tie my own self-worth
way too much to how the team did. Big
emotional roller coaster. A lot of people
do. It took a while to realize the
relationships and connections were still
there, win or lose. And that's the core
idea, isn't it? Give your absolute best,
have a clear conscience, regardless of the
scoreboard, be forceful, faithful,
unforgettable through what you do. And the
leader's role is motivator, teacher,
educator. Yeah. Not just manager. And that
Roger Bannister story, Breaking the Four
Minute Mile, it shows how one person's
actions can totally smash mental barriers
for everyone else. Such a great example.
Okay, so we've got loyalty as the
foundation. How do you actually bring the
right people onto the team? That brings us
to recruiting. And the e-book frames
recruiting as finding the right fit, not
just grabbing the most talented person
available. It's about aligning with the
culture, the goals. Makes sense. So what
are the key aspects here? There are five
again, right? Yep, five again. First, and
maybe most important, character. The
bedrock. Talent gets you noticed, but
character is what you build the whole
program on. And it mentions a small thing,
like doing tasks promptly when expected.
That speaks volumes. Little things matter.
Okay, second. Willingness to do what's
necessary to be prepared. The anecdote
about Frank Bush's optional Sunday
workouts. Right. No one had to be there.
But the ones who were truly driven saw it
as an opportunity. It shows that internal
motivation, that willingness to go the
extra mile. Yeah. That's what you look
for. And if someone keeps underperforming,
even with help, maybe it's time for them
to look elsewhere. The text touches on
that too. Yeah, it hints that maybe their
strengths lie elsewhere. It even quotes
Proverbs about, you know, trying to
correct someone who isn't receptive versus
guiding someone wise. Interesting
perspective. Okay, third element of
recruiting. Using the word next sounds
simple, but it means seeing each recruit
as an individual. Unique story, unique
talents, different levels of commitment.
Don't just lump them together. Look beyond
the stats, see the person. And the leader
needs to support them through the ups and
downs, right? Focus on small wins,
positive mindset. Which leads to the
fourth aspect, commitment to trust your
talents. Ah, the mental game again. The
example of Chad, the distance swimmer with
self-doubt. Right, it often isn't a lack
of ability, it's a loss of confidence in
that ability. That's huge. And that story
about telling a swimmer, there is no place
for hope right now. Whoa. That's intense.
It really emphasizes needing that
rock-solid belief, backed by preparation.
Hope isn't enough when the pressure's on.
and it mentions Ben Crenshaw admiring
Harvey Pennock's patience and giving
credit. That adds humility. Plus, it
touches on resisting new ideas, sticking
with the familiar even if it's not
working. Yeah, ultimately trusting your
gut, your instincts, and acting in line
with your values. Okay, and the fifth
recruiting aspect. Passion. You need to
find out what really drives someone.
Money's often just a vehicle, not the core
motivation. What's their deep down
enthusiasm? Finding that spark. Yeah. And
the idea of gamers, the ones who just find
a way to win because they believe. Comes
back to the mind being the biggest hurdle.
Positivity is key. Real champions are
relaxed, comfortable, which leads to
winning. And self-worth has to come from
inside. Aligning heart and mind, deciding
to make a difference. And that quote, love
people and use things, not love things and
use people. Find what works for that
individual. And loving what you do is
essential for the long haul. Needing
structure, discipline. Freedom's like a
rope, right? Pull yourself up or hang
yourself. Oof, good analogy though. And
the swimmer schedule example shows that
level of commitment. Then that final
analogy, golf and love being deceptively
simple and endlessly complicated. Yeah,
sums up dealing with people pretty well.
Okay, so loyalty established, people
recruited. Now development, this is the
ongoing part, right? Yeah. Requires real
effort from leaders. It doesn't just
happen. And that story about the quiet
musician with cat snakes and his goal
sheet, Right. It shows you got to find out
what makes people tick. Show genuine
interest beyond just their job function.
See the whole person and then be honest in
assessments. Challenge them to improve. It
mentions proverbs again about humility and
wisdom and tailoring feedback. Huge. Not
everyone receives critique the same way.
Definitely not. So first step in
development is finding their strengths.
Finding that hot button. What motivates
them? What are they naturally good at?
That Native American proverb about letting
go of the planned life for the one
waiting. That fits here too. Maybe hidden
strengths emerge. Like the contrast
between role players and those gamers who
just elevate under pressure. Magic Johnson
in the Rookie Finals is such a perfect
example. Incredible story. And the
leader's job. Treat everyone fairly, but
not necessarily equally. Maximize their
specific talent. The quote from First
Peter emphasizes using your God-given
strengths in service. Makes sense. So once
you know their strengths, their hot
buttons, individualize their development.
Precisely. Like the example of the agent
who's great with clients, but hates cold
calls. You work on the weakness, but you
don't kill the strength. Set goals they
can control. And accept that failure in
practice is normal when you're pushing
limits. Yeah, it's the art of coaching,
right? Knowing when to push, when to back
off, rebuild confidence. And setting goals
yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily.
Having that roadmap. And again, that
foundation of faith helps weather the
storms. But development isn't just
strengths. You have to address weaknesses
too. The relay team example. Talented
swimmer, never the anchor, because of
pressure weakness. Right. You don't ignore
it. You manage it strategically. And don't
avoid adversity. Use it to learn. That
sign. See it. Face it. Get over it. Pretty
blunt. And the contrast between
championship performers and those who
always fall short. It highlights the need
to confront those weaknesses. And avoiding
schadenfreude, actually helping people
through struggles. Successful people work
on their weaknesses. A smooth sea never
made a skilled mariner. Learn from tough
times, don't just complain. Opposition
often means you're moving forward.
Greatest accomplishments begin as greatest
adversity. Okay, this next one sounds
tricky. Love them enough to let them hate
you. Tough love. Basically, yeah.
Sometimes telling people what they need to
hear, not what they want to hear, is
essential for their growth, even if they
don't like it initially. That saying,
they'll hate us for weeks, love us at
championships, takes guts as a leader. It
does. Leading by example is key. And the
shift from yelling to asking, what did you
think, that encourages ownership,
self-reflection. Much better approach.
Enforcing boundaries is part of it, too.
It's on the worker to meet expectations.
And that, quote, if you want to make
everyone happy, go sell ice cream. So
true. Creating an environment where
mistakes are teaching moments, not reasons
for punishment. The story about the
swimmer worried about their time and the
perspective about China helps keep things
grounded. Perspective is everything. So
how do we measure if all this development
is working? How is success measured? Is it
just winning? Great question. The text
challenges that. Is it just wins, or is it
personal growth effort? The parent
confused about inconsistent progress. And
that's relatable. Like, work performance,
it fluctuates. Progress isn't always
linear. Regression often comes before
improvement. And misusing metrics, like
focusing only on the close rate in sales
without looking deeper. Need the whole
picture. And feedback should be private,
constructive. It's not personal. It's
business. Handle issues individually. And
the pressure analogy, diamond versus
crushed orange. How people handle it
differs. Don't let others' opinions derail
you. Stay focused on the goal. That
humorous classified ad description
lightens it up but reminds us a number
doesn't tell the whole story of the
journey. Ultimately, you decide what's
right for you. Set your path. Character is
what you do when no one's watching. Be
truthful. Build that stable disposition.
Proact. Don't just react. Like John Wooden
said, character is lasting, you control
that. And the section wraps with that
poem, Success, emphasizing the journey and
integrity over just the win. Okay, moving
to responsibility. Starts with that Freud
quote about people wanting freedom but
fearing responsibility. Interesting
paradox. It is, and it emphasizes handling
yourself well, even when unsupervised.
Integrity matters. And that relatable bit
about one negative comment, ruining a
great day. How easily external stuff
affects us. Need resilience. Yeah, and not
feeling entitled to be happy all the time.
Mistakes happen. Accept it. Learn. Reason
and results matter. Excuses don't count.
Pretty direct. Plan your work. Work your
plan. Honest assessment first. And allow
yourself to feel earned happiness. Trust
positive trends. Find your inherent worth,
not just based on achievements. You have a
responsibility to prove yourself, take the
leap despite fear. Powerful stuff. The
leader has to define success, evaluate
fairly, and stand by their people.
Adversity is just a speed bump. Right,
thank God and good times and bad. The
Orange Barrels analogy, a just course,
don't quit. And that question, how's that
working out for you? Gentle way to start a
tough conversation. and everyone needs
attention, good times and bad. Okay,
allocating responsibility. The Bear Bryant
story, delegating, trusting his
assistants. That's huge, trusting their
preparation. How do you feel when
responsibility is allocated? Empowered or
like it's just grunt work? When
struggling, step back, remember positives,
focus on strengths. Rely on core values,
faith. Proverbs warns about deceitful
speech here. Then, adding and reducing
responsibility. When to delegate, when to
do it yourself. Autonomy versus
micromanagement, that's a tricky balance.
A fool and his money are soon parted,
applied to giving responsibility too soon.
Ensure readiness, confidence, seek help if
needed. And don't take on too much, become
mediocre, that advice. Give yourself fully
to make something memorable. OK, last
major section, time management. Starts
with crucial advice. Make decisions that
allow you to sleep. So fundamental. Sleep
affects everything. It really does. I
shared my own story here. The coaching
change, 18-hour days, marathon training,
coffee dependency. I totally bought into
never quit. Outwork everyone. Common
mindset, especially back then. Yeah. Now
it's more work smarter. Getting sick was
honestly a wake-up call. Led to
forgiveness, balance. Anger holds you
back. Yeah. And remembering my mom raising
six kids alone, that's time management
under pressure. Wow. The text defines time
management simply. Planning and
controlling time to boost effectiveness.
Why is it important to you? Have
priorities shifted since we talked
loyalty? How do you react when your
schedule feels out of control? Good
reflective questions. Yeah. And it
stresses sleep and nutrition. Again,
physical and spiritual fuel, like race
cars needing premium fuel. Things change
so fast now. Constant learning is vital.
Short-term fixes versus long-term
adjustments aligned with core values.
Filling your mind with trends versus
deeper growth. Strive for positives to
crowd out negatives. And a huge part of
time management, the ability to say no.
Often the hardest part. Saying no feels
selfish sometimes, but top performers
often need to, right? To protect their
energy for the team's benefit. Protect the
go-to person from burnout. Finally,
inconveniences are not problems. Great
distinction. Inconveniences need
adaptation. Problems control you
emotionally. Greatest accomplishments
often follow adversity. Appreciate the
tools you already have. That Native
American warrior attitude. It's a great
day to die. Give everything for a greater
good. The humor in giving more than 100%.
Okay, that was a really thorough, deep
dive into Jim Lutz's principles. Loyalty,
recruitment, development, responsibility,
time management. So much there. Yeah, and
those recurring themes really stand out,
don't they? Character, perseverance, that
necessary tough love sometimes, and
definitely the importance of faith and a
positive outlook. Absolutely. We hope you
listening can really think about how these
apply in your own world, you know, your
teams, your life. Jim Lutz, who shared all
this wisdom. And like he said, he's a real
OG swim coach, so generous with his ideas.
His e-book, by the way, is available over
at SwimISCA.com. Good to know. And he's
written four books, too. If anyone's
interested in seminars, speaking, or maybe
having him on their podcast, And
definitely, we'd love to hear your
thoughts on all this. You know, what
resonated? What maybe didn't? Feel free to
share your comments, audio, even video
with us. We want to include your voice. We
look forward to hearing more from Coach
Lutz ourselves in the future. Absolutely.
So, as you go about your day, maybe just
mull this over. When you face that next
tough choice, are you going to pick what's
right? Even if it's hard. Or go for what
seems easy. Something to think about. Now
EASY, let's talk a little bit about EASY
for coaches, team managers, program
coordinators, and non-profits. Artificial
intelligence is going to make life easier
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