Voice of a Pro - James P. Tressel

Abstract

“Concern for man and his fate must form the chief interest in all technical endeavors, never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.” –Albert Einstein

“They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” –Dr. Lee J. Tressel.

The philosophy that we tried to abide by with our 25 teams at Youngstown State and Ohio State was crafted by trying to live by the two quotes/thoughts above that adorned our staff meeting room walls. Every decision we made needed to keep those two thoughts in mind. It was our belief that our students must know that we cared more about them, more about their preparation for the future, than we cared about their ability to perform on the field. When they truly knew and believed that, it was easy to help them reach their potential on the field. Having moved into the world of higher education as an administrator, I have found that the same is true when dealing with faculty, staff, and students. First and foremost, everyone needs to know that their leaders care about them. So, then specifically how do we go about this task? I have found that building relationships through extensive communication is the key. Finding out what are the person’s dreams, goals, and especially their opinions is the beginning of the dialogue and relationship that will convince them that we know what they want, and we are here solely to help them be all that they can be.