Hi, I’m Jackson.
I am a teacher by training and a coach by calling. Helping others to grow and develop is my passion; basketball is my context. Want to know more about me and my journey? You can read my bio here.
With this blog I hope to accomplish 2 things: (1) successfully complete the requirements for KIN 598 as part of my HPC & TL masters program at UBC and (2) create an online forum where those who lead can share their experiences, challenge and be challenged, all in the name of improvement.
Why Open Gym?
Open gyms happen everywhere, but the best ones…not just anyone gets invited to those. If you want a shot, first, you have to be able to contribute by expressing your skillset in an effective and adaptable way. That’s how you buy credibility. Next, you have to be able to stand up for your opinions when things get heated and confrontations arise. That’s how you gain respect. Lastly, once you have established yourself, you have to work on your game and get better. That’s how you get invited back.
The rules for this blog mirror the natural selection that occurs during open gym. If you want to be taken seriously here, you better be taking your leadership role seriously.
Be you a coach, a teacher, a manager, or an administrator, doing things because “that’s the way I’ve always done them,” won’t fly here. Park your ego, open your mind, back up your opinions and you will have a seat at the table.
Embrace, nay, seek out the discomfort of being challenged by others as an opportunity to dig deeper into why you operate the way you do. Conversely, if you read something here that you disagree with, speak up.
Through the ricocheting of evidence based ideas, we will create a community of practice. One that welcomes a diversity of opinions and engages in meaningful, vehement discussion in order to develop our abilities as leaders in our field.
Welcome!