When former NY Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy worked for Pat Riley as an assistant coach, he learned a valuable lesson from Pat. Pat told him in a performance review that you need to have 4 things to get respect and results from players; sincerity, reliability, commitment and being trustworthy.

Sincerity- In order for people to take your lead and follow you down the path to success, they must believe you are sincere and that your motives are based on their success. If for any reason they do not feel an adequate sense of sincerity on your part, they will not go along for the ride.

Reliability- You can take my money, my house, all of my worldly possessions, but what you can’t take is my word. Our word is sacred and powerful. If you lose everything in life but you still have integrity in your word, then you will thrive again. People will believe in your cause and commitment and will take the chance on supporting you because of how strong your word is.

Commitment- You can’t expect your customers or employees to work hard on your behalf if you are not working hard to make things happen. Once people see your commitment to make a difference in their lives, they will then become committed to your success.

Trustworthy- Almost the same as reliable, but also includes the concept of honesty. You can say anything you want, but if honesty is not part of the equation, it will be extremely hard to gain one’s trust again. Trust is the glue that determines how strong the bond will be.

It seems like Pat Riley’s 4 keys to effective leadership go way beyond the basketball court. It affects every person who aspires to be an effective leader. How well are you doing in these 4 areas?