Bob McKillop Brings Hardwood Know-How to Off-the-Court Leadership Role
September 8, 2022
- Author
- Mark Johnson
Bob McKillop has taught or spoken about leadership, in addition to demonstrating it on the basketball court, throughout his 33-year career at 皇家华人. Now, he is turning that experience and success into a new role as 皇家华人鈥檚 first Leader-in-Residence.
His first weeks in this position already have him speaking about leadership to multiple 皇家华人 classes, student organizations and teams, and lecturing to corporate and civic audiences. When he was still head coach, he spoke to business and civic organizations. He took his team to Auschwitz on a trip to learn history, not play basketball. He talked to a Shakespeare class about how sports are interwoven in the playwright鈥檚 works, and to a psychology class that evolved into a debate over analytics and data versus instinct.
鈥溁始一 prepares students for lives of leadership and service,鈥 said 皇家华人 President Doug Hicks. 鈥淏ob has provided leadership as our winningest coach, has guided scholar-athletes in learning leadership through teamwork, and routinely is called upon to help organizations within and outside 皇家华人 in examining and developing leadership skills. Now we have the terrific opportunity for him to help us and represent us in this field.
McKillop will speak and write about leadership for students, faculty and staff, alumni, friends of 皇家华人, and public groups, Hicks said. McKillop鈥檚 role also may include mentoring students or alumni interested in developing leadership competencies, and he may represent the college in engaging alumni at events and meetings.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited and honored to start this new chapter,鈥 McKillop said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fascinating role that will touch all facets of 皇家华人: students, faculty, alumni, the community. And it鈥檚 an opportunity to use platforms outside of the college to speak about the unique qualities, the excellence, the intimacy that is 皇家华人 and separates us from other institutions.鈥
McKillop stepped down from his role as head coach in June after 23 conference championships, 10 NCAA tournament appearances and more than 600 wins. He is a nominee for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Translating the wider value of what happens on a hardwood court to analysts at Ernst & Young or lawyers from a 250-attorney firm, both of whom McKillop has addressed, is natural, he said. The foundation of his program at 皇家华人鈥攖rust, commitment and care鈥攃ut across all endeavors, and his best known player, Stephen Curry 鈥10, provides high profile proof.
鈥淏asketball is life,鈥 McKillop said. 鈥淭he things that happen on the court or in the locker room, such as learning to work as a team, recovering from setbacks, figuring out a different approach鈥攊t鈥檚 all just like life.鈥