When Athletic Director Vince Tyra began his new job a year ago, he was faced with coaches, students and staff who were worried about the future.
鈥淵鈥檃ll focus on winning,鈥 Tyra told them. 鈥淵鈥檃ll focus on making great grades. I鈥檒l take care of the rest.鈥
He told students at the College of Business in a talk Sept. 12 that he was confident he could transfer his business skills to the athletic department. All he had to do was use and teach the values he had developed throughout his career.
鈥淲e鈥檝e needed change,鈥 Tyra said. 鈥淭hese values will stick.鈥
Tyra was the first guest of the Center for Free Enterprise鈥檚 Fall Speaker Series. During his hour-long talk, 鈥淏usiness Values on the Field and in the Office,鈥 he described how he has put the athletics department on a course for success by focusing on developing core values such as:
- Choose integrity first.
- Be accountable to the student-athletes.
- We win together: As decisions are made, consider the constituents.
- Treat customers so well that 鈥渢hey should feel guilty about not attending games and supporting us.鈥
- Always seek to improve.
- Share the 鈥渙rganizational playbook.鈥 In other words, be transparent.
He also shared some tips that have worked for him throughout his career, such as the importance of being a good listener.
鈥淏e quick to listen and slow to speak,鈥 he said.
A former college baseball pitcher, Tyra said it is important to stay 鈥渇ocused on the batter鈥 and to be a team player.
鈥淚 always say, 鈥榙iscuss, decide, support,鈥欌 he said.
Students said in surveys of the talk that they were inspired by Tyra’s words.
鈥淢y opinions were strengthened on how being ethical in everything you do can help you be successful,鈥 one student wrote.
