When it comes to interacting with others, the work environment of an Athletic Director is different from that of other administrators in the educational setting. It can be tricky to navigate the sometime murky waters of friend and foe. An effective AD does everything in their power to positively impact others, while sacrificing a great deal personally. No one realizes that it can take yeoman effort to be able to be a difference maker in your sports programs.

So with that in mind, I offer four strategies for trying to develop your "A game." Having game is the ability to have a skill set specific to each situation and person you encounter, and finding a way to reach those who you interact with.

1. Try to Win People Over - One at a Time
The words winning and losing are well-known within sport. The athletic director can equate those terms with how they handle situations. It requires insight into how to bring a complaint to a close at your level, on how to get a maintenance person to fix something now, and making a volatile parent see that the coach really cares about their child. Holding your ground means that you have principles. Removing a person from a gymnasium who is out of line can garner you the respect of the others in attendance. I call it the 200 vs. 1 rule. I made one enemy but gained 200 friends. That is a good day in my book.

2. Work to Build Team Relationships
Getting everyone to row in the same direction is not easily done. Building teams by example is not that difficult. I used to do everything at events--meet teams off the bus, take officials to the locker room, bring them water at halftime, put up signage, set up the clock, announce if I had to, and monitor the student section. Over time others willingly took on those roles and now a team is in place to facilitate events! Being a first responder is another solid quality that will help you build teams. I reply to every email, each phone call right away! This demonstrates a high level of care and concern. Do you really want to be that individual that is tagged as someone "you can never get a hold of and they never get back to you?"

3. Have the Right Stuff ... and the Right Spirit
There are times when you have to be decisive and say no. Giving them hope is always a sound strategy! There are times when someone starts to ask for something and I say, "Do it! That is great!" Their mouth is agape because I anticipated what they were going to request. That is being in tune with those around you.

To get in tune, I practice what I call "5 Before 9" daily. I will reach out to five people via email, note, phone call, or face to face visit to encourage, thank, or just chat. I might go out to the hallway and single out athletes who had good performances.

4. Be a Tall Ship
Those entering our athletic department office will see a sign that reads, "Beyond these doors are the most dedicated people in their profession in this country." I vacationed in Barbados a few years ago, and saw this sign when we went sailing. You might have seen the show Undercover Boss. One episode was about the president and CEO of Flowerama. What he found was that flowers are all about being thoughtful, but that he as a leader of the organization fell short in this area.

Think of those people who you admire in the arena of sport, and see what qualities they have that you emulate. I almost always find that those I hold up have a charisma that is contagious. It makes others want to be around them because of the way they make them feel special. So just as players try to develop their "game," we as athletic directors can do the same.

Dan Cardone is Athletic Director at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a frequent contributor to Athletic Management. He can be reached at: cardoned@nhsd.net.