I’m a little late to the party, which is nothing new. But it’s never too late to apply the core leadership principles of the great NCAA basketball coach John Wooden, found in his “Pyramid of Success” at http://www.coachwooden.com/pyramidpdf.pdf
Certainly I wish I had read more about Wooden a little sooner. The catalyst for my newfound fascination with the coach who won 10 titles at UCLA (including a whopping seven in a row) has been the motivational writings of Pat Williams. Williams, a basketball executive whom I had the privilege of meeting in 2007, refers to Wooden constantly in his books, including Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams and Extreme Focus.
I’m big on intentional living, especially from within a framework that connects the dots. Wooden’s pyramid is loaded with key elements that would strengthen and season any framework for success at home, work and community.
In particular, I admire the “12 Lessons in Leadership” that are listed just under the base of the pyramid. One of my favorites is No. 7, “Make Each Day a Masterpiece.”
What does it take to cultivate that kind of mindset each morning upon waking? How does the way I interact with my family as we are getting ready to leave the house contribute (or fail to contribute) to the making of a masterpiece? How do the things I say or do at work enrich the canvass of a masterpiece in the works? What proactive steps am I taking to stretch my critical thinking; enhance my health; deepen my learning; and so forth, in order to kick it Renaissance style?
I would encourage you to ask yourself similar questions; and, as I did today, print out the pyramid and keep it nearby. There is much to ponder from this timeless resource.
