A core part of Coach Wooden's philosophy is based on a card that his father gave him and his brothers when they graduated from grammar school. As depicted below, on one side of the card was a verse by the Reverend Henry Van Dyke, and the other side was titled "Seven Things To Do," which Coach later dubbed his “Seven Point Creed.”

One of the core values that was central to Joshua Wooden’s value and character was his gentleness with all living creatures, a trait that young John Wooden grew up admiring in his father. Coach has often spoken about the gentle and loving way that his parents interacted, and the fact that his father’s favorite Abraham Lincoln quote was, “The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

Coach has also told many stories about his father’s gentleness in different situations on the farm. For example, the family kept two plowing mules named Jack and Kate, the latter of which had a tendency to lying down in the field and refusing to work. No matter how rough or frustrated young John got with Kate, she would not budge. Joshua, however, would walk over until he was within earshot of the mule, and simply say, “Kate.” This alone would be enough to spur the animal back into action. In his father’s example, Coach learned over time that even an obstinate mule could be persuaded with gentleness.

As he grew older, Coach Wooden realized that his father’s gentleness came from the peace of mind he achieved through confidence and contentment with himself. His serenity seemed to extend beyond himself and influence anyone and anything in his presence. Fierce dogs lick his father’s hand when he reached out to pet them; wild colts bucking in the barn become docile after his father spent just a few moments speaking to them in his firm, gentle voice. Coach learned from his father that one should never mistake gentleness for weakness; in fact, quite the opposite is true. Joshua Wooden proved the famous words of Han Suyin, “There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness.”

Though such a calm approach to life is not a trait in everyone’s personality, the self control to conduct one’s self in a consistently assured and confident manner is something towards which we can all strive. Coach Wooden credited a large part of his own happiness and fulfillment to the fact that he tried every day to be true to his core values. The choices he made about how he spoke, the way he interacted with people, and the approach he took to coaching were all consistent with his deepest and dearest beliefs. As a result, people were naturally drawn to Coach in the same way that people and animals alike responded to his father’s contagious serenity.

That peace of mind stems directly from knowing that every decision is consistent with one’s own values. Being true to one’s self breeds confidence, and is one of the fundamental traits of effective leadership.

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Yours in coaching,

Craig Impelman

www.woodenswisdom.com

Twitter: @woodenswwisdom