Wooden's Wisdom | Leadership Resource Center

Issue 701 - Consistency Is The Character Test


Wooden's Wisdom - Volume 13	Issue 701
Craig Impelman Speaking \| Championship Coaches \| Champion's Leadership Library Login
CONSISTENCY IS THE CHARACTER TEST John Wooden Video Clip (44 sec.): Coach Wooden is asked: "What is your greatest strength as a coach?" I had the privilege of working with Coach Wooden at my basketball camp for over 25 years. I was once asked to quickly name five things I learned. The very first thing I said was "Treat everybody great." If consistency is the test of character and character starts with consideration, then John Wooden got an A+. For three weeks every summer, I observed John Wooden treat every single person he encountered: great. It didn’t matter if it was a maintenance man fixing the toilet, a worker in food service, a six-year-old camper, a parent, one of his former players or a celebrity coach ; they all received the same treatment from John Wooden: great. Not only did he always make time for everybody, but the time that he made was quality time. Despite a constant barrage of requests, his interactions always exhibited patience and sincerity. His kindness was never rushed and the only way to remove him from a conversation was to take him out of it. He never said: " I have to go." He patiently listened to every story that everybody wanted to tell him. His kindness had no time limit. Coach Wooden’s favorite person was Mother Teresa, and I think these quotes from her partially describe Coach Wooden: "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." "We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." "It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving." "Never be so busy as not to think of others." "A life not lived for others is not a life." Click here for personal development exercise: Issue 701. Click here for Printable Poetry: Issue 701. Yours in Coaching, Craig Impelman www.woodenswisdom.com Follow @woodenswisdom	COACH'S FAVORITE POETRY AND PROSE Do Your All "Do your bit!" How cheap and trite Seems that phrase in such a fight! "Do your bit!" That cry recall, Change it now to "Do your all!" Do your all, and then do more; Do what you're best fitted for; Do your utmost, do and give, You have but one life to live. Do your finest, do your best, Don't let up and stop to rest, Don't sit back and idly say: "I did something yesterday." Come on! Here's another hour, Give it all you have of power. Here's another day that needs Everybody's share of deeds. "Do your bit!" of course, but then Do it time and time again; Giving, doing, all should be Up to full capacity. Now's no time to pick and choose, We've a war we must not lose. Be your duty great or small, Do it well and do it all. Do by careful, patient living, Do by cheerful, open giving; Do by serving day by day At whatever post you may; Do by sacrificing pleasure, Do by scorning hours of leisure. Now to God and country give Every minute that you live. Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)
For more information visit www.woodenswisdom.com