Issue 745 - "PSA (Positive Supportive Attitude)"


Wooden's Wisdom - Volume 13	Issue 745
Craig Impelman Speaking \| Championship Coaches \| Champion's Leadership Library Login
"PSA (POSITIVE SUPPORTIVE ATTITUDE)" John Wooden Video Clip (26 sec.): Coach Wooden is asked: "When people reflect on your life how would you like to be remembered?" BELIEVE IN OTHERS: THE POWER OF PSA Develop a supportive mindset and assume positive intent. One of the most important ingredients of successful teamwork is the eagerness to believe in the people around you. In the language of Cultural Imperatives, the idea is simple: *"Believe: Develop a supportive mindset and assume positive intent."* I have coined this as PSA — Positive Supportive Attitude (my new favorite acronym). PSA shapes not only how we speak to others, but also how we interpret what others say to us. It is a level up from just having a Positive Attitude (PA). It affects the conversations we have with those who supervise us, the guidance we provide to those we supervise, and our everyday interactions with teammates and colleagues. It even extends into family and personal relationships. When people consistently assume positive intent and approach conversations with a supportive attitude, communication improves and relationships strengthen. This principle has been recognized for generations. Abraham Lincoln once observed: "Whether you look for the good or look for the bad in a person, you’ll find it." What we expect to see in others often shapes what we discover. Modern research reinforces the same idea. Brené Brown, a world-famous author, researcher, and speaker whose work is grounded in extensive qualitative research, including tens of thousands of interviews conducted over more than two decades, encourages teams to extend what she calls: *"The most generous interpretation of others’ intentions, words, and actions."* When teammates interpret each other’s actions generously rather than suspiciously, conversations remain constructive. Similarly, Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor and leading researcher on team learning, found that high-performing teams create psychological safety—an environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and admitting mistakes. That environment exists only if *people assume positive intent and respond with a supportive attitude (PSA).* Decades earlier, legendary UCLA coach John Wooden practiced the same philosophy. One of his three rules for practice was simple: Never criticize a teammate. Coach Wooden understood that when teammates tear each other down, suspicion replaces cooperation. But when teammates support one another’s improvement, trust grows and performance follows. This mindset connects directly to the foundation of the Pyramid of Success. The blocks of Industriousness and Enthusiasm emphasize effort and energy, while Friendship, Loyalty, and Cooperation describe how teammates work together. These qualities flourish when people operate with a Positive Supportive Attitude (PSA). PSA is the mental fuel of the foundation of The Pyramid of Success. We see PSA most clearly in everyday conversations. Imagine a coworker proposes an idea you strongly disagree with. Instead of dismissing it, someone practicing PSA might respond: "That’s an interesting idea. What would that look like?" The question invites discussion instead of conflict and keeps the focus on the idea rather than the individual—a method used centuries ago by Socrates to explore ideas through thoughtful questions. When PSA becomes the culture of a team: Conversations become more productive. Listening improves. Accountability is easier to accept. Cooperation increases. Trust grows naturally. Coach Wooden believed "You often find what you’re looking for." The challenge for every team is simple: Choose a Positive Supportive Attitude (PSA). Assume positive intent. Maintain a supportive attitude. Great teams flourish when people choose to believe in one another. Reflect on this idea of belief. How are you doing? Write it down. Share it with someone on your team. Click here for personal development exercise: Issue 745. Click here for Printable Poetry: Issue 745. Yours in Coaching, Craig Impelman www.woodenswisdom.com Follow @woodenswisdom	COACH'S FAVORITE POETRY AND PROSE New Friends and Old Friends Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold. New-made friendships, like new wine, Age will mellow and refine. Friendships that have stood the test— Time and change—are surely best; Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray; Friendship never knows decay. For ’mid old friends, tried and true, Once more we our youth renew. But old friends, alas! may die; New friends must their place supply. Cherish friendship in your breast— New is good, but old is best; Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold.
For more information visit www.woodenswisdom.com