Wooden's Wisdom | Leadership Resource Center

Issue 210 - The Rewards of Leadership


Wooden's Wisdom - Volume 5	Issue 210
Craig Impelman Speaking \| Championship Coaches \| Champion's Leadership Library Login
THE REWARDS OF LEADERSHIP Coach Wooden did not like this picture. Coach said: I didn't win all these trophies. I just played a small part.. Coach did not view recognition as any sort of reward for leadership in which he was interested. In his book The Essential Wooden, with Steve Jamison, Coach described what he enjoyed about being a leader: Mr. Webster fails to mention that during the process of being a teacher, coach and a leader, something extraordinary can occur: You will actually create an honest-to-goodness team, its members joined in a way comparable only to being in a strong family with bonds that last a lifetime. That is what I love so dearly about leadership. Over and over again, it allowed me the privilege of building and being part of that special family we call “a team,” a group of individuals striving to achieve competitive greatness and success. I am a lucky man. Coach Wooden had a file that contained some key ideas on leadership he valued from two different authors: You cannot build character and courage by destroying people’s initiative and independence. And you cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves. William Boetcker (1873-1962) A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. Fail to honor people, they fail to honor you. But a good leader, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will all say, “We did this ourselves.” Lao-Tzu (500 BC) As Coach often quoted from his favorite essay on leadership: The Art of Leadership, by Wilferd Peterson: The Leader is a people-builder. The more people the Leader can build, the stronger the organization will be, the Leader included. The people Coach Wooden helped build became his friends for life. What a reward! Yours in Coaching, Craig Impelman www.woodenswisdom.com Twitter: @woodenswisdom	COACH'S Favorite Poetry AND PROSE WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I knew that little things are special things. When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed that there was a God to talk to. When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked.... and I wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking. Mary Rita Schilke Korazan
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