The Legendary Three

Let's chat about what makes renowned coaches... well... renowned!

The Inspiration

Throughout my life, I have been exposed to leaders at many different levels. Well, frankly, everybody has…We just don’t always recognize it. From parents to teachers to sports coaches to bosses, I have learned about leadership beginning at a young age. In fact, I learned about the ins-and-outs of leadership from one of the most influential leaders in my life: My father. He has maintained a career in Leadership Development & Training, along with Executive Coaching, for quite some time. OH- and he led my 12u Girls water polo team to victory at the National Junior Olympics Championship. Needless to say, he’s pretty cool. Anyway, growing up with a coach in the household was a very unique experience. I know - some of my friends would probably say… “Wow, that’s a lot! He must be non-stop coaching you!” Maybe even some of you think… “That could get really annoying and redundant.” I can confidently say that I never once felt ‘annoyed,’ ‘put down,’ or ‘irritated’ from the leadership advice I was consuming. That’s a testament to my father’s ability to engage and his delivery methods.

I have appreciated the guidance my father has provided to help me navigate the tendencies and intentions of the different leaders in my life. One of the many topics my father and I discussed revolved around Transformational Coaching. So, when I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the Transformational Coaching & Leadership (TCL) Master’s program at UCLA, I was excited and honored to fully immerse myself into the curriculum. During my time in the TCL program, I researched, analyzed, and discussed many different coaches and/or leaders. At the conclusion of my Master’s degree, I was required to complete a comprehensive capstone project. This project contained many different components, but in one section, I was required to provide a deep analysis of three leaders. In my analysis, I objectively described their leadership style and compared/contrasted these three leaders among each other. The capstone project was a ton of work…but, I was SO excited. I immediately knew the three leaders I was going to analyze.

• John Wooden

• Pat Summitt

• Pete Carroll

These leaders had their own unique coaching philosophies. Yet, they all remained transformational. What was the key? How can you have different coaching philosophies, but remain transformational? How do you become transformational? Can you still be transformational if you are losing? Many of these questions piqued my interest. I was curious; I had to learn more. So, that’s exactly what I did!

Today, we’ll take a look at the renowned leader, Coach John Wooden. Coach Wooden holds a special place in my heart. I had the opportunity to learn about Coach Wooden and his coaching methods for the first time when I was 11 years old. My youth water polo team would study one of Coach Wooden’s pillars of success each week leading up to our big tournament: The National Junior Olympics. Little did I know that I would have the opportunity to attend the prestigious UCLA where I would continue to study Coach John Wooden and his leadership essentials, which include his definition of success, the Wooden Pyramid of Success, and key principles such as Little Things Make Big Things Happen, Make Each Day Your Masterpiece and Character. Let’s take a look at some of my findings with reference to John Wooden’s book, Wooden on Leadership…

The Legendary Pyramid

John Wooden developed the Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid guides many coaching philosophies and leadership styles to this day. But what exactly are the intentions behind the Pyramid? John Wooden was very meticulous in constructing the Pyramid of Success, so let’s dive into these nuances.

John Wooden develops his own definition of success to support his philosophy of maximizing one’s own potential. Wooden states that “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable” (Wooden, 8). Wooden creates this definition of success so that success can be measured by effort rather than external results. Success on the scoreboard does not define individual success, rather a person’s effort defines their success. Putting in full effort will result in peace of mind and having peace of mind will result in self-satisfaction. Wooden emphasizes effort rather than external outcomes because each person has control over their own success. Moreover, Wooden states that “Winning is a by-product. Focus on the product: effort” (Wooden, 10). Wooden emphasizes effort over external outcomes because each person has control of their effort, therefore, their success. The results on the scoreboard are not entirely under the control of the athletes. However, their effort is completely in their control. By focusing internally, it allows each player to judge their success based upon personal effort rather than uncontrollable factors, such as a score. This makes peace of mind and self-satisfaction attainable by all individuals.  

Coach John Wooden incorporated building blocks into his Wooden Pyramid of Success to help individuals achieve personal success. According to Wooden, the Pyramid of Success contains the “prerequisites for a leader and an organization whose goal is to perform at the highest level of which they are capable” (Wooden, 19). Wooden believes that by following these building blocks in the Pyramid, then each individual will become the best they are capable of becoming. The first level of the Pyramid revolves around the heart. These characteristics must be developed inside each individual. At the base of Wooden’s pyramid are the two foundational cornerstones labeled as Industriousness and Enthusiasm. Wooden believes that without these two building blocks success is unattainable. Wooden emphasizes the importance of industriousness by describing the environment in which he was raised, “For the Wooden family, hard work was as common as dirt–and dirt is common on a farm. Thus, the first block I chose for the Pyramid of Success–a cornerstone of the foundation–was self-evident: hard work” (Wooden 21). Without industrious or hard work, individuals will be unable to become the best in which they are capable of becoming. Moreover, John Wooden believes that Enthusiasm works hand in hand with Industriousness. Coach Wooden emphasizes that “If you lack Enthusiasm for your job, you cannot perform to the best of your ability” (Wooden, 22). Industriousness and Enthusiasm cannot be trained. Wooden stresses the importance of these characteristics being developed from within. Overall, these internal attributes are the “...driving force, the engine that powers all subsequent blocks of the Pyramid” (Wooden, 23). After developing these cornerstones, Wooden discusses the importance of working with others. Therefore, the next three blocks include Friendship, Loyalty and Cooperation. These serve as the base of the Pyramid and all of these building blocks revolve around teamwork. 

The second level of the Pyramid focuses more on the head rather than the heart. This tier primarily revolves around “control and direction for your mental faculties” (Wooden, 31). These building blocks include Self-Control, Alertness, Initiative, and Intentness. It is easy for people to become stagnant and content. In order to remain “constant, ongoing, relentless, and unremitting” (Wooden, 39) then individuals must use the building blocks in the first tier before focusing on the second tier. Self-Control, Alertness, Initiative and Intentness help individuals remain levelheaded and present in the moment. Moreover, the middle tier of the Pyramid of Success, also known as the Heart of the Pyramid, centers around conditioning, fundamentals, and unity. The building blocks that Wooden chose for this level of the pyramid include Condition, Skill, Team Spirit, Poise, Confidence and Competitive Greatness. Basic skills, fundamentals, conditioning, and team unity are just as important as the first two tiers of the Pyramid. The peak of the Pyramid is Competitive Greatness. Once Competitive Greatness is earned, an individual contains “A real love for the hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required” (Wooden, 52). Competitive Greatness is not defined by the results on the scoreboard rather it is defined by an individual’s effort. Once a person achieves Competitive Greatness, they have fully embodied Wooden’s definition of success. Individuals who have earned Competitive Greatness now will have the peace of mind in knowing that they put their best effort to become the best in which they are capable of becoming (Wooden, 8). 

My Favorite Wooden Principles

Throughout John Wooden’s Book, Wooden on Leadership, he discusses many different key principles. These principles are ‘nuggets’ of inspiration that guide his coaching philosophy and values. Let me share with you a few of these principles that resonate with me the most…

One of the many principles that Wooden teaches is the Little Things Make Big Things Happen. People tend to set big goals for the future and disregard the small details. But it’s the dedication to small details that helps produce big results. This is Wooden’s theory of Attentiveness to Detail which is defined as “Leave nothing to chance. The difference in the championship and a merely good team is often the perfection of minor details” (Wooden, 136). Wooden coaches individuals to treat everything the same. There is no such thing as bigger or more important details. All details must be treated with the same value. Wooden states, “Little things make the big things happen” (Wooden, 135). If a person is trying to reach big success, then they must start working small. Focusing on the small details provides the foundation for big results to develop. If a person has a rocky foundation, then they won’t be able to sustain success. Overall, Wooden’s principle of the Little Things Make Big Things Happen demonstrates the importance of attention to detail. If small details are done well, then big goals can be achieved. If the small details are overlooked, then there will not be big and/or sustainable success. Wooden believes that a leader must live by this concept. Leaders must maximize the potential of every small detail.

Another principle that Wooden teaches in his book is to Make Each Day Your Masterpiece. This principle emphasizes the importance of using time efficiently. As a leader, it is crucial to value every minute, hour, and day. Humans are always busy, however there is enough time in a day if time is treated prudently. Wooden describes the importance of respecting time when stating, “Only when you fully comprehend the magnitude of the potential that exists in every individual minute will you begin to treat time with the grave respect it deserves” (Wooden, 154). By creating value in every given minute, leaders are maximizing the potential of each opportunity. Wooden uses the mantra “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail” (Wooden, 154) to teach the importance of effectively using time. By Making Each Day Your Masterpiece, individuals can take hold of their life and efficiently use their time to focus on their endeavors. 

Lastly, John Wooden discusses the principle of Character. Wooden believes that who you are at the core has a huge impact on internalizing the values in the Pyramid. Character is extremely different from reputation. Wooden explains this difference when stating “Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and nobody truly knows that but you. But you are what matters most” (Wooden, 13). Ultimately, character is about the values and attributes that shape you into your own unique person. The building blocks in the Pyramid promotes good character. According to Wooden, character influences the way leaders set an example for their team. If a coach has good character, then they will lead as a good example. Moreover, Wooden explains that “Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character” (Wooden, 74). Wooden looks to develop people from the inside out. Character is an internal decision that is shone through a person’s values. If a person’s values or characteristics are in line with the Pyramid, then they will have the opportunity to become the best in which they are capable. 

My Spin

These are all profound leadership principles and irreplaceable guidelines for transformational coaching. But they’re only of value if you actively try to be transformational in your own leadership roles. I am very intentional about each of my interactions with the people that I knowingly lead. Of course, I fail. I fail a lot. But I attempt to control what I can control… and I do this through being aware and intentional.

Each of John Wooden’s teachings have one common theme: they are in the control of the beholder. And, ultimately, that’s what John Wooden’s definition of success alludes to…controlling all of the variables that are in your control. Control the controllables. John Wooden believes that controlling all of the factors in your control is what will lead to peace of mind… Not the scoreboard, not personal stats, not fan engagement…but controlling the factors that are in your control. No one else’s control. You are the one determining your own peace of mind and success. Control the controllables.

Frankly, that sounds relieving! This means that if I don’t get picked for a team, if I lose a close game, or even if I make a mistake everything will be okay. So, this sounds cool… But how do we, as leaders, directly implement this into our leadership roles?

I would go as far as to say that in a society that thrives off stereotypes and surface-level accessories, it is our duty as leaders to be the ones to show the people that we are leading how to determine their own success and self-worth. We must show them how to control what is in their own control and how to find fulfillment through their own actions rather than external noise.

There are many different approaches to “controlling the controllables,” but let me share with you the approach I use when attempting to implement Coach John Wooden’s transformational leadership methods.

For every team I coach, I instruct my athletes to assess their performance in practice and in games based upon four different categories:

1. Effort

2. Attitude

3. Energy

4. Focus

Winning each of these categories is how I judge individual and team success. Of course, I am not perfect, and I take the scoreboard into consideration. (That’s the transactional side of me shining through). But generally speaking, if you win all of these categories in the game, then you typically win on the scoreboard too. If you don’t win the scoreboard after winning these categories, then the opponent might just be better than you. And, frankly, that’s ok. Back to the drawing board.

The reason why I like these four measures of success is because all of these categories are in each player’s control. It is determined solely by each person’s own choices. And, each of these categories cannot be influenced by external circumstances. They are ALWAYS in the control of the beholder. Control the controllables.

Reflect & Practice

We are the role models teaching the next generation how to judge success. It is in our control how and what we teach them. It is our duty as leaders to practice as we preach. It’s extremely important for us to not only implement transformational leadership methods, but to also judge our own success based upon the measures we create. I consistently try to judge myself through my effort, attitude, energy and focus when I succeed and fail in life. Again, I sometimes fall short in judging myself purely on these categories. But, when I am intentional and aware of my actions, I am able to grow from each experience.

Nobody is perfect. We are all out here learning. And, frankly, if you’re reading this page, you’re probably trying to become a better leader, which ultimately, makes you transformational at the core. So, let’s all keep working at this and help one another along the way.

What are your transformational leadership methods? What are your thoughts on how to implement Coach John Wooden’s principles into your daily life? Let me know! You can email me here: Bella@bellabaia.co

Thanks for reading! :)

Citation: Wooden, John, and Steve Jamison. Wooden on Leadership. McGraw-Hill, 2005.