Page 116 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden on Leadership
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ample, but then I realized I was also setting an example in the off-
season by smoking—a bad example. So I quit. That little verse was
one of the reasons. My example, I felt, meant more than my words.
I taught the Pyramid of Success primarily by my own example—
demonstration. Of course, I handed out mimeographed copies of
the Pyramid to players and discussed it at the beginning of our sea-
son. But handouts and discussions were meaningless unless team
members could see lots of evidence of the Pyramid in my own be-
havior as a leader and coach.
Just talking about a goal—living the laws of the Pyramid—
meant very little without the second law of learning: demonstra-
tion. Your own personal example is one of the most powerful
leadership tools you possess. Put it to good use: Be what you want
your team to become.

DON’T CAUSE INDIGESTION
By the time I arrived at UCLA, I had accumulated an extensive
body of instructions, rules, and regulations—perhaps even some
wisdom. It covered practice drills, plays, academic requirements,
specifics of shooting, passing, guarding opponents, balance, re-
bounding, attitude, dress codes, and very many other specifics.
All this was printed out and put together in a big blue UCLA
handbook that I issued to each Bruin at the start of the year. It was
a great feast of information. However, I eventually came to see that
I had overwhelmed the players with all the material I had given