Page 123 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Call Yourself a Teacher
When I came up with an idea, he would never tell me, 105
“Well, this is the way we’ve always done it and we’re winning
championships. So, no, I’m not changing.” He was open to
change.
His approach was to listen; if he thought it made sense, try
it. If it works, great. If not, move on. He was always search-
ing for ways to improve.
In the daily coaches’ meetings there was never an inter-
ruption from outside. We would have out our notebooks,
evaluate the previous day’s practice—what worked, what
needed more work, what to do that was new. Adjustments
and refinements.
Then we started formatting the practice minute to minute:
a change-of-pace drill; change-of-direction drill; defensive
sliding drill; reverse pivot on the dribble drill—on and on and
on. We’d put it down in notebooks and on cards.
But through it all there was a wide-open flow of ideas
and opinions. He was open to suggestion and contrary
thoughts, but he was tough. You had to know your stuff to
convince him to change. He never did something on a
whim. You had to have your reasons in place, but he’d let
you have your say.
Then, when everyone had their say, he made the decision.
And that was it.
Coach Wooden never talked about the winning or the los-
ing. It was never part of the conversation like you would think
is normal. He wouldn’t come in before a game and say, “This
team is tied with us in the conference so we’ve got to step it
up tonight. Let’s win this one.”
He just wasn’t concerned about the opponents and what
they might be up to—didn’t even scout most of them. His
philosophy was to do what was necessary to make UCLA a