Page 17 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Prologue
I had to get out, but perhaps I didn’t even know it until seconds xv
after I shook Coach Crum’s hand following that semifinal game.
Minutes later I told our team that our upcoming game would be
my last.
Many times I have suggested to interested observers that if I ever
met a magical genie who could grant me two wishes, I knew what
they would be. First, for those many coaches whom I respect and
have warm feelings toward I would wish each one a national cham-
pionship.
For those few coaches for whom I have less-than-warm feel-
ings, my wish would be that they win many national champion-
ships. However, in truth, I’m not sure I would wish that on
anybody.
Balance is crucial in everything we do. Along with love it’s
among the most important things in life. I strove for balance in my
leadership and coaching and taught that balance was necessary for
Competitive Greatness: The body has to be in balance; the mind
has to be in balance; emotions must be in balance. Balance is im-
portant everywhere and in everything we do.
Unfortunately, over the last years of my coaching at UCLA
things had gotten out of balance. Perhaps my subconscious mind
figured out that the only way to regain the balance I required per-
sonally and professionally was to leave the game I love.
In fact, if the genie had given me a third wish, I might have re-
quested that the folderol disappear but the practices remain. Those
practices were where my teaching, coaching, and leadership existed
in a wonderful and pure form, free from folderol.
What occurred in the practices is what gave me joy and satisfac-
tion—teaching others how to bring forth the best of which they
are capable. Ultimately, I believe that’s what leadership is all about:
helping others to achieve their own greatness by helping the orga-
nization to succeed.