Page 172 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden on Leadership
154
He wanted me to understand the value and great potential that
time offers; he wanted me to use it wisely, not wastefully. Of course,
Dad was talking about more than time spent at work. He was re-
ferring to how I should live each day of my life, to use whatever
time the Good Lord grants in a fruitful and positive manner. I tried
to apply his advice in all areas, including, most particularly, my
profession.
Only when you fully comprehend the magnitude of the poten-
tial that exists in every individual minute will you begin to treat
time with the grave respect it deserves. Over the decades I’ve ob-
served that most effective leaders do not disrespect time, not a
minute. They understand that when it comes to success—real
achievement—time is of the essence. And the essence of success is
time.
As I evolved as a coach and leader, my appreciation for time in-
creased along with my skill in using it more and more effectively.
Although perfection is not possible, I tried hard at UCLA to make
every minute of my teaching as good as it could be—each meeting
a masterpiece, each practice a pursuit of perfection. There was a
sense of urgency in everything we did; not haste, not hurry, but
hustle.

FAILING TO PREPARE IS PREPARING
TO FAIL
This came from my sure knowledge that how you practice is how
you play—in sports and in everything else. I was motivated, in
part, by knowing how little time was available to do my job,
namely, getting the most out of what we had as a team.
UCLA practices, on average, were two hours in length; each
practice week had five days; the regular basketball season was 21
weeks long. The multiplication was simple and the tallies clarify-