Page 203 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Make Greatness Attainable by All
weaknesses, and enhance the former while finding a way to at least 185
neutralize the latter.
Another individual who came close to achieving 100 percent of
his potential—personal greatness, as I define it—is Doug McIn-
tosh, who also showed little promise as a freshman. When he first
scrimmaged at the Men’s Gym, I thought, “This fellow will never
play a meaningful minute on the UCLA varsity squad.”
Once again, I misjudged how hard a player would work to
bring out his best in his quest to achieve personal greatness. The
following year, Doug came off the bench and played 30 crucial
minutes in helping UCLA defeat Duke and win our first national
championship.
In assessing Doug’s potential, I had not perceived his resolve to
work constantly to bring forth his best performance. It was that un-
bridled determination that helped our team win a national title. A
little-known player had achieved competitive greatness. (Doug
wore number 32, just as Bill Walton did eight years later. You can
see why awarding this number to someone else is inappropriate in
the context of the team.)
Neither Doug nor Conrad received much attention or played in
the NBA; neither was declared by pundits to be the greatest, the
best, or anything close to it. But both, in my opinion, were as suc-
cessful as any player I’ve ever coached—the kind of player I prized
most highly.
Each came so close to realizing his full potential through hard
work and good thinking. Both were as focused as any I have
coached in helping the team to win in any way they could. To my
own credit, I am proud that as their leader I had created an envi-
ronment that fostered this attitude.
A leader can get the unseen potential of individuals to blossom
when she or he leads the entire team and not just the star players.
This type of leader creates an environment in which every job mat-