Page 232 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden on Leadership
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The “play” opened in January, with the start of our conference
season. That’s when all tryouts and casting were complete and off-
Broadway dress rehearsals done.

ENCORES START WITH A GOOD DAY
OF REHEARSAL

I explained to the team that this was an incremental process where
our attention had to be focused on producing the best stage play pos-
sible by focusing like a laser on each day’s rehearsal, our practice ses-
sions. As director, I would try to teach them how to give the best
performance possible during those rehearsals. That’s what we were
striving for—to put on the best stage play of which we were capable.
Would the audience applaud? Would we get a standing ovation
and great reviews? I told our team we couldn’t control that—only
the effort to perform at our highest level. If we accomplished that,
our efforts might merit an encore.
The encore in basketball is the NCAA tournament playoffs—
March Madness. I reminded players that the best way we could re-