Page 258 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden on Leadership
240
THE ABCs OF SUCCESS
”What’s the secret of success?” is a question most of us have asked
ourselves at one time or another. My conclusion, shown here, may
disappoint you; namely, there is no secret. In other words, you and
your team must master the old-fashioned ABCs of success, whether
it involves making baskets, meeting sales quotas, or most anything
else. For me, it’s execution, not some secret, that gets the job done
right. Execution of fundamentals by individuals who integrate
their talents in a smoothly working unit matters most.
Over the decades I’ve noticed that teams and leaders who attain
great heights have one thing in common: The ABCs of success.

A LEADER’S LIST OF SELF-IMPROVEMENTS
I am something of a list maker. Perhaps it comes from the knowl-
edge that when you have a goal, it makes sense to determine what
will help you get there. For me, making a list of those things was a
logical way to proceed. Thus, I had lots of lists over the years.
The list you see here includes secondary traits I believe are valu-
able for a leader to have (the primary traits are listed in the Pyra-
mid of Success). Some of the secondary traits are obvious (although
often the most obvious things are overlooked) and others may seem
trivial—for example, “voice.” However, I don’t assume anything is
obvious or that something relevant is trivial, especially when it
comes to a leader’s personal improvement.