Page 294 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden on Leadership
276
MY REPLACEMENT WAS IN PLACE
During the eighth week of UCLA’s 1972 basketball season I de-
veloped some heart problems and had to go into the hospital. It
was an unexpected development and caught us all by surprise.
I am rather proud of the fact that our team didn’t miss a beat while
I was absent for two weeks. This continued level of high performance
was possible because my assistant coaches, Gary Cunningham and
Frank Arnold, had been given leadership responsibilities along the
way. They knew my system and how it ran.
I designated Gary as my replacement as temporary head
coach. Included here is a practice schedule that was put together
for one of the days I was gone. You’ll see that the handwriting
is different, but the content and substance are very similar to
my own. A leader truly dedicated to the team’s welfare doesn’t
make himself irreplaceable. Gary was appointed UCLA’s head
basketball coach in 1977 and did an outstanding job.