What is your “pyramid for success”?

Legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, is known as much for his mentorship and leadership off the court as his success on the court which was considerable. With many national championships to his credit, this incredible leader encouraged players to focus more on the process it took to win versus the prize of winning itself. This got me thinking out loud about the contrast between his philosophy to that of the win at any cost, high dollar programs that collegiate sports have since become. I think the primary difference is that he started with the foundation first and built from there.

I recently had the opportunity to view a great video from SUCCESS magazine that featured footage of Coach himself along with achievers he mentored and influenced which included other famous coaches, entertainers, authors, etc. One telling moment is that he started every season with a team meeting where he would teach players to right way to put on their shoes and socks. Really!?!? These were young men that have been doing that activity most of their lives but Coach Wooden always taught lessons on two levels. The obvious level (i.e. if you do not put your shoes on right, you will get blisters which will affect your play) and the deeper level (i.e. what is foundational to success in life?).

You see Coach was pulling from his Pyramid of Success. Even though it took several years to develop, he eventually created a list of characteristics, attributes, and attitudes that he believed would lead to the pinnacle – Competitive Advantage. To get there, however, you had to have a firm foundation so Coach placed Industriousness and Enthusiasm as the cornerstones upon which everything else is built. Coach Wooden knew that success in any endeavor in life was an inside job! In other words, you had to work on yourself first before you hope to have success in life later.

A Google search will reveal a number of images of Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success and I encourage you to take a look. Along with that, I encourage you to build your own pyramid. A simple process can include:

• VALUES - what are your primary values that you build your life upon or that guide you? These are foundational.
• ATTRIBUTES – next, what characteristics or qualities are important for you to have? It is OK if they are not completely developed in you as long as they are qualities that you strive for.
• TALENTS/SKILLS – what talents and capacities are important to you? Remember, you always work to your strengths so this list should be focused and finite.
• SUCCESS DEFINED – how to you eventually define success? For Coach Wooden it was Competitive Advantage. For me it is IMPACT. This should appear at very top of your pyramid, the primary thing you strive for!

Remember, this is YOUR pyramid. This is how you uniquely define success. As incredibly successful UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Field shares, “be YOUR best, not someone else’s best.” Just to do your very best, was what was important to Coach Wooden and I agree. If you do your very best, then I promise you at the end of the day it will be more than good enough. In fact, it will be great! Coach often encouraged others to “make every day a masterpiece” and I do the same!

As always if I can help you and the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical to add value to your organization!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Principal Consultant – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

Email = bill@outloudinc.com

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