Wooden On Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization

Wooden argues that “creating a written definition of success” was necessary when he began coaching and teaching because parents often came to him to complain about their children’s grades or role on the team (16). Because of this, he created a tangible teaching tool that could be used as a map. Remembering how the Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed in Egypt, Wooden wanted his teaching tool to consist of building blocks representing personal qualities, with success as the apex. He chose 15 fundamental values to use as blocks and called his teaching tool the “Pyramid of Success,” which he completed just before becoming the head coach at UCLA in 1948 (19). At UCLA, Wooden began each season by handing out copies of his pyramid of success to incoming players.

In the latter half of Chapter 1, Wooden lays out the foundational values for his pyramid of success, which begins with the cornerstones of industriousness and enthusiasm. He explains that by “Industriousness,” he means not only hard work but also true work, and by “Enthusiasm,” he means to be filled with energy, eagerness, joy, and “love for what you do” (22). The remaining three blocks in the foundation of the pyramid consist of friendship, loyalty, and cooperation. Wooden explains that the two qualities of “Friendship” that a leader must possess are respect and camaraderie. As the center block of the pyramid’s foundation, “Loyalty” requires a leader to treat team members with fairness, respect, dignity, and consideration. According to Wooden, “Cooperation” means being “sincerely committed to what’s right rather than who’s right” (28).

Chapter 2 covers the pyramid’s second tier, the four building blocks of self-control, alertness, initiative, and intentness. Wooden argues that the five blocks of tier one are “essentially values of the heart and spirit” and are less cognitive than the four blocks of tier two (31). Concerning the first block of tier two, Wooden writes that “Self-Control in little things leads to control of bigger things” (32). He then provides an example illustrating how he forbade players from using profanity during practices because it would lead to behavior that hurt the team during games. With “Alertness,” he is referring to “the ability to be constantly observing, absorbing, and learning from what’s going on around you” (34). Wooden sums up “Initiative” by arguing that “a basketball team that won’t risk mistakes will not outscore opponents” (36). In other words, do not be afraid of mistakes or failure. The building block of “Intentness” is used to convey “diligence and determination, fortitude and resolve—persistence” (38).

In Chapter 3, Wooden describes the remaining building blocks of his pyramid of success, beginning with tier three—condition, skill, and team spirit—continuing with tier four—poise and confidence—and ending with the top block—competitive greatness. He begins the chapter by writing about legendary coach Ward “Piggy” Lambert, whom he played for at Purdue University and whose own requirements of condition, fundamentals, and unity he adopted and purposely placed in middle of his pyramid. When Wooden refers to “Condition,” he means not only physical conditioning but also mental and moral conditioning. “Skill,” which Wooden likens to Lambert’s requirement of fundamentals, means to have “a comprehensive knowledge of the Xs and Os and physical mechanics of basketball” (45). He defines the final block of tier three, “Team Spirit,” as “an eagerness to sacrifice personal interests or glory for the welfare of all” (47).

In nearing the top of the pyramid, Wooden explains that the cornerstones of industriousness and enthusiasm must be present or else nothing will be accomplished. He also says that the middle blocks of the foundation—friendship, loyalty, and cooperation—“are qualities of the heart” (49). The second tier, consisting of self-control, alertness, initiative, and intentness, are personal characteristics, and tier three—condition, skill, and team spirit—are personal assets. Wooden defines “Poise” as being able to not get rattled or unbalanced regardless of circumstance or situation. He writes of “Confidence,” the other building block of tier four, that “there is perhaps no stronger steel than well-founded self-belief: the knowledge that your preparation is complete, that you have done all things possible to ready yourself and your organization for the competition, whatever form it comes in” (51).

The top block in the pyramid is “Competitive Greatness,” which Wooden defines as “a real love for the hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required” (52). He also writes that “Competitive Greatness is not defined by victory nor denied by defeat” (53). Along the sides of the pyramid, written diagonally, he has added the words “Faith” and “Patience,” which he describes as symbolic mortar holding the blocks in place. According to Wooden, “the 15 personal qualities of the Pyramid became a virtual leadership guidebook, a clear and concise method of illustrating what is required for success as [he has] defined it” (56).