Interviewer: “Can coaches today really afford to be a teacher-coach in a world that treasures winning so much…can they really be more concerned with developing the athlete than they are with performing.”
Coach John Wooden: “I don’t think they can afford not to….”
We were always in awe of the man, coach and teacher that was John Wooden. Take a look at this Youtube interview in which Coach Wooden discusses his dedication to being not just a coach, but a teacher-coach.
Here, he touches on the importance of paying attention to each individual and knowing he “had to work with each individual a little bit differently”:
“…because no two are identical. Your students - no two are identical. Your athletes- no two are identical. They’re alike in many respects but they are not identical. Part of your obligation is to analyze each individual under your supervision and try to help them in a way that you can.”
Wooden goes on to say that coaching goes beyond helping one’s players master the fundamentals of the sport. The coach that really has an impact does this in a way that allows those he/she’s coaching to extract meaning that will resonate forever.
It would be hard to argue with a coach that won 10 NCAA basketball championships, including seven consecutive wins. Clearly, Coach Wooden did so many things right but he seemed to always bring the lesson back to the emphasis he placed on the personal and professional development of his players.
What would it be like for your company to see a seven consecutive month increase in sales? or how about experiencing 10 glorious years of unmatched levels of employee engagement and productivity?
Coach Wooden would say its possible. Here’s a toast to one of the greatest teacher-coaches there ever was.
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