Leadership thoughts from a well-known coach

Tom Crenshaw March 27, 2024

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The late John Wooden was a basketball legend. He won 10 national championships, and today he is considered by most people to be the greatest basketball coach who ever lived. He was a gentleman, a leader, and a steadfast follower of Jesus Christ.

Coach Wooden has written a number of books that are among my favorite library friends. Inside their covers can be found a wealth of valuable life and leadership lessons that have impacted countless lives, both on and off the basketball court.

Here are some of his thoughts which were taken from the last half of an an article he wrote in 1976 for Sports Medalist Publications.

I am indebted to one of his former players, Craig Impelman, for sharing the following material posed in the form of a series of questions titled "I Wondered Why?"

Questions and thoughts from Coach Wooden:

• Is it that nothing we can do will change the past, and the only way to affect the future is by what we do now?

• Is it easier to give others blame than it is to give them credit?

• Is it that many who are quick to make suggestions find it difficult to make decisions?

• Do we realize that others are certain to listen to us if we first listen to them?

• Are we more interested in finding the best way rather than having our own way?

• Is it difficult to remember that those working under our supervision are working with us and not for us?

• Is it much easier to be a critic than a model?

• Is it so hard to disagree without being disagreeable?

• Do we understand that all progress comes through change even though all change may not be progress?

•Do we often forget that big things are accomplished only by the perfection of minor details?

• Do we dread adversity so much, that facing it is the only way to become stronger?

• Could we motivate ourselves when we know results come through motivation?

• Do some seem ashamed to let others know that they pray or read the Bible?

• Should it be difficult to give thanks, express thanks, or merely say, "thank you"?

• Can't we have patience and expect good things to take time?

• Is it so easy to quickly judge with only a few facts?

• Is it so easy to see the faults of others and so difficult to see our own?

I certainly do not have the answer for these questions, but I feel that the more I am aware of the fact that they do exist, the better chance I will have to face up to and make them less of a problem.

Coach Wooden used these thoughts to evaluate himself and improve; not to be critical of others.

You and I will benefit the most from this article if we do likewise.

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Tom Crenshaw serves as Connections Pastor of the New Monmouth Baptist Church (non denominational) where he previously served as a three year interim.He has been married to Jean for almost 50 years, and they have four children, all of whom are teachers.Tom loves perennial gardening, umpiring high school baseball, coaching baseball and football, fishing for small mouth bass, rooting for his favorite team, the Cleveland Indians, and listening to ‘real’ country music, the classic kind. Learn More »

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