Coach John Wooden's philosophy on leadership drew deeply from Wilferd Peterson's essay "The Art of Leadership" in his book The Art of Living. As Peterson wrote: The leader is a servant.
Related: Why Successful Leaders Must Learn Humility
Wooden's life exemplified this humility. In Pat Williams' How to Be Like Coach Wooden, an entire chapter titled "If You Want to Be a Coach, Strive for Humility" features his grandson Greg's tribute: "My grandfather is an extremely humble man. He led by example his entire life and stayed true to his beliefs. He never asked anyone to do anything he wouldn't do himself."
Wooden's teams always left their locker rooms—home or away—cleaner than they found them. Franklin Adler, UCLA basketball student manager from 1964 to 1968, shared a vivid memory in the book: "I was rushing between rows of lockers when I heard footsteps and objects landing in a container. Assuming it was a janitor from Washington State, I was stunned to turn the corner and see Coach Wooden pitching in to clean."
Wooden shunned special privileges. Related: What It Means to Be a Person of Integrity
In Marv Dunphy's Ph.D. thesis John Robert Wooden: The Coaching Process, former assistant coach Frank Arnold recounted their Final Four experience, as Wooden's Bruins vied for their eighth national title: "The line was huge, yet John Wooden waited at the back to pay NBCA dues. People urged him to cut ahead, but he refused. We stood for an hour and a half for our $20 fees. He insisted on being ordinary—though he was anything but."
The humble leader pursues excellence, knowing "the happiest times in life come from making someone else happy." They remain lifelong learners, ever vigilant because "when you're done learning, you're done." They foster cooperation by listening intently—believing "you have to listen if you want to be heard" and "what is right is more important than who is right." They build team spirit, understanding "it's amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit."
These insights come straight from Coach Wooden, my enduring inspiration. Related: 27 Motivational Quotes from John Wooden to Inspire You to Be Better
