John Wooden
Leadership Case Study

John Wooden Leadership
Who was He?

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John Wooden was an American basketball coach. His record of winning the NCAA Championships 10 times with the University of California, Los Angeles college team is unprecedented.

Because of that, he is considered one of coaching legends of history with his outstanding leadership and coaching ability.

A Quick History

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During his youth, he had a lot of influence from the then-famous basketball teams and it influenced his decision to enter into the world of basketball. When he was 14, he led his high school to state championship finals for 3 consecutive years.

He attended Purdue University where he was a three-time consensus All-American. He also led his team to the 1932 National Championships. After he graduated from University, he earned his Master’s Degree from Indiana State University where he served as basketball coach as well.

After college, he played professionally for the Indianapolis Kautskys where he would be named to the NBL’s first team in 1937-1938 season. He would be coaching high schools during this period of his life.

He then went on to coach Dayton High School and his record for 11 years of coaching was 218 wins to 42 losses. He then coached the basketball team of Indiana State University from 1946 to 1948.

He went on UCLA as head basketball coach and won 664 games in 27 seasons, with an 88 game unbeaten streak, and four perfect 30-0 seasons. He won countless awards and honors for his unprecedented achievements.

Despite his tremendous success, Wooden never asked for a raise for his $35,000 per year.

Awards and Honours

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1. 2006 founding class, College Basketball Hall of Fame
2. 6 Time NCAA College Basketball Coach of the Year
3. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003
4. Basketball All-American in 1930, 1931, 1932

and many more, including several buildings that were erected in his honor.

John Wooden
Leadership Lessons

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1. Be true to yourself
Don’t spend your life trying to be someone else. But be true to who you are, your hopes, dreams and fears.

2. Make each day your masterpiece
Give your best in every single thing that you do.

3. Help others
Give back, because you’ve received much as well.

4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible
Learning should be a lifelong process, and read from good books.

5. Make friendship a fine art
Friends are essential in your journey to success and significance.

6. Build a shelter against a rainy day
Always remember a backup plan, because things almost never go according to plan.

7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings each day
Live with a thankful heart toward God.

Related Books on
John Wooden Leadership

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Best Quotes from
John Wooden Leadership

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A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player.

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.

Be prepared and be honest.

It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.

Ability is a poor man's wealth.

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.

The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

Video on
John Wooden Leadership

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Other Links

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Wikipedia: A highly detailed account of Wooden's Life
CoachWooden.com:Site all about John Wooden

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