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Learning is a Forever Thing

Learning is a Forever Thing

You may have read earlier blog posts that I’ve created about my love of John Wooden, college basketball’s greatest coach.  He was called the “Wizard of Westwood” during his 27 seasons as the coach of UCLA and won 10 national championships in a 12-year period.  Unprecedented success.

There are so many factors that go into creating a national champion in any sport.  Talent is just a part of this.

Wooden created the Pyramid of Success that has become the cornerstone of athletics at UCLA to this day.  My daughter, now a teacher and a coach, was a swimmer at UCLA  and often talks about the pyramid with her students and the girls that she coaches.  It’s not about the winning, it’s about playing the best you can.

The latest quote I heard from John Wooden, “It’s the things you learn when you know it all, that count.”

How many of you have thought that leadership training wasn’t something you needed because you already knew it?  That you’ve been to numerous leadership programs, have earned your MBA, or have other thoughts on why training isn’t necessary – for you?

“It’s the things you learn when you know it all, that count.”

And we know that exceptional leaders are exceptional learners.  Jim Collins, author of the book “Good to Great” book, identified Level 5 leaders as those with humility, a desire to do what’s right for the company, not for themselves, and have the desire to learn.

What have you learned in the past week that counts?  Let’s hear from you.