Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

P.S. Does Leadership Guarantee Success?

That depends on your definition of success. Winning? Money? Results? Recognition? Or do you subscribe to John Wooden’s definition, included in Chapter 3: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable.”

Apparently that’s how Wooden coached, focusing on doing your best with no mention of winning. Wooden developed a pyramid of success.81 Elements of his pyramid include: poise, confidence, condition, skills, team spirit, self-control, alertness, initiative, industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm. He worked on his concept for 14 years and completed it in 1948, way before his basketball fame. In fact, his fame might more reasonably be called extraordinary respect and admiration beyond basketball, expanded to business and life philosophy.

So leaders are coaches, said before in this chapter. Leaders define success in broader terms than money and recognition. Leaders define winning and results differently, too—more like Wooden defines success. Here’s a question to explore: Can leadership guarantee success when you define success so differently?