The Score Takes Care of Itself
I am currently reading the book “The Score Takes Care of Itself” by Bill Walsh. Walsh is the legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers. At one point, he outlined a set of principles that he believed were essential for effective leadership, often referred to as his “12 Keys to Leadership.” It is kind of amazing. Not all, but a lot of the legendary coaches you read about have such a people centered coach. They do it their own way, but the principles are often similar, and others centered.
Here’s a summary of those principles:
1. Character: Be honest and ethical.
2. Competence: Know your stuff; be skilled.
3. Courage: Make tough decisions and stand by them.
4. Communication: Share ideas clearly and honestly.
5. People Skills: Build good Relationships with others.
6. Vision: Have a clear future goal and inspire others.
7. Teamwork: Encourage working together.
8. Positive Attitude: Stay optimistic, even in tough times.
9. Discipline: Stay committed and focused.
10. Preparation: Be ready for challenges.
11. Resilience: Bounce back from setbacks.
12. Attention to Detail: Focus on the little things that matter.
Within all these, he stresses you must be who you are. In his book, he talks about if he tried to act like Vince Lombardi, he would have failed. He could only authentically be himself. Sounds simple…yet hard to do!
Things That Are Making Us Think
One of the keys to toughness outlined in “Do Hard Things” is the importance of psychological safety. The lead researcher of psychological safety is a Harvard researcher named Dr. Amy Edmonson. Check out this podcast interview with her from Coaching For Leaders. Great Stuff.
I got to hear RC Buford speak last week. He is the CEO of the San Antonio Spurs. He talked a bit about their organization philosophy of chipping away at the rock. Read more about it here.
