7 Principles of Life and Leadership - Emerging Nurse Leader

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

What can nurse leaders learn from a legendary late basketball coach. My answer would be a great deal. John Wooden won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period as head coach at UCLA including a record seven in a row. No other team has won more than two in a row. He was named national coach of the year six times. Yet ironically, Wooden is remembered best for his leadership. He was renowned for his short, simple inspirational messages to his players, including his “Pyramid of Success” which is in this blog. These often were directed at how to be a success in life as well as in basketball. He defined success as the “peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best you are capable of becoming. His 7 principles of life and leadership are legendary. They include the following:

Be true to yourself – Coach Wooden learned from his father the importance of being true to himself. Being true to oneself results in a peace of mind from knowing that every decision you make is consistent with one’s own values. Being true to oneself, he believed, fosters confidence and is fundamental to effective leadership.
Make each day your masterpiece – to Wooden, making each day your masterpiece means focusing on what you are doing right now to the best of your ability. He often told his players that they could do nothing about what happened yesterday as it has passed. But he would say, you can affect what will happen tomorrow by what you do today.
Help others – Mother Teresa was one of Wooden’s favorite role models. Like Mother Teresa, he believed in even the simplest acts of kindness can have tremendous positive impact on the life of another.
Drink deeply from good books – Coach Wooden was a reader. He understood how poetry, biographies and great books enriched his life. One of his favorite books is also a favorite of mine – The Team of Rivals about Abraham Lincoln ‘s cabinet.
Make friendship a fine art – Wooden often told his players that they could accomplish a lot more if they opened their lives to others. He urged them to work at it and not to take friendship for granted.
Build a shelter against a rainy day – Coach Wooden believed that one should save and prepare for bad times because they were sure to come in everyone’s life.
Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day – Wooden firmly believed in an attitude of gratitude. He never said he did but most likely he did keep a gratitude journal. He felt he had been blessed and never forgot it.

One of my favorite publications – Success Magazine, has partnered with the Wooden family to provide leaders with free resources to learn more about the “Wooden Effect”. The video lessons are free and truly inspirational. They will make you a better leader.