Wondeful lessons on leadership.
Does it happen to one, recalling a failure which had a taste of bad work, or a defeat which had a victory flavor? It might sound wired, however that is what to discover on the lessons to lasting success in life. Lessons based on what you do with your skills, your own strengths to get to your goal. What do you give from yourself to really be successful?
To make it tangible and clear, John Wooden author of “Leadership” took as example the famous pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and went step by step to compare and show how those building were built in order to last forever, and how that techniques can be applied in our life to make as last in success.
John Wooden stressed on the fact that PYRAMIDS blocks where obviously carefully chosen, with a unique purpose for each of it in logical position in every step of the construction.
A- The foundation: having a strong foundation is the basis of having a great building. And those blocks are:
Enthusiasm: when enthusiasm and hard work make up the foundation, the qualities of the heart, friendship loyalty and cooperation according to Wooden allow one’s to ‘’create a powerful and honest bond with those under your organization’’. ‘’Have the courage to offer them and they will, in turn, be offered back’’ he later added.
B- The second tier: upon that strong foundation comes the part of the pyramid conveying:
- Self-control and discipline,
- Initiative and intentness,
Great personal qualities when combined with the pyramid foundation brings incredible amount of positive leadership force.
C- The center of the pyramid: here is where keeping oneself in great conditions, disclosing skills and showing evidence of team spirit. It needs
- A ‘’remarkable set of personal assets’’ needed to complete the whole structure of the leader’s pyramid. Holding poise helps to keep stuck on your beliefs, avoid falling apart under pressure or when everything is collapsing around.
D- Getting to the top of the pyramid
Faith and patience are two wonderful ingredients that hold the blocks. A leader must hold firmly on the fact that things going to work out, sooner or later.
- When poise is there, you perform at your best because it dismisses any panic. So you got to be true to yourself, do not undermine what makes you, you.
- Confidence must not be artificial, it is the knowledge that you did all what you should to get your organization, everything and yourself ready for the competition. “Confidence, like poise, is earned only by tenaciously pursuing and attaining those assets that allow you to reach your own level of competency”. However confidence must be monitored said wooden to avoid turning to arrogance or get it spoiled.
- Then you get to the competitive greatness defined by the author as ‘’a real love for the hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required’’ Doing so gives one’s this opportunity every time to summon his best. And to that way your personal greatness can’t be diminished or dismissed because of ‘’final score or bottom line’’. That greatness will surely take you to the top as long as you keep on track. Succeeding by random does not take any one far away. But getting to the top on personal strong and usual habits make it last. The matter is not getting to the top, it is how to stay there. Wooden said it best: “Ability may get you to the top but it takes character to keep you there.
Let’s make it clear that on your way to success you will be facing frustration, anger, setbacks but the tip is to stay undaunted, courageous that what you see the values patience and faith on the top of the pyramid. A leader must keep within him that things will work out no matter challenges faced, Norbert Zongo a great journalist and writer from Burkina Faso said it best: ‘’Le plus dur n’est pas de tomber mais de savoir se relever’’ [the hard one is not to falling down, but knowing our to get back on your feets]
Acquiring the personal characteristics and values of pyramid, believes John Wooden is a great preparation to success. The only enemy of success if one’s unwillingness to make the full effort to prepare and perform at the highest level of your ability.
‘’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’’.
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