What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Image Source: David Goehring, Creative Commons

The Sporting News recently honored UCLA Legend, John Wooden as the greatest coach of all time. Coach Wooden ended his acceptance speech with these words:

“Love is the most important thing in the world.”

While Coach Wooden did indeed love his players, he is known best for building some of the greatest sports team in history. So, what’s love got to do with it? Love is, in fact, the foundation and essential element for building great teams.

Unfortunately, our English language shortchanges the word love. In Greek, there are at least three words that get translated into our word love. Two of these Greek words signify the emotional feelings and affection we might feel for a lover or a brother. However, the third word is an action verb. It’s not about what we feel, it’s about what we do. This is the type of love that coach Wooden was talking about.

Wayne Hastings and I identify seven main elements of this action-oriented love in our new book, Team Trust. They include:

Patience

Kindness

Lack of envy

Humility

Is not rude

Does not anger easily

Keeps no records of wrong

At the heart of the list is humility. This is the same element that begins the list of Trust Me, Developing a Leadership Style That People Will Follow. You can hear it in the words Coach Wooden spoke during his acceptance speech, when he said:

“No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.”

Coach went on to give the glory to his players, saying:

“[The players] are the ones that make the coaches.”

Humble to the very end. Coach Wooden is a very wise 98 years old.

Without humility, none of the other elements of Trust Me or Team Trust have a chance of blossoming. Pride tends to undermine all of the seven attributes listed above.

How can we develop patience when we’re always right?

Kindness, when mixed with pride, comes across as demeaning or patronizing.

Pride is the root of envy and rudeness.

Proud people feel anger when things don’t go their way.

Proud people tend to nurse grudges and keep a record of perceived wrongs.

If you seek greatness, start by taking a humble attitude. You’ll be amazed at how much people will honor you.