As pictured above, former San Francisco 49ers 3-time Super Bowl winning coach and the most innovative coach of the last 50 years Bill Walsh said the following, “The culture precedes positive results. Champions behave like champions before they’re champions; they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners.”
The following are 4 things necessary to be a winner and have success we glean from the quote above:
- Culture precedes positive results.
- There is a certain behavior champions have.
- This behavior also precedes championship results.
- Winners have a documented Standard of Performance.
If you are interested in Coach Walsh’s Standard of Performance, make sure you read The 17 Principles of Bill Walsh’s Standard of Performance.
Also, if you have not read Coach Walsh’s iconic book The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership, I cannot recommend it enough. It is one of the top 5 leadership books I have ever read in any genre. To give you a preview, the following are just 11 additional quotes from this amazing book:
- Great players and great companies don’t suddenly start hunching up, gambling, grimacing, and trying to “hit the ball harder” at a critical point. Rather, they’re in a mode, a zone in which they’re performing and depending on their “game” which they’ve mastered over many months and years of intelligently directed hard work.
- Bill Walsh was not afraid of talent. He hired assistant coaches who were extremely good, and he did it with the expectation that they would move on – up to head coaching positions. And in fact, about fifteen of them did.
- Making lemonade when you’re given lemons is leadership; making lemonade when you don’t have any lemons is great leadership.
- Steve Young would be my “contingency plan” in the event that Joe (Montana) faltered. This was a very controversial move that many, including Montana, were not very happy. None of them, however, was charged with principal responsibility for charting the future of the team. That was my job – planning for fair and foul weather.
- Of course you need talent, but talent is not the only factor. And at the upper levels of competition, talent becomes much more evenly distributed.
- My observation is that two leaders – coaches – looking at the same information will not see the same thing. The one who’s a more skilled analyst, who digs deeper and wider, will benefit more.
- Once the decision was made, the discussion was over. My ultimate job, and yours, is not to give an opinion. Everybody’s got an opinion. Leaders are paid to make a decision. The difference between offering an opinion and making a decision is the difference between working for the leader and being the leader.
- No leader can control the outcome of the contest or competition, but you can control how you prepare for it.
- Avoid pleading with players to “get going” or trying to relate to them by adopting their vernacular. Strong leaders don’t plead with individuals to perform.
- More people are more familiar with losing than winning. Consequently, losing is not that difficult to deal with.
This is merely scratching the surface of this incredible book. Click here to purchase your copy today.
My book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase. If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you! By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you. This book is not to be read alone. Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence. Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.