Run To Win is a book that will forever hold a place on my bookshelf. Vince Lombardi is genious in his leadership and management strategies for his team. Although he uses football to show his principles of leadership, it is easily related to business and everyday life. He points out the little details a leader should remember and also the bigger picture.
From the start I agreed with his strategy. He is a firm believer in doing homework on the next opponent or the research for the project at hand. Working as a team is a top priority for Lombardi. As a linemen himself in college, he realized they did not get as much press as the quarterback or the receivers. As a coach, he was bound and determined to make sure the entire team knew that without every position, their team would not be able to function. It takes everyone giving 100% effort all the time. “I’d rather have a player with fifty percent ability and one hundred percent desire.” Lombardi felt that the guy with one hundred percent desire would play every day, so you could make a system in what he could do. But, the guy with fifty percent desire could screw up your whole system because one day he may be out there waltzing around, not caring about what he is really there for. Lombardi also puts creativity at the top of his list. “Write down a new idea whatever and whenever it occurs to you.” No matter where he was, if a new idea came to his mind, he would write it down on whatever he had with him. From his success stemmed confidence, but he was quick to take responsibility for his own mistakes. He built trust in his players by telling the truth and genuinely caring about each and every one’s personal life. This is not to say he did not get angry with his players. He did. But, to Lombardi, each and every player takes criticism differently. As a former athlete, I could put myself in the position of the players under the coaching of Lombardi. If I had the opportunity to be one of them, I would be a better leader and manager by his example and principles he set.
Since I was in middle school Vince Lombardi has been one of my biggest inspirations on and off the field of sports. In the locker room, as a senior, I posted his quotes all over the walls. Before we ran out to warm up, I would pick a quote and say it to myself over and over again. Each time I did this, it reminded me that I determined my own success as a player and as a student. It may hurt and the practice may be the most painful thing I had ever experienced but the success I would gain from working hard outweighed any amount of pain I could imagine. You don’t have to be an athlete to take away a message from Vince Lombardi. I think everyone could learn a thing or two from this book. He uses his love of coaching football to relate not only to athletes, but also to the business world. As a leader, he teaches us to strive for “perfection” even though we can never attain it. He also tells us to never be satisfied and always give the task at hand 100% effort. The word “team” is emphasized throughout the entire book, because without the offensive linemen blocking, the quarterback would never be able to pass the ball. It is the same way in the business field. Without the assistants , executives, and secretaries, companies would not be able to function with just a president. Even though the press always focuses on the “high” positions, doesn’t mean that is the only person doing work. Leadership starts with someone who is confident enough to work with others toward a common goal. The rest is up to the team.
“Leadership rests not only upon ability, but upon commitment and upon loyalty and upon pride and upon followers….Leadership is not just one quality, but rather a blend of many qualities and while no one individual possesses all the needed talents to go into leadership, each man can develop a combination to make him a leader.” Vince Lombardi will forever be known as a phenomenal football coach, a motivator, a philosopher, a mentor, an inspiration; the list could go on for days. He will always be remembered for these titles but more importantly he was a leader who never took no for an answer and put every ounce of energy into the game of football and the lives of his players. He changed the face of football into a game that requires intelligence but also a desire to be great.
His successful leadership strategies are founded upon principles he believed were the “right thing”:
1. First prepare. study in detail the team you are about to play or the task you are about to take on, evaluate strengths/weaknesses, build up your team.
2. Develop a game plan. Make winning a part of your game plan: be at every practice, every play, every game, and be there with your team.
3. Encourage Innovation, Imagination, and Creativity. Understand all the aspects of your craft, change IS good, keep members involved and use new ideas.
4. Build trust. Have integrity, give credit where it’s due, take responsibility, be a role model, have fun with your team.
5. Treat People as individuals. Be color-blind and consider individual personalities.
6. Keep it Simple and be a motivator. Simplicity is key. Keep people excited about tasks.
7. Take Charge. If you exercise authority, you have to respect it.
8. Have the will to win. Never let your team slip into a defeatist attitude.
9. Love, Family, and heart power. Be sensitive to emotional needs of the team; love is the answer.
10. Pay the price and make a commitment. Expect 100% effort all the time because the quality of a man’s life has got to be a full measure of that man’s personal commitment to excellence.
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