“Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value.”
-Albert Einstein
...the highest predictor of success in an organization is leadership that functions with integrity and honesty. Three other core traits that are frequently attributed to sound leadership are trustworthiness, loyalty, and pride.
...a major reason some leaders are more effective than others is because of who they are as people. All other factors being equal, principle-centered leaders are more capable of inspiring confidence and rallying others to achieve a common purpose.
If you let your vested self-interest or personal concerns override your obligations to your team or organization, you are putting them, and ultimately yourself, at risk.
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. You character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
-John Wooden
“To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.”
-George MacDonald
By doing away with the time-honored “bed check,” a traditional practice among most professional-level sports teams, I indicated to my players that I trusted them.
As long as they acted like men, I would treat them like men.
“Honesty is the cornerstone of character.”
-B.C. Forbes
Keep in mind that if you fail to respond to or overlook a dishonest act, you are implicitly approving it.
Being loyal involves being a person who refuses to compromise your values for personal advantage.
“I don’t see how anyone can truly make the most of his or her abilities without expressing loyalty at all times to the people, institutions, and principles that are important in one’s life.”
-John Wooden
Not letting a team score is the very heart of any defensive mind set. It is the ultimate in team orientation in that no one person can take credit for its success. Indeed, it takes individual sacrifice by certain defensive players to maintain this team profile.
