The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership

by Bill Walsh

(1) He could identify problems that needed to be solved; and (2) He could solve them.

retaining and adding talented personnel who were ready and willing to get on board with his program, “subtracting” (i.e., firing) those who were negative.

Givers and takers...get the givers on board and oust the takers, no matter how good. Adam Grant

Bill was smart enough, strong-willed enough, to get rid of talented people if they were contributors to

a negative organizational culture—not

What I noticed first about Bill was not what he knew about football, but how hard he was willing

to work.

Everything. He had given every aspect of everything so much deep thought and careful planning. He had most of the answers, and what he didn’t know he quickly figured out.

he got us analyzing what we did and how to express what we wanted to convey.

Inspired his leaders and teams to be better at their job

Bill forced us to think at a higher level, which was the starting point for getting players to play at a higher level and the organization to operate at a higher level.

I would tell you this: Bill’s gift for teaching created belief in him, conviction in us.

Teach more. Teach better, teach often. Become a better teacher = a better leader

others follow you based on the quality of your actions rather than the magnitude of your declarations.

his organizational abilities and attention to detail—painstaking

were relatively laid-back.

back. This last item is important because if the person in charge is casual in these areas, others will follow suit.

The leader makes the little things important by example and sets everyone else in line to adopt this as the culture

Declaring, “I am the leader!” has no value unless you also have the command skills necessary to be the leader.

The strong-willed personality, however, is not disappearing anywhere anytime soon, whether in sports, nonprofits, or corporate America.

The leader who will not be denied, who has expertise coupled with strength of will, is going to prevail.

They simply would not quit in their effort to install their own

system, to push forward with their plan, not someone else’s or a committee’s.

Yet, wise enough to know what they do not know and seek advice, listen to their team and managers

all successful leaders know where we want to go, figure out a way we believe will get the organization there (after careful consideration of relevant available information),

It is good to remind yourself that this quality—strength of will—is essential to your survival and success.

When it was time for a decision, that decision would be made by me according to dictates having to do with one thing only, namely, making the team better.

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.

leaders anywhere, often try to force a plan past the point of reality.

When does your unswerving determination to do it your way—what you deem the “right way”—take you and your organization over the cliff?

I had jeopardized the game by locking my ego into a strategy that was failing.

Fear of public approval, perception, whatever it was that would crush the ego almost prevented making the decision in accordance with the reality of the situation

When is it time to say, “I’m wrong”? Here’s the answer: There is no answer; there is no cut-and-dried formula.

Put your decision out there...break it down, test it, use the feedback as a reality check and keep going or pivot...avoid sunk cost fallacy and recognize the return on investment (or at least your chances to survive) matter more than what's been lost

A leader must be keen and alert to what drives a decision, a plan of action. If it was based on good logic, sound principles, and strong belief, I felt comfortable in being unswerving in moving toward my goal.

I became scrupulous in analyzing when a change of course was appropriate, when “my way” was the wrong way.

what is inexcusable—is to fail because you are unwilling to admit that your way was the wrong way and that a change of course is your only path to victory.

A leader must never quit.

Never quit persevering toward your vision

A leader must know when to quit.

When to change course and consider alternatives toward your goal. Never quit the goal, but course correct along the way as conditions change. Flexible and focused

Proving that you are right or proving that someone is wrong are bad reasons for persisting.

Motivated by a vision in accordance with reality...the only reason to persist

Good logic, sound principles, and strong belief are the purest and most productive reasons for pushing forward when things get rough.

When everything makes sense and aligns with reality, then persevere

I had no option but to call Howard out and call him on his threat. I knew more about judging talent for my system than anyone, including Howard.

I had stood my ground and protected my turf when my position and authority were challenged.

Leaders who don’t understand what their territory is and how to protect it will soon find themselves with no turf to protect.

Know your zone and protect it with your life (in business, zone is market, patent, manufacturing, etc. Your ecosystem external and internal)

In my view a truly effective leader must be certain things.

twelve habits

that will make you be a bet...

Your style will work for you when you take advantage of your

strengths and strive to overcome your weaknesses.

Develop your strengths and mitigate weaknesses...know yourself

At all times, in all ways, your focus must be on doing things at the highest possible level.

Know your definition of high performance, write it down, read it everyday, live it everyday

Maintain an affirmative, constructive, positive environment.

(Good luck is a product of good planning.)

Exactly! Fortune favors the prepared

“What happens when what’s supposed to happen doesn’t happen?”

you must always be asking and solving.

No leader can control the outcome of the contest or competition, but you can contro...

High performance is achieved small step by small step through painstaking dedication to pertinent details.

Great organization is the trademark of a great organization.

Lays out what has been done, how to do it, what needs to be done, who's responsible, when, etc...operations begins with organization! And operations is a key piece to the economic engine of the business