John Wooden’s UCLA Player Shares Coach’s Lessons And Legacy
When Swen Nater, a Dutch immigrant who didn’t make the starting lineup of a basketball team until junior college, was recruited by UCLA to play basketball, the school’s legendary coach John Wooden promised the seven-foot-tall Nater two things. “First, he promised that if I came to UCLA, I would not play very much because the guy ahead of me was Bill Walton, the best player in the country,” recalled Nater in this episode of Corporate Competitor Podcast. “Second, he promised I would compete against the best player in America every day in practice, and learn the fundamentals that I’d need.”
Nater did what any savvy and hungry young person would do and took Wooden up on his offer. He received a scholarship to an excellent university, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, but more importantly, he got a long-running seminar with the greatest educator college sports has ever produced. It was this latter education that changed his life forever.
In his 25+ year Costco career, Nater has enjoyed many occasions of putting Wooden’s wisdom to work in a business setting. But Nater confesses it always comes back to teaching. “If we’re talking about leadership and being a manager of people, a leader has to be a teacher, somebody who can get information across to somebody else, and it gets implemented, it makes a difference.”
“As Coach used to say, ‘you haven’t taught until they have learned.’”
Teaching is a broad concept, to be sure, but Wooden’s methods were very specific, not to mention successful. Here are some highlights Nater offers in the podcast.
YOU WILL LEARN:
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Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
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2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
