Socks, Shoe Laces, and Leadership Fundamentals

With March Madness around the corner, I’m reminded of legendary coach John Wooden, who prioritized foundational leadership skills as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins. Known for his attention to detail, Wooden focused on basic skills that many overlook, like putting on socks properly—a simple but powerful lesson in leadership.

I know this sounds very basic, and it is. However, Coach Wooden understood when a player’s socks were wrinkled and/or their shoelaces were not double-knotted, the result would be blistered feet, potential injuries, and time out of the game. He saw a simple fix, implemented it, and consequently led the Bruins to ten NCAA national championships.

What does this mean for leaders?

Well, I would ask:

Do you put your socks on properly and double-knot your shoes when stepping into your world of leadership?

Are you practicing basic interpersonal behaviors that influence employee engagement and trust? 

Are you communicating directly, practicing blameless problem-solving, listening to understand, and honoring commitments?

leadership
Photo courtesy of GraphicStock

Building trust and team performance.

It’s the leaders’s commitment to growth and well-being that fuels productivity and, ultimately, the company’s profitability.

If you struggle to develop foundational leadership skills, it’s not too late to get back to the basics. I can help you do just that. 

Similar to the feelings we get during March Madness, leadership comes with excitement, upsets, defeats, and celebrations.

Let me help you create fundamental behaviors and a team culture of high performance.

About the author 

Bonnie Artman Fox, MS, LMFT works with executive leaders who want to gain self-awareness about the impact of their words and actions and up-level their interpersonal skills. 

Drawing from decades as a psychiatric nurse and licensed family therapist, Bonnie brings a unique perspective to equip executive leaders with the roadmap to emotional intelligence that brings teams together. 

Bonnie’s leadership Turnaround coaching program has an 82% success rate in guiding leaders to replace abrasive behavior with tact, empathy, and consideration of others. The end result is a happy, healthy, and profitable workplace…sooner vs. later.