John Wooden’s Desirable Coaching Traits

1. Attentiveness to Detail You must prepare to win in order to be a winner.  Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
2. Impartiality This is a must, but you must remember that you must not treat everyone alike as they are all different.  Give each one the treatment earned and deserved.
3. Teaching Skill It isn’t enough that you know the game, you must be able to teach it.  Follow the laws of learning.
4. Discipline Most essential for proper concentration and group organization.
5. Affability The coach must be of an affable disposition because of the various groups with who he must associate.
6. Forcefulness You must be firm without being bullheaded.
7. Alertness Constant observation of all going on around and about are necessary for improved learning and decision making.
8. Optimism The pessimist isn’t likely to produce a confident team that will play near to their full capability.
9. Desire to Improve Lack of ambition will result in complacency and laziness.
10. Vision A Picture of the possible must be shown to your players to provide a goal for them.
11. Consideration For Others You must be truly considerate of others if you expect them to be considerate of you.  You must listen to them if you want them to listen to you.
12. Resourcefulness You must be ever ready to make necessary adjustments according to the situation and the personnel that you have available.
13. Cooperativeness An essential for all who work with others and are dependent on others in various ways.
14. Leadership Trust be commanded, not demanded.  Others are working with you, not for you.  Be interested in finding the best way rather than having your own way.
15. Industriousness There is no substitute for work.  Worthwhile things should never be easy to attain.
16. Enthusiasm If you are to stimulate others, your heart must be in your work. Enthusiasm brushes off upon those with whom you come in contact.
17. Sympathy You must be truly interested in those under your supervision and be sympathetic with their problems.
18. Self-control Good judgment must be exercised in your decisions and they must be made through reason not emotion.
19. Sincerity Insincerity can be spotted very quickly and cause loss of respect.

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