The Score Takes Care of Itself

Do all the right things to precision, and 'the score will take care of itself.

Champions behave like champions before they're champions; they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners.

Failure is part of success, an integral part. Everybody gets knocked down… it's what you do after that matters.

The competitor who won't go away, who won't stay down, has one of the most formidable competitive advantages of all.

The ability to help the people around me self-actualize their goals underlines the single aspect of my abilities and the label that I value most—teacher.

When you prepare for everything, you're ready for anything.

Informed preplanning—looking perceptively into the future and getting ready for it—gave me a tremendous advantage against the competition.

The culture precedes positive results. It doesn't get tacked on as an afterthought on your way to the victory stand.

Mastery requires endless remastery. In fact, I don't believe there is ever true mastery. It is a process, not a destination.

Hostile relationships are toxic. Cultivate good relationships… Negative relationships have ongoing negative consequences.

Few things are more painful for a leader than losing because your reasoning is faulty, your conclusions flawed, your logic skewed by emotions, pride, or arrogance.

Do not equate your team's 'won-lost record' with your self-worth.

Success doesn't care which road you take to get to its doorstep.

Respect the past without clinging to it: 'That's the way we've always done it' is the mantra of a team setting itself up to lose.

Your enthusiasm becomes their enthusiasm; your lukewarm presentation becomes their lukewarm interest.

I never asked anyone to do more than I was willing to do, nor what I wasn't willing to do.

Calculated risks are part of what you do, but the idea that something completely crazy will work just because it's completely crazy is completely crazy.

Fix it, or the little problem becomes a big one.

Winning is the usual prime directive in professional football, but for me the fundamental goal was the full and total implementation of the actions and attitudes of the Standard of Performance.

When it comes to telling people what you expect from them, don't be subtle, don't be coy, don't be vague.

The most powerful way to stretch people to their full potential is to have the courage to say, 'I believe in you.

The key to performing under pressure at the highest possible level, regardless of circumstance, is preparation in the context of your Standard of Performance.

Flying by the seat of your pants precedes crashing by the seat of your pants.

A reputation for fair play—treating people right—can be a big part of a potential employee's decision to join you or a current and valued employee's desire to remain.

Avoid the dead-end calculation of 'zero points for winning.

The little improvements that lead to impressive achievements come not from a week's work or a month's practice, but from years of intense attention.

Do all the right things to precision and 'the score will take care of itself.

Failure is part of success, an integral part.

An organization is not just a tool like a shovel, but an organic entity that has a code of conduct... [which emanates] from you—the leader.

When you make a mistake, admit it and fix it. Don't let pride, stubbornness, or possible embarrassment about your bad decision prevent you from correcting what you have done.

Big ears are better than big egos.

You go nowhere without character. Character is essential to individuals, and their cumulative character is the backbone of your winning team.

You—the one in charge—are the reference point for what total effort looks like.

Total effort doesn't mean total anxiety.

Concern yourself only with that which you can control.

The four most powerful words you can say are, 'I believe in you.

Don't assume because of odd circumstances that everything will somehow sort itself out. Rather, play for keeps all the time. The clock never stops running.

In a highly competitive environment, feeling comfortable is first cousin to being complacent.

You must derive satisfaction and gratification from winning without letting it define your self-worth, just as you cannot allow defeat to define you as a person.