A Life Lesson From Pigeon Poop

Some call John Wooden the Wizard of Westwood because his UCLA teams dominated college basketball in the 1960s and early ’70s. But to that, Coach Wooden says, “I’m no wizard. I am a teacher.” He said he learned to coach by applying what he learned as a high school English teacher, including the importance of teaching with stories.

John Wooden taught with many personal stores. One such story came from a ceremony for the inaugural members of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 in Kansas City, Mo., where Wooden was honored along with Dean Smith, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and James Naismith, (posthumously).

Wooden was back at the site of his first NCAA championship in 1964, prompting him to recall a message he had received "from above" right after the beginning of his 10-championship run at UCLA. "We won on a Saturday night," Wooden said. "I planned on going out Easter Sunday with my wife, Nell, we were outside the Muehlebach Hotel, waiting to get a cab to take us to the church. And pigeon poop hit me right on top of the head.

And I felt, 'Well, we just won the national championship, the team did, don't let it go to your head.' The direct hit, as he put it, inspired me to turn to Nell and say, 'Maybe Johnny’s not as good as he thinks he is.' And I think the Good Lord was letting me know, 'Don't get carried away.' I'll always remember that."

The above story along with many others can be found in Dan Spainhour's latest book, Leading Narratives: The perfect collection of stories, jokes and wits of wisdom for leaders.

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