28 Sep 05 @ 4:43 pm
The Lombardi Rules
On a recent stroll through Barnes and Noble, I picked up The Lombardi Rules: 26 lessons from Vince Lombardi, the Greatest Coach for what I thought would be a recreational read.
I find Lombardi’s quotes and wisdom smart and inspiring. The new book by Vince Lombardi Jr. uses his father’s quotes to reinforce that leaders, in both athletics and business, are made, not born. The book is less of a glance into what Lombardi achieved, but more how he achieved it through his leadership.
I would say that the quality of each individual’s life is the full measure of that individual’s commitment to excellence and to victory—whether it be football, whether it be business, whether it be politics or government.—Vince Lombardi
At first glance, Lombardi’s 26 lessons seem ordinary, but they’re told in a succinct, relatable way and capped with one of his uniquely wise quotes (I’ve posted the lessons in the expanded entry).
The 26 chapters are short, relatable and real. It’s a simple read (one of Lombardi’s fundamentals in itself) and can likely be finished over lunch hour—and if you read it over lunch you’ll come back feeling like you just had the best half-time locker room talk of the year.
1. Ask yourself tough questions
2. Look the truth straight on
3. Play to your strengths
4. Write your character
5. Think big picture
6. Be completely committed
7. Work harder than everybody
8. Be prepared to sacrifice
9. Be mentally tough
10. Balance humility and pride
11. Lead with integrity
12. Build team spirit
13. Explain the whys
14. Strike the balance
15. Build Confidence
16. Use your mission
17. Know your stuff
18. Demand autonomy
19. Respect legitimate authority
20. Act, don’t react
21. Keep it simple
22. Chase perfection
23. Tailor your motivation
24. Motivate by degrees
25. Focus on Fundamentals
26. Run to win
posted in category(s): Points of Interest
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