The Law of Respect

I am currently reading John Maxwell's "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" and in this book he cites some basketball examples to demonstrate some leadership principles. In chapter four of this book he contends that people follow leaders stronger than themselves.

When Bill Walton joined coach John Wooden at UCLA he was wearing a beard. John Wooden has this one rule in the team prohibiting facial hair. Bill Walton though was strong willed as well and said that he wouldn't shave. John Wooden had just one answer "We'll miss you, Bill". Bill Walton eventually took off the beard and he and Wooden would win games together after that.

Bill Walton was a leader and yet he was just a young man and he needed a coach who was a stronger leader than he was so that he wouuld learn discipline at a most crucial stage in his young career.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership