The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership

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Star players were repeatedly demonstrated this fact as well. Star, benchwarmer, offense, defense—they were all connected. Walsh would script plays for the game to give players and coaches a sense of calm and control. Because they knew what plays they would start the game with, players went in to both practice and games with something to focus on besides “win!” or “play well!”

Bill Walsh: “But again, I had no plan. I was flying by the seat of my pants; we lost. “Never again,” I vowed, “will that happen to me.” That’s when I got serious about scripting; never again would I walk into the future unprepared for foul weather.” Bill's personal examples of how he implemented and executed each of these steps in the transformation of the San Francisco 49ers creates a fascinating story of business, football, and triumph. More than anything, Bill's story reminds business leaders that success is not accidental but rather the result of deliberate and tenacious preparation." Mastery requires endless remastery. In fact, I don’t believe there is ever true mastery. It is a process, not a destination. That’s what few winners realize and explains to some degree why repeating is so difficult. Having triumphed, winners come to believe that the process of mastery is concluded and that they are its proud new owners.”Exhibit a ferocious and intelligently applied work ethic directed at continual improvement; demonstrate respect for each person in the organization and the work he or she does; be deeply committed to learning and teaching, which means increasing my own expertise; be fair; demonstrate character; honor the direct connection between details and improvement, and relentlessly seek the latter; show self-control, especially where it counts most—under pressure; demonstrate and prize loyalty; use positive language and have a positive attitude; take pride in my effort as an entity separate from the result of that effort; be willing to go the extra distance for the organization; deal appropriately with victory and defeat, adulation and humiliation (don’t get crazy with victory nor dysfunctional with loss); promote internal communication that is both open and substantive (especially under stress); seek poise in myself and those I lead; put the team’s welfare and priorities ahead of my own; maintain an ongoing level of concentration and focus that is abnormally high; and make sacrifice and commitment the organization’s trademark.” In 1979, Bill Walsh took over a San Francisco 49ers team that was at the bottom of the NFL. Within three years, they were Super Bowl champions and a dynasty was born. The 49ers would win three Super Bowls under Walsh. I learned why it is worth thinking deeply about designing effective systems. I read about how to strive for more without sacrificing the present, and how to stay true to my values no matter the short-term downsides.

Whether it's a sudden move by a competitor or a rowdy football crowd and the ball on your own 10 yard line, challenging yourself and your team to think through contingencies helps everyone be more flexible and prepared when everything doesn't go to plan. I immediately thought of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, 3 billionaires who are famous for their ability to push people to not just do their best work — but their life’s work. For members of your team, you determine what their inner voice says. The leader, at least a good one, teaches the team how to talk to themselves. An effective leader has a profound influence on what that inner voice will say.” In quantifying and implementing your own version of the Standard of Performance, the following guidelines are a good reference point: There are several lessons we can learn from The Score Takes Care of Itself. Here is the list of thoughts that had a great influence on me and potentially can be valuable to you:Walsh’s success, first as offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, then as head coach/GM of the San Francisco 49ers, makes any lessons and in Next-level thinking: One of the most often mentioned comments about Bill Walsh from his players was that he forced them to think on another level. He expected players to coach their teammates, help their fellow players in the same position and think about the long-term. He elevated the performance of players, the culture of the organization, and the later career of his players (several of his players became NFL coaches). Meanwhile, Zenefits literally doubled their sales plan halfway through the year just to see how the thought exercise might push them (and it worked!). Pursuing your ambitions, especially those of any magnitude, can be grueling and hazardous, and produce agonizing failure along the way, but achieving those goals is among life’s most gratifying and thrilling experiences. The ability to survive and overcome the former to attain the latter is a fundamental difference between winners and losers.

Bill is known for inventing something called the “West Coast Offense” — a playing style that arose from having an unconventional team not well-suited to run a traditional playbook. Be clarion clear in communicating your expectation of high effort and execution of your Standard of Performance. Like water, many decent individuals will seek lower ground if left to their own inclinations. In most cases you are the one who inspires and demands they go upward rather than settle for the comfort of doing what comes easily. Push them beyond their comfort zone; expect them to give extra effort.Michael Ovitz, a top talent agent in Hollywood for many years and later president of the Walt Disney Company, recognised the link between scripting and success: “Every detail is important. Where do you have a meeting? What is the surrounding environment? People who don’t think about these things have a harder time in business. It’s got to be the right place. It’s got to be the right colour. It’s got to be the right choice. Everything has to be strategised. You have to know where you’re going to come out before you go in. Otherwise you lose.” Are you setting the right example for the culture you want your team to have? Do you have the courage to remove those that undermine or oppose your culture so everyone can move in unison? Deal appropriately with victory and defeat, adulation and humiliation (don’t get crazy with victory nor dysfunctional with loss)

Be fair; demonstrate character; honor the direct connection between details and improvement, and relentlessly seek the latter; show self-control, especially where it counts most—under pressure;

A leader succeeds by meticulous planning and not by hoping for a surprise (though the execution appears as a surprise to outside observers). The guy seems like he had a good heart and was tough but fair and made sure people did things the way he felt it could work. Be wary of titles (“genius” in the case of Bill Walsh), they haunt you later when performance goes down. The Score Takes Care of Itself is not about football. It’s about how to treat people right. How to get the best out of the people around you. How to be a highly effective leader. I am thankful that this book about Bill Walsh’s leadership point of view is now available to inspire countless leaders to come.”