black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

By instinct we-leaders-want to run hard all the time; by intellect we know this is not possible. Reconciling those two positions in the context of leadership is an ongoing challenge.

Bill Walsh

Failure is part of success, an integral part. Everybody gets knocked down. Knowing it will happen and what you must do when it does is the first step back.
BILL WALSH

Country Doe Game Knowing Player
If you don’t have these feelings, I do not know how you can lead anyone. I have spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out how I was going to phase out certain players for whom I had strong feelings, but that was my job. I wasn’t hired to do anything but win.
BILL WALSH

Coaches Feeling Game Jon Know Player Win
Everybody’s got an opinion. Leaders are paid to make a decision. The difference between offering an opinion and making a decision is the difference between working for the leader and being the leader.
BILL WALSH

Difference Offering Opinion Leader
If you see players who hate practice, their coach isn’t doing a very good job.
BILL WALSH

Hate Jobs Player
We all know gifs are pronounced “jifs,” right? Their creator says so, damn it!
BILL WALSH

Creator Damn Knows
The proper use of commas is often more art than science.
BILL WALSH

Art More Science Use
You can only succeed when people are communicating, not just from the top down, but in complete interchange. Communication comes from fighting off my ego and listening.
BILL WALSH

Communication Fighting Sports
These are all negative manifestations of ego, and if you are not alert to them, you get diverted and your work becomes diffused. Ego in these cases makes people insensitive to how they work with others and it ends up interfering with the real goal of any group efforts.
BILL WALSH

Diffuse Diverted Ego Insensitive Manifestations
Everybody isn’t everybody.
BILL WALSH

Everbody Everybody Game
In evaluating people, I prize ego. It often translates into a fierce desire to do their best and an inner confidence that stands them in good stead when things really get rough.
BILL WALSH

Confidence Desire Fierce Rough Translate
Use all your knowledge to get their first. Set the trend and make the competition counter you
BILL WALSH

All Knowledge Competition Use
A burro is an ass. A burrow is a hole in the ground. As a journalist you are expected to know the difference.
BILL WALSH

Differences Editing Writing
A harsh reality of newspaper editing is that the deadlines don’t allow for the polish that you expect in books or even magazines
BILL WALSH

Books Magazines Reality Sports
You can make a point without being personal. Don’t insult or belittle your people. Instead of getting more out of them you will get less
BILL WALSH

Belittle Getting Lesa More People
I have a sense of humor. I usually come off as very serious, but I definitely have a dry sense of humor.
BILL WALSH

Dry Humor Sense Serious
By instinct we-leaders-want to run hard all the time; by intellect we know this is not possible. Reconciling those two positions in the context of leadership is an ongoing challenge.
BILL WALSH

Leader Possible Running Time Two
On occasion I omit commas. On occasion, I use them. (The more you know about English, the less you’re likely to think there are unbreakable “rules” for a lot of these things.)
BILL WALSH

Knows Thinking Unbreakable
The culture precedes positive results. It doesn’t get tacked on as an afterthought on your way to the victory stand. Champions behave like champions before they’re champions: they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners.
BILL WALSH

Champion Country Game Player Winning
There has to be a very acute awareness on your part as to the level of exertion and the toll it’s taking on those you lead.
BILL WALSH

Awareness Lead Part Talking
Before you can win the fight, You’ve got to be in the fight.
BILL WALSH

Country Fighting Game Player Winning
Your attitude will unlock the mystery of success you seek!
BILL WALSH

Attitude Mystery Sucess
The absolute bottom line in coaching is organization and preparing for practice.
BILL WALSH

Absolute Organization Practice
Absorbing and overcoming this kind of punishment engenders a sober, steely toughness that results in a hardened sense of independence and a personal belief that you can take on anything, survive and win.
BILL WALSH

Absorbing Altogether Anything Lose Reinforcement
“Extra effort,” in whatever form it takes (mental, physical, emotional), cannot be sustained without eventual damage and diminishing returns.
BILL WALSH

Damage Effort Emotional Physical Tolls
As the leader, part of the job is to be visible and willing to communicate with everyone
BILL WALSH

Coaching Jobs Leader
I often think about the class differences involved in “jobs” vs. “careers.”
BILL WALSH

Class Jobs Thinking
For me the starting point for everything – before strategy, tactics, theories, managing, organizing, philosophy, methodology, talent, or experience – is work ethic. Without one of significant magnitude, you’re dead in the water.
BILL WALSH

Ethics Philosophy Water Work

By instinct we-leaders-want to run hard all the time; by intellect we know this is not possible. Reconciling those two positions in the context of leadership is an ongoing challenge.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

By instinct we-leaders-want to run hard all the time; by intellect we know this is not possible. Reconciling those two positions in the context of leadership is an ongoing challenge.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Bill Walsh Quotes