Bo's Lasting Lessons : The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership

There are very few coaches held higher esteem than Bo Schembechler. As coach of the University of Michigan football team, he won 13 Big Ten titles and finished as the winningest coach in their storied history. But beyond the wins and losses, Bo is best remembered for the remarkable impact he had on his players and fans alike.In BO'S LASTING LESSONS, the coach draws on his years of experience, using first-person anecdotes to deliver timeless lessons on leadership, motivation and responsibility. His distinctive gruff voice leaps from the page. With pithy language, Bo explains that true leadership requires the compassion to actively listen to your people, and then to have the courage to do what is right every time. A big believer in peer pressure and in always making his players accountable for their actions, Schembechler has coached athletes who went on to become professional football players, doctors, lawyers and CEOs. Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Foreword 10 Introduction 16 I: Prepare to Lead 20 1: You Better Start withYour Heart 22 2: Seek Mentors, Not Money 26 3: Wait for the Right Opportunity 37 II: Take Charge 44 4: Throw a Bucket of Cold Water 46 5: Respect Your History 69 6: Do the Right Thing—Always 76 7: Lay Down Your Laws 84 8: Set Goals That Get Results 99 III: Build Your Team 106 9: Hire People Who Want to Work for You 108 10: Get the Most Out of Your Staff 117 11: Recruit for Character 127 12: Develop Leaders Underneath You 134 13: Scuttle the Star System 141 14: Motivate the Middle Men 147 15: Give ’Em a Chance 157 16: Give Everyone a Role, and Make It Important 170 17: If You Must Fire, Fire Fast 180 18: Promote the Will to Prepare 184 IV: Fix People Problems Fast 196 19: Listen Before You Lead 198 20: Know Your People 208 21: Don’t Sleep on It, and Don’t Hold Grudges 212 V: Meet the Moment of Truth 224 22: Break ’Em Down and Build ’Em Up 226 23: Emphasize Execution, Not Innovation 236 24: Scrap Your Script 243 25: Make Adjustments on Facts, Not Pride 248 26: Turn Mistakes into Momentum 254 27: Stay Focused Under Fire 260 VI: Face the Facts and Ignore the Rest 268 28: Rebuild with the Basics 270 29: Ignore Your Critics 282 VII: Overtime 288 30: Loyalty Counts 290 31: Know When to Leave, and How 304 32: If I Could Have One More Week 313 Epilogue 316 Reflections 320 Acknowledgments 334 Index 338 There are very few coaches held higher esteem than Bo Schembechler. As coach of the University of Michigan football team, he won 13 Big Ten titles and finished as the winningest coach in their storied history. But beyond the wins and losses, Bo is best remembered for the remarkable impact he had on his players and fans alike. In Bo's Lasting Lessons, the coach draws on his years of experience, using first-person anecdotes to deliver timeless lessons on leadership, motivation and responsibility. His distinctive gruff voice leaps from the page. With pithy language, Bo explains that true leadership requires the compassion to actively listen to your people, and then to have the courage to do what is right every time. A big believer in peer pressure and in always making his players accountable for their actions, Schembechler has coached athletes who went on to become professional football players, doctors, lawyers and CEOs. Features leadership principles from the late head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team, covering topics such as communication, setting goals, motivating others, and staying focused under pressure.