Learning to Lead Like Bo!

by William Cowles

I’ve had several encounters with high-profile leaders over the years. As I’ve traveled, I’ve bumped into a wide variety of politicians, entertainers, sports stars, megachurch pastors, and corporate captains. And, for the most part, I’ve been impressed with the positive attitudes and behaviors of the celebrity leaders I’ve been privileged to meet.

So, I wasn’t terribly star-struck or intimidated to see University of Wisconsin Men’s basketball Coach Bo Ryan* sitting in our waiting area in Chicago’s O’Hare airport – at least until my memory banks started replaying some old tapes. If you’ve watched Coach Ryan lead his Badgers in person or on TV, you know he comes off as an intense, demanding, in-your-face coach. He’s highly animated on the sideline, and never seems happy with anybody about anything during a game. He appears to lead his team of scholar athletes (or over-privileged prima donnas, depending upon your view of the state of college athletics) with fear and intimidation. In the heat of action, he looks like a menacing madman – like someone you wouldn’t dare interrupt for a photo op.

But, I quelled my fear and asked Coach for a photo to give to my mega-Badger-fan friend back home. A photo of his hero, the legendary Coach Ryan, would mean a lot to my friend, even if I walked away wounded! Well, Coach Ryan turned out to be as warm, friendly, and humble as any leader – celebrity or not – could be. He seemed genuinely interested in knowing more about me, than I wanted to know from him. Not at all what I’d expect from the image I had before.

Now, is it easy for an accomplished professional to put on a good PR show? Of course. But, after spending some time among Coach Ryan’s followers, I was reminded that leaders are most clearly defined by their followers, and that’s true of teams, churches, companies, and volunteer organizations. The leadership we see in public – on the stage, in the pulpit, or on the court – might not be the true picture.

I got a good lesson on Coach Ryan’s authentic leadership style and its impact by simply observing, listening, and talking to his team and staff. I sat among them as we all waited for a delayed flight, and walked with them on the plane and through Canadian Customs. I made it a point to eavesdrop on their conversations and evaluate their behaviors. Hey, it was research, not snooping!

My research turned up some truths about Coach Ryan’s leadership that are signs of good leadership anywhere. These apply to all of us because everyone is in the leadership game as leaders and followers. Here’s what I observed about Coach Ryan’s leadership playbook based on what I experienced with his followers:

• Self-confidence doesn’t swagger. These are big kids performing on a big stage, but you’d have never noticed them if it hadn’t been for their UW warm-ups. They didn’t strut in a pack. They wandered in a few at a time. They blended in rather than trying to stand out. They were impressively at ease with themselves and each other.
• Self-respect respects others. There was no special team seating in the airport lounge – no reserved spaces for the big shots. The team and staff sat where they could among the rest of the passengers. When they had to step over someone, they said, “Excuse me” and “Thank you.” They smiled and chatted with the other passengers. They were quiet in their conversations and movements.
• Character counts. When I complimented one of the assistant coaches on the professional demeanor of the team, he told me, “We don’t recruit knuckleheads.” Clearly, they know what is expected of them by their leaders, and they live up to those expectations. These are guys you’d invite into your home.
• When you want people to be comfortable with you, be comfortable with yourself. As we boarded the small express jet plane, it was apparent that not a single basketball player could stand up straight in the aisle. Trudging along in line, heads bowed and shoulders stooped, they looked like Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs going to work in the mines! And they knew it and were cracking jokes about it the whole way. No whining about the uncomfortable conditions. No making excuses about how sore and tired they’d be from the small aisles and seats. They made everyone else comfortable by making the best of the conditions they were in.
• Good chemistry can’t be faked. These guys like each other. You couldn’t tell who the team’s stars were. There was no apparent class system of upper- and lower-classmen, even though this is a freshmen-loaded team. And they enjoy the company of their coaches, trainers, assistants, and the parents and fans who travel with them. Positive camaraderie was evident everywhere – sharing downloaded apps and games on their Smartphones; teasing coaches about funny Tweets; calling out each other for goofy things said or done. Kids having a good time with people they liked. How do leaders create good chemistry? See the previous bullet points.
• Leaders grow leaders. There is no doubt that these young men have a high chance of becoming great leaders, players, businessmen, coaches, husbands, fathers, and citizens because Bo Ryan invests in them. Because he models the right way to lead.

Just as the University of Wisconsin Men’s Basketball team displayed what it looks like to be well led, so will “followers” in our churches, neighborhoods, businesses, and homes reflect our authentic leadership styles. We could do well to lead like Bo. Thanks for the leadership lessons, Coach Ryan, from a new fan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Bo Ryan has posted 268 wins at Wisconsin and is the winningest coach in school history. He has led the Badgers to eleven NCAA Tournaments; at the end of the 2011-12 season Ryan had a .726 winning percentage at Wisconsin. He has a .761 career winning percentage. Among coaches with 500 career wins his percentage ranks second only to North Carolina coach Roy Williams. In Big Ten Conference play Ryan has a .710 winning percentage. That ranks first all time among Big Ten coaches with at least five years of experience. [Source: Wikipedia]

Ryan has always valued the importance of academic success. During his 11 years at Wisconsin, the Badger men's basketball team has routinely posted a cumulative grade point average between 2.9 and 3.1, including a high of 3.04 in the fall of 2008. On his watch, UW has boasted 39 Academic All-Big Ten honors, a figure that ranks second in the Big Ten (Purdue 46). [Source: uwbadgers.com]