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The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership Paperback – June 29, 2010
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Bill Walsh is a towering figure in the history of the NFL. His advanced leadership transformed the San Francisco 49ers from the worst franchise in sports to a legendary dynasty. In the process, he changed the way football is played.
Prior to his death, Walsh granted a series of exclusive interviews to bestselling author Steve Jamison. These became his ultimate lecture on leadership.
Additional insights and perspective are provided by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and others.
Bill Walsh taught that the requirements of successful leadership are the same whether you run an NFL franchise, a fortune 500 company, or a hardware store with 12 employees. These final words of 'wisdom by Walsh' will inspire, inform, and enlighten leaders in all professions.
- Print length288 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPortfolio
- Publication dateJune 29, 2010
- Dimensions5.42 x 0.77 x 8.35 inches
- ISBN-101591843472
- ISBN-13978-1591843474
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Editorial Reviews
Review
-Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL
"The Score Takes Care of Itself is a leadership classic-a magnificent step-by-step tutorial on how to achieve success. It is practical, profound, and perfect for today's ultracompetitive business environment. Indispensable reading."
-Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic and author of What Are You Living For?
"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."
-Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager(r) and Leading at a Higher Level
"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."
-John F. Milligan, Ph.D., president and COO of Gilead Sciences, Inc.
About the Author
Steve Jamison is America's foremost author and authority on the life and leadership of UCLA icon John Wooden, who is often cited as the greatest coach of the twentieth century. Together they collaborated on nine popular publications, including Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court. Mr. Jamison has also written books with other famous coaches, such as football’s Bill Walsh and tennis legend Brad Gilbert. In addition to his publishing and producing career, he is a popular speaker as well as executive producer of the John R. Wooden Leadership Course.
Craig Walsh is the executive director of Santa Clara’s Healthy Kids program and a former marketing executive for the San Francisco 49ers. He is the son of legendary football coach Bill Walsh.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
When I give a speech at a corporate event, I often ask those in attendance,“Do you know how to tell if you’re doing the job?” As heads start whisperingback and forth, I provide these clues: “If you’re up at 3 A.M. every nighttalking into a tape recorder and writing notes on scraps of paper, have aknot in your stomach and a rash on your skin, are losing sleep and losingtouch with your wife and kids, have no appetite or sense of humor, andfeel that everything might turn out wrong, then you’re probably doingthe job.”
This always gets a laugh, but not a very big one. Those executives in theaudience recognize there is a significant price to pay to be the best. Thatprice is not something they laugh at.
Coaches Aren’t Supposed to Cry:
Survive One Minute at a Time
In my second year as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, we were preparingto play the defending AFC East champions, Don Shula’s powerfulMiami Dolphins, a team that was formidable, especially at home in theOrange Bowl.
The showdown came in week eleven of our schedule and at theworst possible moment for me because after a great start to my second season— three straight wins against the New Orleans Saints, St. LouisCardinals, and New York Jets—we had lost seven consecutive games.Our year was imploding. (The previous season, my first as head coach, ourrecord had been 2–14, which meant that since I had taken over leadershipof the 49ers we had won five games and lost twenty- one, the worst recordin the NFL.)
A loss to Miami on Sunday would be our eighth in a row and likelyhave enormous consequences, including the possibility of my being terminatedor at least being put on a “death watch” by the media— an unofficiallame duck and powerless coach.
Conversely, I recognized that a victory against the Dolphins wouldstop the hemorrhaging and provide hope for salvaging the last part of ourseason, which, in turn, could have a positive impact on the following year.Huge stakes were on the table. I was somewhat hopeful, perhaps evenoptimistic.
Nevertheless, the professional and personal magnitude of the upcomingMiami–San Francisco game clouded the entire week’s practice for meand created a brittleness in my behavior that was out of character. I wasbrusque, short-tempered, and not as tuned in as I should have been.
The game itself— played in suffocating Florida heat and humidity—turned into a bruising battle in front of over seventy-five thousand screamingDolphin fans who had packed themselves into the stadium. For the49ers it was like going to a wild party to which you are uninvited andunwelcome— everybody tries to throw you out the window.
Miami’s tropical sun had pushed daytime temperatures into the nineties,and dusk didn’t bring them down. In fact, the heat seemed to getworse, as if we were playing in a swamp, trying to move in quicksand.None of this appeared to affect Coach Shula’s team. They built an earlylead and held onto it throughout the game. It seemed evident that we wereheaded for our eighth straight defeat— a potentially disastrous event.
However, with time running down— less than two minutesremaining— 49er kicker Ray Wersching, perhaps the league’s best fieldgoal specialist, calmly nailed a winner to get us within a point: 17–16.Immediately, the entire San Francisco bench leaped up, pumping theirfists and yelling wildly. You could feel this huge surge in momentum erupt. Unfortunately, it was a short- lived surge; our field goal did not count. Tomy dismay, a holding penalty was called against us and the score was nullified. Quickly, I again nodded at Ray, who strapped on his helmet, trottedout, and calmly kicked another field goal from five yards farther back.Again, raucous cheers erupted on our bench, but immediately another flagwas thrown and another penalty called against us.
Now the line of scrimmage put us out of field-goal range and forced usinto a passing situation; we needed a first down to retain possession of theball. Quickly, we completed a pass that gave us just enough yards to pickup the first down. The 49ers had survived for the moment, stayed alive. Orso it seemed.
As I watched in disbelief, a linesman raced in and gave Miami a spotso friendly it could have gotten him elected to local public office. Ourdrive had been stopped three times in a row under increasingly outrageouscircumstances. What made it maddening was that Shula had been beratingofficials throughout the game whenever they made a call against theDolphins. This seemed to be his reward— a spot he had to love and twopenalties against us on the previous plays. As bad as the 49er season hadbecome, nothing this agonizing and damaging had happened to us before.And the crowd loved it.
Sensing the imminent kill, fans went into a stadium- wide uproar as wesilently turned the ball back to Miami— the game essentially over as theDolphins extended our losing streak to eight games with their 17–13 victory.The pain of that loss haunts me even now as I think about those finalseconds ticking off the clock.
It was a horrible and numbing defeat, overwhelming for me becauseof its potential impact— a job I had worked for my entire adult life wasin jeopardy— but also because of the stupid, self-inflicted, almost suicidalway in which we lost. As the crowd roared its approval and Miami playersand fans swarmed over the field, I stood alone on the sideline in a cocoonof grief, emotionally gutted, wondering if I had the strength to even getback to our locker room.
Unless you’ve experienced this type of emotional shock and the bleakinterior landscape it creates, it’s hard to comprehend the impact. Thememory never leaves you and acts as both a positive and negative force, spurring you to work harder and harder while also creating a fear insidethat it might happen again. (For me, that fear eventually became morethan I could handle.)
Now Shula trotted briskly across the field to shake hands and offer afew perfunctory words of condolence. I have no clue as to what he said,but even though I was in some state of shock, instincts took over. I offeredmy hand; he shook it, shouted something in my ear, and disappeared backinto the public pandemonium and celebration at midfield.
The next few hours— until we got out of the stadium complex andarrived at the Miami airport— remain a blur. I can’t remember what, ifanything, I said to the players and coaches in the locker room or reportersin the press room. Probably I was on some kind of automatic pilot andexperiencing what victims of violence go through when they blot out thememory of the assault.
While the moments immediately following that game are missing inmy mind, the long trip home is vivid. Coaches aren’t supposed to cry, butI’m not ashamed to admit that on the night flight back to San FranciscoI sat in my seat in the first row of the plane and broke down sobbing inthe darkness. I felt like a casualty of war being airlifted away from thebattlefield.
Bill McPherson, Neal Dahlen, John McVay, Norb Hecker, and some ofthe other San Francisco assistant coaches and staff understood the grief Iwas experiencing and shielded me from any players who might come intothe area— they huddled around my seat, blocking off view of me, whilemaking small talk and eating peanuts, acting like we were all involved inthe conversation.
Believe me, I was not participating in whatever it was they said or eatingpeanuts as I slumped down, depressed, in my dark little space, contemplatingwhether I should offer my resignation. Most debilitating ofall— devastating— was a gnawing fear that I didn’t have what it takes tobe an NFL head coach. At one point I actually decided to hand in my resignationthe next morning; then I changed my mind.
I have tried to describe my anguish, but the words come up short.Everything I had dreamed of professionally for a quarter of a century wasin jeopardy just eighteen months after being realized. And yet there wassomething else going on inside me, a “voice” from down deeper than theemotions, something stirring that I had learned over many years in footballand, before that, growing up; namely, I must stand and fight again,stand and fight or it was all over.
And that was the instinct that slowly prevailed as we headed home inthe middle of a very dark night. I knew that in a matter of seven days theNew York Giants were coming to town with the sole intent of making surethat neither I nor the San Francisco 49ers would stand and fight again.In my mind— or gut— and in spite of the pain, I knew I had to forcemyself to somehow start looking ahead— to overcome my grief over thedebacle in Miami— or it would severely damage our efforts to prepare properlyfor the battle with New York; my comportment would directly affectthe attitudes and performance of everyone who looked to me for answersand direction. I had to do what I was being paid to do: be a leader.
I wish I could tell you that’s what happened— that I simply turned aswitch and was magically transformed from an emotional basket case intoan invincible field general. It wasn’t that way. It took time for me to stopdespairing and regain some composure, to settle down and start thinkingstraight, but gradually, during those hard hours on the flight back toCalifornia, I began pulling myself together.
In the NFL events occur— hit you— at supersonic speeds with volcanicforce during the regular season. There aren’t months or weeks to recover,not even days. Usually only hours or minutes. While you’re throwing awolf out the back door, another is banging on your front door and twomore are trying to crawl through the windows. I could hear the New YorkGiants at our front door.
I can say with some pride that by the time we landed at San FranciscoInternational Airport at 3:15 A.M. after a six- hour flight, I had pulledmyself out of the hopelessness and begun working on the strategy wewould employ against the Giants when they arrived in a week. I was wobblybut back up on my feet again. I even ate a couple of bags of peanutsand drank some orange juice.
Those awful feelings brought on by the events in Miami were in retreatbecause I was able to summon strength enough to pull my focus, my thinking,out of the past and move it forward to our next big problem. It doestake strength to shift your attention off the pain when you feel as thoughyour soul has been stripped bare.
At times like that I would think back to my days as an amateur boxer,when I’d see a guy knocked fl at on his back and then awkwardly struggleto one shaky knee. Everything is blurry, his balance is gone, consciousnessis tenuous, he’s bleeding and bruised, but as bad as things are there is onemessage he hears ringing inside his head: “Stand up, boy; stand up andfight.” I know because as a young man I was that boxer.
NFL football is no different from any professional endeavor, boxingor business or anything where the stakes are significant and the competitionextreme: When knocked down, you must get up; you must stand andfight.
When the inevitable setback, loss, failure, or defeat comes crashingdown on you— losing a big sale, being passed over for a career- makingpromotion, even getting fired— allow yourself the “grieving time,” butthen recognize that the road to recovery and victory lies in having thestrength to get up off the mat and start planning your next move.
This is how you must think if you want to win. Otherwise youhave lost.
For me, on that flight back home after the Miami loss, it meant workingone minute at a time— literally— to regain composure, confidence,and direction.
Failure is part of success, an integral part. Everybody gets knockeddown. Knowing it will happen and what you must do when it does is thefirst step back. It’s what got me up after being knocked down and almostout in Miami. I knew I had to stand and start facing the imminent challengeof a battle with the New York Giants.
One other thing about that upcoming game: On Sunday we defeatedthe Giants 12–0 at Candlestick Park and regained a little equilibrium,even momentum. A week later we beat New England 21–17; the next weekthe 49ers engineered one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history. Trailingat the half, 35–7, we defeated New Orleans in overtime, 38–35.
In fact, in spite of losing to the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills in ourlast two games to finish with a 6–10 record, the worst was over. Unbeknownstto me, we had hit rock bottom against the Dolphins. Sixteenmonths after I spent part of a transcontinental flight experiencing an emotionalmeltdown, the San Francisco 49ers became world champions, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 26–21 at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan,in Super Bowl XVI. In fact, a football dynasty was in the works.
During the ensuing fourteen years, the San Francisco 49ers won fiveSuper Bowls. It happened only because at the moment of deepest despair Ihad the strength to stand and confront the future instead of wallowing inthe past. Many can’t summon the strength; they can’t get up; their fight isover. Victory goes to another, a stronger competitor.
Competition at the highest level in sports or business producesgut-ripping setbacks. When you’re fighting for your survival professionally,struggling when virtually no one else knows or cares, and there’snobody to bail you out, that’s when you might remind yourself of my owndark night of despair.
When you stand and overcome a significant setback, you’ll find anincreasing inner confidence and self- assurance that has been created by conqueringdefeat. Absorbing and overcoming this kind of punishment engendersa sober, steely toughness that results in a hardened sense of independenceand a personal belief that you can take on anything, survive and win.
The competitor who won’t go away, who won’t stay down, has one ofthe most formidable competitive advantages of all. When the worst happens,as it did to me, I was helped by knowing what it took to be that kindof competitor— to not go away, to get up and fight back.
The Miami game was not the last time I faced a grim situation as headcoach, but when downturns occurred during the upcoming years, I triedto adhere to some simple dos and don’ts for mental and emotional equilibriumin my personal and professional life; nothing profound, just a fewplain and uncomplicated reminders that helped me manage things mentallyand stay afloat:
My Five Dos for Getting Back into the Game:
- Do expect defeat. It’s a given when the stakes are high andthe competition is working ferociously to beat you. If you’resurprised when it happens, you’re dreaming; dreamers don’tlast long.
- Do force yourself to stop looking backward and dwellingon the professional “train wreck” you have just been in.It’s mental quicksand.
- Do allow yourself appropriate recovery— grieving— time.You’ve been knocked senseless; give yourself a little time torecuperate. A keyword here is “little.” Don’t let it drag on.
- Do tell yourself, “I am going to stand and fight again,”with the knowledge that often when things are at theirworst you’re closer than you can imagine to success. OurSuper Bowl victory arrived less than sixteen months after my“train wreck” in Miami.
- Do begin planning for your next serious encounter. Thesmallest steps— plans— move you forward on the road torecovery. Focus on the fix.
My Five Don’ts:
- Don’t ask, “Why me?”
- Don’t expect sympathy.
- Don’t bellyache.
- Don’t keep accepting condolences.
- Don’t blame others.
Product details
- Publisher : Portfolio (June 29, 2010)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1591843472
- ISBN-13 : 978-1591843474
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.42 x 0.77 x 8.35 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #6,488 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Football Biographies (Books)
- #2 in Football Coaching (Books)
- #128 in Leadership & Motivation
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
William Ernest Walsh (November 30, 1931 – July 30, 2007) was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and the Stanford Cardinal football team, during which time he popularized the West Coast offense. After retiring from the 49ers, Walsh worked as a sports broadcaster for several years and then returned as head coach at Stanford for three seasons.
Walsh went 102–63–1 with the 49ers, winning 10 of his 14 postseason games along with six division titles, three NFC Championship titles, and three Super Bowls. He was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1984. In 1993, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by en:User:Sjsualum (en:Image:Walsh and tomey.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Congratulations Coach Wooden and Steve Jamison. WOODEN ON LEADERSHIP (McGraw-Hill) voted among Top 25 Leadership Books of All Time!
Steve Jamison is a best-selling author and America's foremost authority on the life and leadership of UCLA Coach John Wooden, often cited as the greatest coach of the 20th century (ten March Madness national championships). Together they wrote WOODEN ON LEADERSHIP (McGraw-Hill), a Wall Street Journal best-seller.
They also collaborated on eight additional publications including WOODEN: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections; My Personal Best: Life Lessons From an All-American Journey; The Essential Wooden, and more.
Their children's book, INCH and MILES: The Journey To Success (Perfection Learning), brings Coach Wooden's message of how to be the best you can be to kids of all ages.
Mr. Jamison is also executive producer of the award-winning PBS presentation JOHN WOODEN: Values, Victory, and Peace of Mind, and a consultant to the UCLA/Anderson John Wooden Global Leadership Program.
He has also collaborated with other coaching icons including Bill Walsh, former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers whose dynasty won 5 Super Bowl championships (THE SCORE TAKES CARE OF ITSELF: My Lessons in Leadership ); and tennis coaching legend and ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert with whom he wrote WINNING UGLY: Mental Warfare in Tennis, the most popular tennis instruction book of the 21st century and includes a special chapter by Andre Agassi.
In addition to his publishing and producing career, Mr. Jamison is a popular speaker as well as Executive Producer of The John Wooden Leadership Course. He is currently writing a book about his years working with Coach Wooden and the lessons he learned from the legend.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book well-organized and easy to read. They appreciate the systematic approach and simple, intuitive guidelines. The author's honest portrayal of the human side is appreciated. The book provides practical advice on performance that can be applied to a variety of professions.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the stories in the book. They find the stories vivid and enjoyable, especially the football ones. The book is based on real-life experiences and provides actionable advice. Readers appreciate the honest and direct approach to the concepts presented clearly.
"...The book itself is full of anecdotes and enough insights into Bill Walsh's football career to make the book interesting and usually informative for..." Read more
"...book for anyone who is a coach or business leader as you see a very honest a fine example of what goes into the habit and outcome of excellence..." Read more
"...Is is also very direct and candid about the people around him. He doesn't hold back his praise or criticism of anybody, including himself...." Read more
"...I have pages of notes and especially enjoyed the football stories as a long-time 49ers fan (although you don't have to be one to like the book)...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's organization. They find it well-structured, with a systematic approach and vivid storytelling. The book provides a structure for those who lead teams and organizational cultures. It includes lists on what makes a successful team and is formatted into separate lessons about leadership.
"Bill Walsh was a very complex, yet interesting man. He tells others when he made mistakes, was a workaholic, but it also tells where he gets it from...." Read more
"...Great lessons of how to build a great organization. As well as lessons of human nature...." Read more
"...It’s not broken into a traditional chapter structure however. More of a continuous strain of Walsh’s thoughts about leadership and its components...." Read more
"Well organized book, had some great lessons. It also revealed the difficulties an icon went through and how to avoid some of the issues he faced." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-researched. They appreciate the author's unique way of writing short chapters that get to the point quickly. The book is written as an encomium but doesn't completely gloss over flaws.
"...and who closely followed the 49ers in the 1980s, the book is a fun, easy read...." Read more
"...The author is great and telling a story, packing in a lot of information and showing the human side to Bill Walsh...." Read more
"...Long read but excellent book." Read more
"The unique way of writing short chapters that directly get to the point is really right up my alley...." Read more
Customers find the book provides practical guidelines with a down-to-earth and approachable approach. They appreciate the simple, intuitive points and quotes that can be applied to business organizations and educational institutions. The book helps build an assembly line for coaches.
"...camp, close to the summit: As a coach, this book will help you build the assembly line. The quality car (and football team) will follow:..." Read more
"The one thing I most like about this book is how Walsh continually talks about preparation...." Read more
"...The specifics of building a team were great. One of the best leadership books that I've read." Read more
"...The points in the book are simple and there are a tremendous amount of quotes that can be applied to all fields, not just running a professional..." Read more
Customers find the book relatable and honest. They appreciate that it shows Bill Walsh's personal side and emotions. The book provides great insight into his professional plan for success.
"...The human side is very honest as well as it touches the coaches life in winning, losing, leading, coaching, family and brines of depression...." Read more
"Bill Walsh was a very complex, yet interesting man. He tells others when he made mistakes, was a workaholic, but it also tells where he gets it from...." Read more
"...is and was Bill Walsh just reiterated his amazing teaching, coaching, passion, knowledge for treating his players and so much, to respect and admire..." Read more
"It's a very confessional book and in that way very beautiful...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for setting a purposeful standard and achieving excellence. They appreciate the details required to excel, like dedication, hard work, and sacrifice. The book provides insights into the mind of a successful coach.
"...This is about showing the insane dedication, work, and sacrifice it takes to excel at what you do...." Read more
"...I must state that this book is chock full of the details required to achieve excellence in yourself and in your subordinates" Read more
"...Walsh came to work each day with a sense of purpose, Standard of Performance, and knew (and expected) exactly what he wanted from his organization...." Read more
"Excellent insight into the mind of a very successful coach. A must read for managers of any business because the concepts are 100% transferrable...." Read more
Customers find the book applicable to a variety of professions and walks of life. They appreciate the straightforward language and use of quotes that can be applied to all fields, not just running a professional.
"...leadership approach to football is straightforward and applicable to a variety of professions...." Read more
"...are simple and there are a tremendous amount of quotes that can be applied to all fields, not just running a professional team." Read more
"Great Leadership audiobook that can be applied to a variety of walks of life......" Read more
Customers appreciate the author's focus. They say he has a clear vision and leads with excellence.
"...perspective on Transforming a toxic culture, how to lead with clarity, vision and and unwavering excellence in you do...." Read more
"...of meeting Coach Walsh on multiple occasions, and was always impressed by the focus he maintained on the person he was speaking with...." Read more
"...most of our world, (planning, personality, perspectives) open the eyes to a bigger, maybe not a better world, to get a glimpse of...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024I read every day. I love to read. I love reading books that touch my soul. Today, I finished one of those books: “The Score Takes Care of Itself, My Philosophy of Leadership by the late Bill Walsh with Steve Jamison & Craig Walsh. A phenomenal read!!
I love football (life long Cowboys fan) and I remember Coach Walsh beginning his time in San Fran and the infamous catch. This book gave me perspective on Transforming a toxic culture, how to lead with clarity, vision and and unwavering excellence in you do. I felt the conviction and sadness of a Master of his craft battle desperately trying to be honored by his peers who did not understand how far ahead of his time he was. The NFL of today owes Coach Walsh a debt of gratitude because his offense.
He also revealed that every coach, executive “pushes themselves to the brink and beyond, often have no support system and become isolated from family, friends, and normal interactions.” His story teaches me to be a better life and leadership coach and to be a part of that “support system” leaders can turn to.
Coach Walsh, your legacy lives on. Thank you.
NFL fan? Read this book. Leader of an organization or team? Read this book. Feeling burned out as a leader? Read this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024The book packs all the key pieces of knowledge about leadership Walsh gained over his 30+ years coaching. The lessons in this book are not only useful for coaches but anyone in a leadership position. It’s not broken into a traditional chapter structure however. More of a continuous strain of Walsh’s thoughts about leadership and its components. Would highly recommend.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2023I understand it's difficult for Bill Walsh's son to write a novel that comprises mostly his own father's unfinished book. The book itself is full of anecdotes and enough insights into Bill Walsh's football career to make the book interesting and usually informative for running operations. The fault that I find is that there does not seem to be any real logical construction. There is no consistent theory or approach under which to place his stories or anecdotes. Instead, the book comprises a long list of 1-3-5 page snippets of how Bill Walsh ran his organization. Perhaps that organization makes for a good bathroom reader, but for someone trying to decipher a methodology or formula, well, the structure is simply lacking.
As someone who has been involved in management and who closely followed the 49ers in the 1980s, the book is a fun, easy read. If you're looking for a guide to good management, there are some suggest embedded in the book, but you'll have to make your own cohesive theory and approach to bring it all together.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2024My manager recommended this book as a guide to leadership. I am so thankful! So many lessons learned from Bill Walsh that I will be able to apply to my career and my personal life. Highly recommended!!!
- Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2012Great insights into the ideas that took Bill Walsh to the pinnacle of the coaching profession and the stressors that wore him down. The "Score Takes Care of Itself" relates to Walsh's "Standard of Performance" and the idea that if you have a consistently high quality process that you will produce a high quality product. You will always be in the base camp, close to the summit: As a coach, this book will help you build the assembly line. The quality car (and football team) will follow:
Bill Walsh on the Standard of Performance:
* Culture precedes positive results. It doesn't get tacked on as an afterthought on the way to the victory stand. Champions behave like champions before they are champions.
* The exceptional assembly line comes before the quality car - strive to make your assembly line better and better.
* All we can do is increase the probability of success. Do it by intelligently and relentlessly seeking solutions that will increase your chances of prevailing in a competitive environment. When you do that, the score will take care of itself.
* Teach players to hate mistakes in games and practice - if you aim for perfection and miss, you're still pretty good...if you aim for mediocrity...
* "Organizational excellence evolves from the perfection of details relevant to performance and production."
* "I know what is required for us to win. I will show you what it is."
* "There are winners and there are people who would like to be winners but just don't know how to do it."
- Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2021This book is about Bill Walsh’s philosophy of leadership that he implemented with the San Francisco 49ers. It is inspiring and relevant for any leader or anyone who wants to be leader. He describes his Standard of Performance, a way an organization can achieve excellence and execute towards perfection, and the definition of success for the organization as well as concepts and fundamentals of leadership and the lessons he learned. What made these ideas come to life was the examples interspersed with the lessons in the book.
When I started the book, I knew about Bill Walsh at a high level about Bill Walsh as the leader of the 49ers, just what I got from the news headlines. Now I have a better understanding and appreciation for the 49ers organization and what he did as the head coach and GM. I will be studying Bill’s values, principles, and leadership philosophy as I develop my own.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2023I had the privilege of meeting Coach Walsh on multiple occasions, and was always impressed by the focus he maintained on the person he was speaking with. He took a genuine interest in others and particularly in those who he coached. While much of his book may contain common sense to many of us, his presentation of maxims to live and work by can be understood and applied by anyone who cares to live-up to being the best they can be. This book will not disappoint anyone who chooses to learn from a master of motivation and professionalism.
Top reviews from other countries
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gabrielReviewed in Brazil on November 10, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente livro
Excelente livro, recomendo a todos
- AlfReviewed in Canada on August 5, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
This pertains to a lot more than football. His approach to leadership is applicable to any organisation that has employees. Well presented.
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Cliente de AmazonReviewed in Mexico on December 11, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
El libro es recomendado por los emprendedores de y-combinator y es simplemente excelente. Si no vas a meter más que un libro de management lee este. No es sobre fútbol americano, sino como reorganizar una organización con base en liderazgo.
- AjeshReviewed in India on December 21, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars it a handy book on leadership skills
I would recommend it for everyone around who is willing to put an extra yard and want to succeed in what he/ she is doing.
- Significant OtherReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Actually very useful
I don't understand the negative reviews that say this is not actually giving guidance..i don't think they've ever looked in it
This book is actually structured as an instruction manual in a lot of ways, with actual life experiences this guy had on his way from the bottom to the top of his field
He actually gives very good accounts of what he learned and found helps to build your team and achieve goals and at the end of each chapter gives numbered lists of key points to do to try to do things like build a career, build a team, deal with troublemakers, get through difficult times etc etc.
I was not expecting this book to be that great after some of the negative reviews and nearly never bought it but after reading it i have found it is one of the best instructional books on the actual USEFUL principles THAT REALLY ACTUALLY HELP when building a career and building teams to achieve your goals that i have seen
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.
If you are into the American football it would be an interesting read to see how things were behind the scenes on his way from being a college football apprentice coach really and his battles to get to the top of his field. Good on him. He did it.
This is an interesting read, it's also really good one just to randomly open a page up and see what it says for a thought for the day or a bit of inspiration when i am feeling stuck.
It's a bit like having your own top coach telling you how you can get your day to better for you..
I'm trying rebuild my life right now after really difficult times, if you want to see my progress and me talking about what i find works and what doesn't please check out my Castle Hassall TV channel on YouTube and my music there I'd really appreciate it.. Best wishes to anyone reading this,i hope you have a very good future, from Rolland