Bill Russell accumulated more wins than anyone in sports. His desire to win propelled him to the top of the NBA when he played. He did not just show up as a winner for his sports team, the Celtics, he also showed up as a winner for all of humanity.

Yes, he won many games as player and coach. Yet, my attention is locked on what he did as a voice for his own people and indirectly a voice for all people. He took stands against the mistreatment of his people. Including a time when he did not play in a game and left the city where the game was played all together because a restaurant would not serve Black players in the dining room. He did not care for the mistreatment and drew his line in the sand.

This is the kind of winner I want to learn from. Thankfully, Russell penned the rules he lived by; the same rules which made him a perpetual winner.

One idea which stands out from this book is being an invisible leader. This concept teaches that leaders should avoid being seen while leading so those whom they lead thrive and shine. His example was how he found ways to impact the outcome of games with dominating the attention of the game. This idea causes the reader to see leadership differently. Leaders can dominate by giving attention to others who do what they do really well.

Bill Russell was one of a kind. His overall message was: We, leaders, must practice being fully ourself. This practice leads to wins because we will do whatever it takes to win. Winning takes hard work and teamwork. Leadership and winning are a choice.

Bill Russell may be gone but his impact still remains.

Lead as you are,

@growthucator