Let’s Get “Back to the Basics”

“Back to Basics.” That short but compelling phrase means different things to different people. To many of us it actually has several meanings.

It takes me back to my days in the military when we were required to spend the first few months in Basic Training, or “Boot Camp” as some called it, to learn the necessary skills to become a soldier.

For sports fans, it can certainly mean something very different. Study any winning sports franchise from high school to college to the professional ranks and you’ll find an extreme focus on the “basics”! In the midst of the recent “March Madness,” I wrote an article on the NCAA basketball tourney focusing on how many games were decided by a single free throw … one of the game’s critical basics.

We, the AchieveMax® speakers, facilitate Leadership Boot Camps several times a year to assist organizations that are grooming potential leaders in the “basic” skills required to lead others. Many times these “rookies” are more eager and open to learn than many long-term supervisors who simply don’t buy into the need for “basics.”

To many of us tried and true football aficionados, the concept of “back to basics” evokes fond memories of one of football’s greatest coaches of all times. Vince Lombardi was virtually synonymous with the National Football League. He was legendary for his coaching philosophy and motivational skills. He spoke softly, slowly and seldom. But when he did speak, everyone listened and responded. He was loved, admired and respected by his players, fans and opponents alike.

Vince was an Assistant Coach for the New York Giants and Head Coach for the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. He was the Coach of the Year in 1959, boasted a 9-1 playoff record, won five NFL Championships and the first two Super Bowls ever played! He ended his career with a winning percent of .738!

Lombardi’s players were wholeheartedly devoted to him, and his emphasis on hard work, dedication, focus on the basics and desire to succeed endeared him to millions who admired his values. Vince Lombardi knew what it takes to be number one, and he passed that on to millions of others as an author and professional speaker after his distinguished football career.

Watch this short clip to learn some of Vince’s powerful beliefs … or “basics.”

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services.