Focus.
Pat Williams says that's what successful leaders all have in common.
The Sr. Vice President of the Orlando Magic authored the five-book leadership series that began with, "How to Be Like Mike," and includes leaders such as Walt Disney, Rich DeVos and Jesus Christ. More in the leadership series are on the way with Jackie Robinson and John Wooden books slated for release in 2005.
"People have asked me frequently if there are common traits of all these people," Williams said. "By all means there are. The first one that hits me is focus, absolute focus, the ability to block out distractions and zero in on what's important  almost laser-like dealing with the issues.
"The second thing that hits me is the enormous passion they bring to what they're doing, whether Jesus and his mission, DeVos and his company or Disney with Snow White. They just exude passion and energy."
Thirdly, Williams said, the leaders he has written about work hard but don't consider what they do to be work. "I get the sense they're so caught up in it they're excited every day."
And finally, Williams found that the leaders he studied didn't quit  even when things got tough, uncomfortable or impossible. "Through all that Jesus went through, and keep in mind he was 100 percent human, he never gave up." Williams said Michael Jordan was cut from his 10th grade varsity team. Jackie Robinson blazed a trail for African-Americans in baseball. John Wooden spent 16 years coaching at UCLA before he won his first national title.
Williams spoke on leadership during the third Lead Like Jesus Celebration simulcast from Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 18.
Williams said of the seven qualities of great leaders that he has distilled in his writing and speaking over the years, servant leadership is the glue that holds them all together. "Servant leadership is really about the essence of leadership."
Williams said effective leaders make a decision to serve others. He pointed to Jesus as the perfect model of that.
But, Williams clarified, serving does not rule out competing. "I don't think we ever as Christians have to ever apologize for wanting to win and being extremely competitive." Williams' affiliation with five teams that made the NBA finals proves his point. Williams worked with the 1983 World Champion Philadelphia 76ers, and he co-founded the Orlando Magic in 1987 and helped lead the team to the NBA finals in 1995.
"Hopefully, as Christian athletes and administrators, we're setting a tone of doing it the right way with character and integrity," Williams said. Then, he said, winning games may lead to winning people for Christ. "I don't think anybody is too concerned with your spiritual temperature without wins and losses."
Those wins are racked up through focus, and servant leadership, and something else Williams said is essential for success  exuberance.
Along with his career in professional sports, writing and speaking, Williams is also the father of 19 children  14 of whom are adopted from four nations.
He teaches an adult Sunday School class at First Baptist Church in Orlando and hosts a weekly radio show.
In the last three years he has run 11 marathons, including the Boston Marathon four times. And he has climbed Mt. Rainier.
"I have a natural exuberance," Williams said. "I came out of my mother's womb in a three-point stance.
"I cannot remember a day I was not excited about that day and nothing has changed in 65 years."
Williams said he learned early on what he was interested in and what he was good at, and he stays close to those things. He said that is critical to success. "So many adults don't know what they want to be when they grow up," he said. "Figure out what you like to do and get prepared."
Williams' message was heard along with a dozen other speakers including "One-Minute Manager" Ken Blanchard. The Lead Like Jesus program emerged from Faith Walk, a leadership training program launched by Blanchard and Phil Hodges, authors of "Servant Leader."
