Bill Walsh’s Darkest Professional Moment Shaped Him

Charlie Munger, one of my heroes, famously encouraged aspiring leaders to “sit you’re a$$ down and read….make friends with the eminent dead.” As I’ve read biographies, I’ve noticed that the great founders, great athletes, and great leaders study other greats. They study history. They live many careers and lives in one life.  

I had the opportunity this past week on some travels to read Bill Walsh’s generous book, The Score Takes Care Of Itself, reflecting on his journey with the epic transformation of the worst team into the historic dynasty of the San Francisco 49ers.  

It’s like I got to talk to Bill Walsh personally in this book. He shared his proprietary process (I will share my learnings on that next week) AND the emotional dips in his climb toward building an organization of greatness. 

His first 18 months were miserable as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Walsh’s first season was 2-14. He was in his second season in the midst of an 8 game losing streak:   

“…On the night flight back to San Francisco I sat in my seat in the first row of the plane and broke down sobbing in the darkness. I felt like a casualty of war being airlifted away from the battlefield. 

… everything I had dreamed of professionally for a quarter of a century was in jeopardy just eighteen months after being realized.”  

Walsh was leading a turnaround initiative. He had the bold and crazy ambition to transform the worst team in the NFL into a championship caliber organization.  

Walsh’s first two years were brutal. But he continued: 

“And yet there was something else going on inside me, a ‘voice’ from down deeper than the emotions… I must stand and fight again, stand and fight or it was all over... The competitor who won’t go away, who won't’ stay down, has one of the most formidable competitive advantages of all.” 

The competitor who won’t go away is playing the long game. Staying in the game. Allowing the COMPOUNDING to take effect. Like Disney. Like Warren Buffett. Like Michael Jordan. Like Isadore Sharpe. Like James Dyson.  

If we didn’t have setbacks and challenges we would not know what we are capable of. Isadore Sharp (founder of Four Seasons) always says in hard moments: “excellence is the capacity to withstand pain.” 

Let’s POUND the compound like Bill Walsh until we break through. 

Onward, 

Matt