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7 6 G R A P H I C S P R O • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M B U S I N E S S S T R A T E G I E S L eadership is key to driving your com- pany's sales. It promotes your firm's culture, and it sets you on a path to suc- cess. Compassion, communication, and drive help set the stage. But being active and a leader in your industry — and in your local market — can boost your sales dramatically. As the son of an All-American in college basketball and a future baseball Hall of Fame inductee into a west Texas univer- sity for the inaugural 1957 NAIA World Series title, I was immersed in sports early. My dad was offered pro baseball and bas- ketball opportunities but since I was born while he was a senior, he chose to coach instead. I'm sure my mom was not keen on him being on the road while she had a new baby! Organized sports teach you quickly about self-discipline, competitiveness, ambition, and teamwork. It shaped my future sales career and ultimately led me to my high school basketball coach Brooks Dozier (and ironically one of my dad's cross-town coaching rivals). Coach Dozier introduced me to two critical ide- als that have been instrumental to my suc- cess: mentors and personal development. He was my first mentor and it changed everything. My coach's mentor was John Wooden, the legendary UCLA coach and everyman philosopher. We called him e Coach. And we were loyal disciples. Every practice and as homework, we learned about John Wooden. We watched his great standout Bill Walton dominate games, repeated his defense and offense innovations, and embraced e Coach's Pyramid of Success. Why mirror such a humble man of integrity? In 12 years, John Wooden won 10 Division I titles and seven were back-to- back. (No other coach has won five in a row). In 1973, his team became the only one to ever have back-to-back undefeated TIPS FOR BEING THE COACH YOUR COMPANY NEEDS B Y P A U L I N G L E How LEADERSHIP Impacts Your SALES