If you're like me, then you studied under a wide variety of teachers. Some you recall fondly for their ability to bring subjects to life in a way that captured your attention. Others you have trouble remembering because their listless, droning lectures frequently put you to sleep.

With school back in session, we thought it would be interesting to study what makes the best teachers great. How are these amazing educators able to encourage their pupils to excel in the classroom? We pored through quotes from award-winning teachers and came to the following conclusions about America's finest classroom leaders:

The Best Teachers Recognize and Value the Uniqueness of Each Student

"A good teacher knows how to read a story, and that each and every student arrives at our classroom door with a unique and intriguing yet incomplete story. The really good teachers know how to read a child's story and recognize the remarkable opportunity to help author the story. The really good teachers want to script confidence and success onto the blank pages; they want to edit the mistakes; and they want to help write a happy ending."
~ Anthony J. Mullen, 2009 NEA National Teacher of the Year

"I struggle each day to see students as individuals, to know their stories of learning well enough that I don't have to talk about grades at conferences. I can talk about students, and I can talk about what they learned."
~ Sarah Brown Wessling, 2010 NEA National Teacher of the Year

"All children can learn, but all children learn differently."
~ Clover Stephenson, 2010 Teacher of the Year, Dept. of Defense Education Activity, Korea District

As leaders, we give the most fulfillment to our people, and gain the most productivity from them, when we position them to use their strengths. In order to locate people's niches we must initiate relationships with them. As we learn their unique talents, we can customize their jobs accordingly. In addition, as we discover their values and goals, we can tailor our influence to provide them with suitable encouragement and motivation.

The Best Teachers Prod their Pupils to Take Risks

"Like any teacher, my true success is with my students. My central goal is to prepare each of my students to be successful in life. I encourage them to take challenging risks because they know that I will always be there as their safety net."
~ Donna Patrick, 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year

"Lechleiter-Luke likens her educational approach, both in classes and in extracurricular activities, to leading students to the cliff-like edges of their comfort zones, then pushing them off and watching them discover the ability to fly."
~ Said of Leah Lechleiter-Luke, 2010 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year

"I became an advocate for students to feel safe within the educational environment, to take learning risks, to never fear failure and to reach for the dream that will give purpose and meaning to their life!"
~ Catherine S. Webb, 2010 Virginia Teacher of the Year

Most people's dreams are sitting idle on the runway. Fear, doubt, and insecurity prohibit them from taking flight. It's incumbent upon us, as leaders, to see the potential in our people and to help them believe the best about themselves. We instill self-belief in others when we offer hope, give encouragement, and properly define failures as stepping-stones to success.

The Best Teachers Measure Success by the Achievements of Their Students

"My rewards don't come from grades students get on a test, but from students coming back years after graduation to visit me and tell me about their experiences traveling the world and becoming passionate about learning."
~ Craig Divis, 2010 Vermont Teacher of the Year

"The best teachers are those who are committed to excellence, not only for themselves, but for their students, colleagues, parents and community leaders."
~ Mary Pinkston, 2010 Delaware Teacher of the Year

"The most satisfying part of teaching is at the end of every year, I am able to see the growth of each student academically and behaviorally and say that I was a little part of that."
~ Brad Shonk 2010 Mississippi Teacher of the Year

As a leader, don't fix your gaze on profits or prestige. Likewise, be careful not to expend your energies trying to achieve personal greatness. Instead, concentrate on uplifting the people you lead. Make their success your number one priority. Serving those beside you is the surest path to greatness.

It's hard to imagine a time when Samuel L. Jackson wasn't an A-List celebrity, but twenty years ago he was a frustrated, little-known actor who couldn't seem to breakthrough. Despite his prodigious talents, as of his 41st birthday Jackson could claim nothing more notable than a few minor cameos. Intensely discouraged, he turned to cocaine and quickly developed a dependency on the drug. Within a year, he hit rock bottom. When his wife and eight-year old daughter discovered him passed out on the kitchen floor, there was no denying that he had lost control.

After finding Jackson unconscious, his wife LaTanya immediately checked him into a rehabilitation clinic. For the first time, Samuel L. Jackson was forced to face up to his anger and discouragement, and he began to make life changes. To his credit, Jackson submitted himself to the recovery process, and with the encouragement of his family, he was able to break his addiction. Less than twelve months later, he finally achieved stardom for his supporting role in Jungle Fever. From then on, his reputation grew steadily, and his career flourished. Today, he is regarded as one of Hollywood's finest and hardest-working actors.

What can we learn from Samuel L. Jackson's journey?

No one is immune to discouragement.

Regardless of your personality, potential, or position you will encounter discouragement at some point in life.

Our response to discouragement holds the key to our future.

I've noted two types of people in the world: splatters and bouncers. When splatters hit the bottom they land with a thud and stick like glue. No matter what you try to say and do, there's no use trying to pick up a splatter who has fallen flat. Bouncers on the other hand, pull themselves together and rebound after hitting the bottom. Give them a little bit of encouragement, and they will ride it back up to the top.

Everyone who falters has a choice: are you going to get up or give up? The difference between the splatters and bouncers lies in their attitude. Splatters bemoan their fate and blame others for their problems. Bouncers learn from their failures and find supporters to help them recover.

Our influence can be pivotal in rescuing others from self-destructive discouragement.

Imagine if Samuel L. Jackson had not been married, or if the people who cared about him had not intervened on his behalf. He might never have checked into rehab, he might never have beaten his drug addiction, and the world might never have been entertained by his acting. Thankfully for Jackson, he was surrounded by people who loved him and encouraged him as he recovered from substance abuse.

In leadership, inevitably you will cross paths with someone who is downtrodden. When you do, your encouragement can be a lifeline to save them from spiraling into self-destructive despair. Here's how you can counteract discouragement:

1) Guide Them to the Right Perspective

People who are discouraged oftentimes seem trapped under a black raincloud. Everywhere they turn appears to be dark, and they cannot see rays of light anywhere. As a leader, you can point to the positives and help them to keep hope alive. In additional, you can assist the discouraged person in properly interpreting setbacks. Remind them that just because they experienced failure doesn't mean they are a failure.

2) Connect Them to the Right People

You may encounter people whom you have limited ability to encourage because you can't relate to their area of discouragement. For instance, if you've never been in sales, it can be hard to cheer up a dispirited salesperson. However, within your network, you may know someone who has undergone similar frustrations in sales and would be glad to share some encouragement from his or her experience.

Also, the depth of someone's discouragement may necessitate professional assistance. In the middle of his drug addiction, Samuel L. Jackson didn't need a pep talk from a buddy as much as he needed medical care and attention from a licensed counselor. Sometimes the best service you can do for someone who has hit rock bottom is to persuade him or her to get help.

3) Restore Them with the Right Words

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, at one time the greatest heart surgeon in England, says this in his excellent work, Spiritual Depression, It's Cause and Cure: "Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself." Think about it. When you're discouraged, you wake up in the morning and right away, there are streams of thought coming into your mind. You haven't invited them; you didn't ask for them; you are not consciously doing anything to produce them; they just come! They start talking to you.

As a leader, you can help people filter unfounded fears and unwarranted worries from their inner dialogue. After doing so, you have the opportunity to speak affirming and encouraging words that can take the place of negative thoughts. Once people change their thinking, their attitudes and actions eventually follow.

Why would Tony Dungy turn down a $5 million per year coaching salary to chat with gatherings of criminals? For him it's simple: he believes in the power of encouragement. He knows how important it is for people to have a leader who is cheering them on, supplying hope and courage during trying times.

For inmates, prison can be a depressingly hopeless place. In addition to the isolation and loss of freedom, most inmates are given little chance of succeeding in life upon their release. Statistics show that upwards of 60% will return to jail, and 1 in 3 will be re-incarcerated within three years of their release. Coach Dungy steps into the bleak world of penitentiary life to deliver a firm, but upbeat message about how the prisoners can get back on the right track. His words not only give prisoners a plan to succeed in life, but just as importantly, they offer much-needed inspiration and encouragement.

You don't have to visit a prison to encounter people who feel insignificant, trapped, or fearful of the future. Those feelings are commonplace. Wherever you work, people are longing to be strengthened and refreshed by encouraging words. As a leader, you are in prime position to give others the boost they need to be their best. Here are five behaviors that will equip you as an encourager where you work:

5 W's of an Encouraging Leader

1) Watchfulness

Encouragement carries more weight when it's specific. Be observant of the people around you on the job. Where do they excel? When have you seen them give exemplary effort? Make note of the ways they stand out, and use your observations as content for encouraging them.

2) Words

Everyone enjoys receiving genuine expressions of praise, especially when they're given in public. As a leader, leverage the platforms of staff meetings and team get-togethers to highlight the performance of your people. Your words of encouragement will reinforce good behavior and communicate value and appreciation to those you lead.

3) Writing

Spoken encouragement is powerful, but temporal. Written words of encouragement, however, are remembered by their recipient long after the writer has forgotten them. People can refer back to an encouraging card or note again and again, being uplifted each time they read it.

4) Wallet

When possible, leaders should reward excellent performance monetarily. However, the dollar figure attached to a reward isn't its only measure of value. As a leader, be creative in finding ways to give gifts of encouragement that have meaning and significance to those you lead. Perhaps it's an extra day of vacation, an extended lunch hour, or a keepsake. Whatever the case, be intentional about giving something of value as a means of applauding those who are doing a great job.

5) Winning

Sometimes the best way to be an encourager is to set an example. People draw strength from watching you persevere through adversity, and they are impacted when they see you make sacrifices to advance your vision. When you win by doing things the right way, your victories leave an impression on the spectators watching you.

SUMMARY

Tony Dungy is making a statement with his life by using his prestige to encourage others. As leaders, we would be wise to emulate his commitment to encouragement by modeling The Five W's of an Encouraging Leader. In closing, here's an excerpt from Coach Dungy's book, Uncommon, in which he urges readers to be active as encouragers:

"When was the last time you were an encourager for someone else? No matter where you are in your life's journey, you can begin today to be very intentional about leaving a trail of positive memories in the lives of those around you. Memories they will cling to in the rough spots they face over the course of their lives. Memories that will draw them closer to you and affirm their value to you and to themselves."

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. houses the personal belongings Abraham Lincoln was carrying the night he was assassinated. Among them is a well-worn newspaper clipping lauding Lincoln's achievements as president and describing him as, "One of the greatest statesmen of all time." Now, President Lincoln was by no means an egomaniac. In fact, he battled self-doubt throughout his presidency, especially during the Civil War when friend and foe alike heaped criticism upon him. That a national hero like President Lincoln would carry around words of encouragement in his pocket speaks volumes about the human need for affirmation.

As a leader, the first person you must encourage is yourself. If you're discouraged and feel like quitting, then you won't be able to spur on the people looking to you for support. Here are four simple strategies to keep you in high spirits.

1) Create Mementos

Hebrew shepherds carved a record of their significant life achievements into the wood of their staffs. Each day, as they carried the staff, they felt its contours on their skin. The stories etched in the wood served as encouraging reminders of obstacles they had overcome or victories they had won.

We can draw encouragement from past triumphs, but only if we perpetuate our memories of them. Do so by finding a tangible memento to represent the accomplishments that make you the proudest. Abraham Lincoln chose to carry around a news article. For you, maybe it's framing written words of praise from your manager. Or perhaps it's displaying artwork you've created, a medal you've won, or a plaque you've received in honor of your contribution to the organization. Whatever the case, give yourself visual cues that will trigger recollections of success.

2) Build a Support Team

Mark Twain understood the importance of being surrounded by encouragers: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." Every relationship in our lives either uplifts us or drags us down. We have to choose carefully whom we allow into our inner circle because their attitudes toward us affect our success.

We draw encouragement from the people who believe the best about us. When we have a cheering section in life, we're a lot more likely to overcome the difficulties we encounter. The higher you go in leadership, the greater the pressures will be. Being able to lean on the support of loved ones serves as a valve to release the pressure. When we're buoyed by encouragement the burdens of leadership feel light, and we are able to experience the joys of being entrusted with influence.

3) Envision Future Rewards

We draw encouragement by keeping future rewards at the forefront of our minds. If you've ever run a long-distance race, then you know the rush of energy that comes from seeing the finish line. Having the goal in sight gives you encouragement to finish the race.

As a leader, passion for attaining your vision should carry you. If you can't get excited about the destination you're headed toward, no one else will either. Spend time visualizing your arrival at the finish line. What will it feel like to reach your goals? How will life be better when your vision comes to fruition? Let the anticipation of achieving your dreams supply you with strength for the journey.

4) Sow Encouragement into the Lives around You

As a leader, who you are is who you attract. If you want encouragement from others, then be generous with it yourself. People are looking to your leadership for cues on how to conduct themselves. When they see you giving out courage and hope, they aspire to do the same.

Encouragement is reciprocal. What goes around comes around. I'm amazed at how eager people are to return the favor after I've provided them with inspiration. They line up to express their gratitude, and their kind words give me the strength to keep going.

With alarming speed, a rash flared up on her face, crept down her arms, and covered her body in pimples. When awake, the minutes dragged by slowly, and she wondered if each hour was her last. At night, her fitful sleep was tormented by nightmares. Anytime her caretakers dared to come near her, they murmured amongst themselves in hushed, worried tones.

About a week-and-a-half after appearing, the boils on her skin crusted over with blood-red scabs, and the fever subsided. She was well enough to talk with her physician who assured her the worst of the sickness had passed. While grateful that death had not taken her, she felt only sadness as she inspected the ugly scabs dotting her arms and legs.

Day by day, the scabs flaked off of her skin until they were gone completely. But they left pockmarks as a grim reminder of their residence. Although she had regained her health, she would bear scars on her face for the rest of her life.

Smallpox Epidemic

The lady was Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and the disease she had contracted was smallpox. In 18th century Europe, smallpox ran rampant, indiscriminately taking the lives of kings and peasants alike. One of ten babies in France and Sweden perished from smallpox, as did one of seven infants in Russia. Highly contagious and untreatable, smallpox killed 400,000 Europeans per year during the epidemic's peak. Who knows what fate would have befallen Europe without the courageous activism of Mary Wortley Montagu, a smallpox survivor who equipped the continent to defend against the disease?

An Eye for Solutions

In 1717 Englishwoman Mary Wortley Montagu found herself in Istanbul on account of her husband's job as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. While there, she was astonished by the absence of smallpox-a disease she had endured two years earlier. After making several inquiries, Montagu discovered the method used by the Turks to fend off the disease. Elderly women collected ooze from the infections of a victim with a minor case of smallpox. Then, the women assembled their family members. One by one, each person was given a small cut on the arm, and a tiny dose of the smallpox virus was inserted into the wound. The people being inoculated briefly fell ill with a mild form of smallpox, but they recovered quickly having gained immunity to the ailment.

Having discovered a deterrent for smallpox, Montagu wasted no time inoculating her 5-year old son. Observing the success of inoculation in Turkish society and witnessing its effects on her own child, Montagu resolved to equip physicians back in England with the knowledge to prevent smallpox.

Proving Her Case

While Lady Montagu had the advantage of being a well-connected aristocrat, she faced two obstacles to spreading the word about smallpox prevention. First, she was a woman at a time when men dominated society. Second, she had no medical credentials. Consequently, she had a tough time getting her message across to prominent doctors in Britain.

Insistent of the benefits of inoculation, Lady Montagu finally was able to convince physicians from the royal court to be on hand as she immunized her 4-year old daughter. The procedure was a success and made an impression on the doctors in attendance. Even so, they had reservations about adopting inoculation as standard practice for protecting against smallpox.

Continued lobbying by Lady Montague persuaded prominent surgeons to test pilot inoculation on prisoners. The inmates were granted pardon in exchange for their participation in the experiment. Each of the convicts was injected with smallpox and then placed under observation. All of them developed resistance to the disease.

Spreading the Solution

The experiment on prisoners added credibility to Lady Montagu's claims and won over many members of the royal court. One in particular, the Princess of Wales, pledged her support for the cause. Bolstered by her patronage, Lady Montagu was able to publicize smallpox inoculation throughout the British Isles, and in a few short years, inoculation became standard practice throughout England.

#1 Be a Student of Success

Likely, several English visitors to Turkey had noted the peculiar absence of smallpox in the country. However, Lady Montagu took initiative to investigate the anomaly until she understood its cause. In doing so, she discovered the medical practices by which the Turks protected themselves from smallpox.

Leaders in the 21st century have no shortage of information at their disposal. Seemingly we swim in a sea of data. What separates equippers is their ability to focus on meaningful information and to extract wisdom from it. Having done so, they are positioned to share their insights with others.

Lady Montagu's example instructs us on where to look for important data: wherever you find positive deviation from the norm. In short, pay attention to success. When you come across an unusually gifted person or a particularly profitable organization, explore what makes them great. The lessons you learn can be applied personally and passed on to those you lead.

#2 Inject Wisdom with Passion

What separates those who are indifferent from those who are willing to make a difference? Passion. Lady Montagu felt compelled to equip her countrymen with a deterrent to smallpox. Her knowledge of inoculation would have been useless had she not been impassioned to share it with physicians across England.

Where does passion come from? Often it can be traced to the hardships we endure in life. Lady Montagu had nearly been killed by smallpox, and her face was forever marred by the scars it left behind. She knew firsthand of the agonizing effects of the disease, and her brother had died from the sickness. Her personal experiences with smallpox burdened her to do everything possible to halt its spread.

#3 Make Personal Sacrifices

To equip another person, you have to give something up yourself. Lady Montagu gave of her time and wealth to educate the British public about inoculation. She even sacrificed security, hazarding the health of her daughter to convince royal surgeons of the value of immunization. If you hope to equip others to change their behaviors, then prepare to part with comfort, security, or popularity.

#4 Seek the Support of Top Decision-Makers

When Lady Montagu returned to England from the Ottoman Empire, she took her cause straight to the top, announcing the benefits of inoculation to the royal court. She understood the imperative of winning over the men and women who held the most sway over the public. That's why she invited the king's personal physician to witness the inoculation of her daughter.

Before you can equip an organization with a new strategy, you must garner the endorsement of the uppermost decision-makers. While everyone has a degree of influence, some allies are far more advantageous than others. Take notice of power structures where you work and prioritize winning the support of authority figures before attempting to introduce change.

#5 Be Willing to Start Small

If you see what needs to be done to equip your company for the future, but you aren't the one in charge, then be willing to start small. Course adjustments demand a sizeable commitment of organizational energy. Most leaders are reluctant to redeploy substantial resources until they're convinced a solution works. Test-piloting a new initiative allows you to demonstrate the strength of your strategy without asking your higher-ups to put the business at risk.

Royal physicians in England did not give Lady Montagu their unqualified support until they had tested inoculation on a handful of prisoners. For Lady Montagu, who was firmly convinced of the need to inoculate Britons, the experiment may have seemed like a pointless delay. Yet although it took time, it gained her the official sanction needed to educate the public about immunization.

#6 Leverage the Influence of Key Leaders

Once you've won over leaders at the top, leverage their influence in your efforts to equip others. Lady Montagu borrowed influence from the nobility supporting her in order to communicate effectively to an entire empire. For example, after she secured the backing of the Princess of Wales, Lady Montagu made the most of the princess' platform and popularity to spread the word about smallpox inoculation.

What makes the difference? Kids from wealthy families are equipped with resources and opportunities to further their education during summer vacation. They participate in summer camps and reading programs, frequent the local library and are surrounded by books at home. On the other hand, students from poorer backgrounds often have no reading material at home and do not have access to educational opportunities in their community. As a result of being ill-equipped during summertime, students from impoverished neighborhoods slip farther and farther behind their classmates each year.

What is true for schoolchildren holds true for employees. Access to the right relationships, resources, and opportunities can make a world of difference in their development. As a leader, it's your duty to enrich and empower your people by fully equipping them to excel on the job.

5 Ways to Equip Your People During a Downturn

Certainly, we'd send our people to the industry's leading conferences and furnish them with the finest technologies if we had the budget to do so. However, in these challenging economic times, equipping our people isn't a responsibility at which we can simply throw money. We have to find more creative ways to equip them as leaders. Here are five to consider:

1) Turn the Tables

To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your employees can do for you; ask what you can do for your employees." Serve your people before they serve you. Discover their needs before asking them to take care of yours.

2) Teach by Listening, Not by Telling

Many leaders are quick to impart what they know, and slow to learn about the strengths their people have to offer. Reverse the process by first studying and observing the strong suits of your teammates. Then, lead by listening. As John Holt said, "The biggest enemy to learning is the talking teacher." Ask questions that prompt people to come up with their own solutions and guide them as they design their own systems for getting the job done.

3) Empower Decision-Makers

If you want to equip your people, then you must empower them. Instead of creating an environment in which two or three decision-makers oversee dozens of decision-doers, invite more voices into the decision-making process. Train leaders at all levels of the organization to weigh the options and initiate the best course of action without waiting for a higher-up to tell them what to do.

4) Adjust Your Pace

At first, training others drags down productivity. To bring another person up to speed, you have to slow down. Wise leaders sacrifice accomplishing tasks in the short-term to properly equip their people for the long-term.

5) Widen the Circle

As a leader, it can be humbling to admit that someone on your team has skills that surpass your own abilities. However, it's natural for students eventually to outperform their teachers in certain areas. When you sense that someone on your team has passed you by, be proactive in searching for outside help to mentor him or her. When you do, your talented teammate will be grateful, and your organization will reap the benefits of his or her growth.

Good leaders deliberately seek out and find potential leaders. Great leaders not only find them, but also equip them to be great leaders.

Three Stages of Equipping

Stage One: Position Gives You a Platform

Adding value is the essence of equipping others, and you can add value in any direction: to your superiors, peers, or followers. Obviously, you have the most authority when you're the boss. However, even if you aren't in charge, you have immense capacity to equip others through the ideas and resources you share. When it comes to equipping, proximity matters just as much hierarchy. You'll naturally influence those closest to you: whether you're above or below them on the organizational chart.

Stage Two: Respect Gives You Permission

People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves. That's the Law of Respect. Consequently, people will dismiss your attempts to equip them until they're able to assess whether or not they respect you. Respect is earned over time by demonstrating integrity with people and effectiveness in delivering results.

Integrity with people involves a harmony of beliefs, values, and actions. As others observe you to be hard-working, honest, and consistent, they begin to appreciate your strength of character. While they may not like you or have a connection to you at this point, at least they respect you.

Your reputation for delivering results develops daily as you carry out the assignments that come your way. If your performance is uneven-you do some tasks well, but others poorly-then others will lose respect for you. However, if you repeatedly work with excellence then your co-workers and managers will take note and begin looking to you for leadership.

Stage Three: Likeability Gives You Persuasiveness

All good equipping relationships are founded on a personal relationship. As your people get to know and like you, their desire to follow your direction grows. If they dislike you, they will not want to learn from you, and the equipping process can slow down or even stop.

To gain the goodwill your coworkers, show genuine concern for their wellbeing. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Be intentional about taking an active interest in those around you at work, and add value to them in whatever ways you can. Focus on their needs and their aspirations before seeking to advance your own interests.

One of the best ways to get to know people is to see them outside of the world where you lead them. People are usually on their guard at work. They try to be what others want them to be. By getting to know them in other settings, you can get a glimpse of who they really are. Ask questions about their life story and try to discern what motivates them. If you connect with someone's heart, they'll be glad to offer you their hand.

BP has apologized for the environmental catastrophe and vows to clean up every last drop of oil. However, an outraged public is skeptical of the company's commitment and of its ability to handle the crisis. As British Petroleum embarks on a plan to contain the spill and limit its pollution, how can the company regain some semblance of trust?

1) Confront Reality

BP's credibility already has been battered by ill-conceived attempts to minimize the scope of the oil spill. Initially, BP reported that 5,000 barrels of oil were seeping into the Gulf each day. Independent analysts have placed the number at 12,000 to 19,000 barrels. BP also promised the ecological impact of the oil leak would be modest, but now all signs point to widespread damage of marshes and undersea habitats. Whether intentional or unintentional, the misinformation released by BP has made the public wary of the organization's intentions.

In addition, BP's plans to halt the leak have taken longer and been less effective than the company communicated. By overestimating their ability to stem the flow of oil, BP has come across as incompetent. To outside observers, the company appears to be relying on luck and hope, rather than sound strategy, to plug the well.

Making accurate statements and providing the public with a candid assessment of the situation are vital steps in restoring trust. British Petroleum can no longer afford to downplay the extent of the oil spill. Nor can it offer false hope in a quick fix. Its communication must be cautious and measured so that it doesn't set unrealistic expectations or make promises on which it cannot deliver.

2) Take Responsibility

The mess in the Gulf of Mexico would be an even bigger stain on BP if the oil company chose to abdicate its responsibility in the matter. Initially that seemed to be BP's course of action. President Obama expressed his dismay at the eagerness of BP to assign culpability to another party for the drilling rig disaster. "I did not appreciate what I considered to be a ridiculous spectacle during the congressional hearings into this matter. You had executives of BP and Transocean and Halliburton falling over each other to point the finger of blame at somebody else. The American people could not have been impressed with that display, and I certainly wasn't. "

To its credit, BP has since apologized for the disastrous oil spill, and at least rhetorically the company appears to have shouldered the burden of finding a solution. However, for BP the responsibility only begins by stopping oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico. To rescue its tarnished image, BP would be wise to devote resources over the upcoming decade to alleviate the environmental scars left by the spill.

3) Make Restitution

Plugging the leak and containing the existing oil slick have to be the first priorities for BP. After that happens, cleanup and protection of the environment will take center stage. However, BP's irresponsibility also has had adverse financial impact on the federal government, state governments, the Gulf Coast hospitality industry, fisheries, and more.

Assuredly, BP will face steep fines for its negligence in allowing the oilrig explosion to happen and to escalate into an environmental catastrophe. Yet, to win back trust BP might want to consider paying back more than the mandatory penalty. Trying to extricate itself as cheaply as possible would not sit well with the public.

In 2009, a down year for BP, the company still raked in $14 billion in profits. Executives at BP ought to dig deeply into the corporate coffers to go beyond the imposed fines in making restitution to the thousands of people who have been impacted by its failings.

On the court, Wooden's exploits were unmatched. His teams captured seven straight titles, won 88 consecutive games, and had a perfect 10-0 record in championship contests. Overall, Wooden compiled a 664-162 record, a winning percentage of over 80%.

Away from the spotlight, Coach Wooden earned the admiration and devotion of his players because he was trustworthy. He was a principled man and could be counted upon to live out his values. As sportswriter Eric Neel observed, Wooden displayed rare and refreshing fidelity, "The man is simply, steadily faithful, to his God, to his principles, to his family and his friends, to the creed in his pocket, the poem in his den and the shrine on his bed." John Wooden lived authentically, and his commitment to his ideals left behind a legacy of greatness.

Trustworthy to Give His Best Effort

Himself an All-American at Purdue University, John Wooden could be depended upon to give his best effort on the court. He was a fierce competitor and inspiring team captain. His hard-nosed style earned him the nickname "the Rubber Man," because he was constantly diving on the floor after loose balls and then quickly bounding to his feet to continue play.

Trustworthy to Listen to His Conscience

Despite growing up in a part of the Hoosier state where the Ku Klux Klan maintained an active presence, John Wooden demonstrated a progressive attitude toward race. While coaching at Indiana State, Coach Wooden boycotted the 1946 NAIA tournament because it refused to allow black players to participate. The following season, he defied social norms by playing an African-American on his team.

Trustworthy to Honor His Commitments

Once, several schools were jockeying to hire Wooden as their head coach. His preference was to go to University of Minnesota. After several discussions, officials from Minnesota set a deadline of 6pm to let John Wooden know whether or not he would be offered the job. Six o'clock came and went with no phone call from Minnesota, so Wooden accepted a position at UCLA. Later in the evening, a call finally did come through from Minnesota. Apparently, a blizzard had made travel difficult and prevented them from phoning earlier in the day. Although Wooden coveted the Minnesota job, he turned it down. He had already given his word to UCLA, and he refused to renege on his commitment.

Trustworthy to Enforce His Standards

Coaching during the 60s and 70s, the bespectacled John Wooden appeared as a throwback to an earlier era. At a time when self-expression and personal freedom were flourishing, Wooden fastidiously taught his players the proper way to wear their socks and required them to be clean-shaven. In 1972 star player Bill Walton, sporting flowing red hair and a beard, arrived at the team picture and asserted his right to keep his facial hair. After listening patiently to Walton's argument, Coach Wooden calmly replied, "Bill, I appreciate that. And we'll miss you." Minutes later Walton returned for the picture with a freshly shaven face.

Trustworthy Words from a Trustworthy Man

When John Wooden finished elementary school, his father, Joshua, passed along a few words of advice to him. John Wooden took the sayings to heart and made them his lifelong philosophy. Perhaps we would be wise to heed them as well.

Be true to yourself.
Make each day your masterpiece.
Help others.
Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
Make friendship a fine art.
Build a shelter against a rainy day.
Pray for guidance.
Count and give thanks for your blessings every day.