Creating giants

Here's a great leadership thought passed along by our friend and fellow editor Bill West.

It's from Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.

"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish."

Think about that in terms of what the Kansas Jayhawks did to what may have been a more talented Memphis team in the NCAA finals last night.

Despite 17 turnovers and trailing by three huge points in the last 2.1 seconds, the Jayhawks believed in themselves, did not give in and came back with Mario Chalmers' clutch three-point shot to drive the game into overtime.

Was this just another example of the game's unpredictable nature?

I don't think so.

In the locker room before the game, Kansas Coach Bill Self told his players that for the rest of their lives, wherever they went and whoever they met, they would be reminded of this night and how they performed. He did not need to say more.

Look what this simple philosophy of leadership did for Sam Walton and his people who were running what is basically the old Five & Dime store on steroids.

It made Sam and his family one of the wealthiest in the world and Wal-Mart into a giant among businesses.

What kind of giants might we create when we help our people believe in themselves and that nothing — I mean nothing — can stop them