Attitude

February 20, 2017
Wright, a longtime Villanova University men’s basketball coach, recalls the team’s arduous path to the 2016 NCAA championship—and the leadership tools he employed to get his team working together—but his book contains scant insight and little substance. He extols his school spirit, raves about the fans’ enthusiasm, thanks the donors, and essentially writes a letter of recommendation for every player—even the senior walk-ons. The book fails on two important fronts. First, as an insider’s look at a championship run, it is toothless; you can practically hear Sheridan, the team’s media relations director, pounding any potentially edgy thought into mush. Second, Wright’s management tips are so obvious (“It never hurts to solicit input from your team”) that the business high-achievers hoping to learn from his success will be disappointed. Wright clearly values his players as more than cogs in a winning machine, but the PR gloss reduces him to a handsome, suit-wearing robot spouting award banquet clichés. It’s hard to tell whether this is a motivational tool or an additional piece of recruitment material for potential scholarship players.