Even after 30 years building a highly successful career of his own, Rue Patel (T’88) proudly hangs a poster of his idol on his wall. That might sound strange—if his hero weren’t John Wooden (HHS’32, HDR HHS’75).
The poster—which showcases Wooden’s famous Pyramid of Success—was a retirement gift from Patel’s career as a manufacturing leader with General Mills. An avid sports fan, Patel came to appreciate Wooden, who served as head coach of the UCLA men’s basketball team from 1949 to 1975. Patel’s admiration grew after reading Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court and embracing the legendary coach’s simple, effective perspective on leadership.
The two first met in 2000 when Wooden was the guest speaker at an annual General Mills supply chain meeting.
“In terms of payment, he asked us to write a check to his foundation for any amount we saw fit,” Patel says. “After that, all he asked for was a chair with a hard back, black coffee, and glazed donuts.”
Wooden spoke to the team of roughly 100 people for three hours, sharing stories about growing up on a farm in Indiana and the experiences that shaped him—including his time as a basketball player at Purdue, where he was a three-time All-American. Before he began coaching, he worked as a teacher and served in the Navy during World War II.
Wooden eventually led the UCLA men’s basketball team to 10 NCAA championships in 12 years, including a record-setting seven straight titles from 1967 to 1973.
“We were magnetized by his charisma and the simplicity of his message to be kind to others,” Patel says. “He showed us that you can win without being an overbearing leader with a big ego.”
In 2004, Patel received a call from Wooden asking if he would help develop the Coach John Wooden Leadership Academy for Business. Patel was shocked—but he agreed, of course, and it would become the highlight of his career.
For the next six years, Patel helped build and facilitate the academy until Wooden died at age 99.
Wooden, Patel, and their team built a two-day program with 12 lessons on leadership. Wooden didn’t attend each program in its entirety, but he always made an appearance for a couple hours, sharing stories of how he recruited student-athletes and answering questions about leadership and coaching. He also joined the group for dinner at the Valley Inn Restaurant, where he treated everyone—from the academy students to the waitstaff—with the utmost respect.
Despite being a defining figure in college basketball, Wooden didn’t carry himself as one.
“Coach didn’t talk about winning—even his players said he didn’t,” Patel says. “Instead, he focused on what they could control. He talked about doing what they did best and doing it better than anyone else could.”
Patel ended up applying this lesson to his work at General Mills. He shifted his team’s focus from quarterly results to driving indicators that would lead to future success.
“Coach definitely made me a better leader, and he also made me a better dad and person,” Patel says.
When his children were young, Patel shared Wooden’s wisdom with them by reading from his children’s books and giving them cards that imparted Wooden’s important life lessons.
Wooden’s influence stretched into many areas of Patel’s life. Drawing on his experience from the academy, Patel founded RueWorks—a freelance business for leadership coaching—after he retired from General Mills. He mirrors Wooden’s humble nature, donating all his coaching income to nonprofit organizations. Patel has also given generously to Purdue over the last 32 years.
“There are people who need support, so why would I stand on the sidelines?” Patel says. “It’s a lot more fun to play the game than just stand and watch.”
It’s obvious Wooden left a lasting impression on Patel, but it seems Patel also made an impact on his hero.
Patel designed General Mills challenge coins to award employees and external partners for exceptional work. Though it was rare to receive one, he gave Wooden a coin for speaking to staff on a Microsoft Teams call.
The next time Patel visited Wooden’s apartment in Los Angeles, he walked past a table adorned with the coach’s awards—including his Presidential Medal of Freedom, his Big Ten Medal of Honor, and an NCAA Championship trophy. Among these prized honors, Patel spotted the coin from General Mills.
“I couldn’t believe my coin was on the table with all that other really cool, important stuff,” Patel says. “I questioned Coach about it, and he said, ‘I appreciated you giving the coin to me. It meant a lot. Why would you think for a second that it wasn’t as important?’”
—Calandra Weaver
“Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue” is inspired by the powerful words of Purdue’s fight song, recognizing those who came before. If you have a Purdue hero in your life, we want to hear from you—share your story for an opportunity to be featured.
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