Interview with Pat Williams, Author of Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams

Pat Williams is the senior vice president of the NBA´s Orlando Magic. Also one of America´s top motivational, inspirational, and humorous speakers, Pat has addressed employees from many of the Fortune 500 companies. Pat is also the author of over 50 books, his most recent title being Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams.

Since 1968, Pat has been the general manager with teams in Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Orlando. In 1996, Pat was named as one of the 50 most influential people in NBA history.

Pat and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of 19 children, including 14 adopted from four nations. Pat and his family have been featured in Sports Illustrated, Readers Digest, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle and The Wall Street Journal.

Thank you for this interview, Pat. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams, is all about?

Pat: Dream the most extreme dream you can imagine, dare to set a seemingly impossible goal—then make your dreams come true through the power of teamwork!

This book dares readers to uncork their imaginations and aim for the stars. What's the most far-out, impossible dream you can imagine? For Walt Disney, it was a magical theme park called Disneyland. For Danny Thomas, it was the St. Jude Children's Hospital. For me, it was an NBA franchise in central Florida called the Orlando Magic. All of these were once extreme dreams. Today each one is a reality. These extreme dreams were all made possible by the power of teamwork.

Can you tell us who or what was the inspiration behind your book?

Pat: I had a wonderful high school football coach in Wilmington, Delaware, whose name was Bob DeGroat. My teammates and I were under his tutelage, starting in the ninth grade, and we learned the fundamentals of playing a team sport right from the beginning. Sixty years later, I still feel he's the best coach I've ever been around, and I've seen a bunch of them. I can still hear his voice today, stressing, "It's not about you! It's always about this team!"

I've been in the team-building business my entire adult life. I started in pro sports in 1962 and have been at it for almost fifty years. In addition, with a family of nineteen children from all over the world under my roof, that was (and still is) team-building at its highest level.

I've lived my whole life in a team environment, and I've spent my life in a quest to understand what makes great teams great. This book contains the sum of all my experience and research after more than fifty years as a team player and team builder.

Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?

Pat: No, this is the fourth book I have published with Hachette and my 55th book overall.

How has Hachette been to work with?

Pat: When I turned in the manuscript to my editors, they came back and said, "Pat, you have really hit your stride with this book. There's truly something special about this book." My publisher, Rolf Zettersten, had me come in to the corporate offices in New York and Chicago and speak to two meetings of editors and executives of the Hachette Publishing Company. Rolf felt the same way about this book that I did—that this is not just a book about changing your team, or your career, or your life. It's a book about how to change your world. And if ever this world needed some extreme dreamers, some team-builders, and some world-changers, it's now!

Do you have an agent?

Pat: No.

Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and also how long it took from the time Hachette sent the contract and the time it was released?

Pat: I signed the contract three years ago, a year to write the book and then a year for the publisher to produce the book. From start to finish, it was a 3 year project. Needless to say, when you see the finished project after all of that time and work, it is a very exciting and fulfilling moment.

Do you have any words of inspiration from other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?

Pat: Start writing. Everyone has a book in them, but it´s never going to come out until you start writing. First-time authors have got to produce the entire work to have any chance of being published. I do recommend a young publisher in Charleston who will work with you to get your book published now – he can make things happen. Get a hold of Adam Witty of Advantage Books. A great young guy who you will enjoy working with.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in August and September via a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

Pat: I have never been on a virtual book tour and figured it was about time. This seems to be my year of "technological awakening" as I´ve also started on Facebook and Twitter, as well. In fact, I tweeted on behalf of the Orlando Magic during the NBA Finals for the NBA´s official twitter feed. Ever since then I´ve been intrigued by the promotional power of the virtual world.

What´s next for you?

Pat: I´m writing a book about former NBA coach and Basketball Hall-of-Famer, Chuck Daly. Chuck had wonderful wisdom principles, and I am writing a leadership-based book based on Chuck´s various philosophies. It will be a terrific read.

Thank you for this interview, Pat. Can you tell us how we can find out more about you and your new book?

Pat: Yes, please visit my website at www.PatWilliamsMotivate.com, my twitter feed at www.twitter.com/OrlandoMagicPat and Amazon.com to purchase your copies of Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams.