NBA Finals: Lessons in Leadership
No matter who you rooted for in the recent prime-time NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets, there are lessons to be learned about individual leadership styles.
I live in New York City: the perfect place for people watching. I see tattooed mothers dropping their toddlers at daycare. I see my doctor, who has two full arms of tattoos. And yes: I even see Times Square’s famous ‘naked cowboy’ on a good day!
As we can see, then, much goes into one’s individual style. Individual style is a factor that is very different from accountable managerial leadership in work systems.
Professional basketball teams may have similarities to systems of work, though they are not midsize or large corporate entities, or as I like to say, work systems.
Both teams have leaders: Jimmy Butler for the Heat and Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets. Both lead very differently and get the job done by being true to themselves. Just ask their teammates.
Leadership research goes back to the sixties. For decades, researchers have highlighted the importance of following their underlying “ethos”.
Leading is dependent upon the degree of trust you have earned. More recent research by Chris Adkins at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business has shown “ability, benevolence and integrity” are three essential components of building trust. When you are authentic with who you are, the people, aka the players, get that. Employees will appreciate the alignment of values. During times of professional conflict or strife, they may be willing to provide the benefit of the doubt.
We enter this world as a spirit being with natural behavioral tendencies. Family, education, community and a host of other life experiences hone our behavioral style. Jokic, an immigrant, was born at the tail end of the Yugoslav conflicts and Butler as many know had to overcome many challenges growing up, until being coached while at Marquette helped him hone his skills and an appreciation for what he could be. Both men had to overcome rough beginnings. These experiences help create your behavioral orientation. This informs your leadership style.
I use an assessment tool called DiSC to introduce people to their behavioral style. This assessment, a forced choice instrument, takes less than 20 minutes to complete. It helps you know yourself better, improve relationships at work, and may even improve your personal life. I’ve seen DiSC save marriages, improve relationships with teens, and ensure peaceable communications between management and employees.
If you're intrigued, I have some good news for you. I am offering a discount of DiSC plus a 20 minute consultation to the first 10 people who contact me for a $95.00 prepaid session. If you’d like to know more, please email me at rab@bovaenterprises.com. Add ”DiSC Offer” in the subject line.
Contact me today. Let's talk.