Leadership Lessons from the NBA

Over the past couple years I’ve been pretty interested in what goes on in professional basketball, especially as of this year with the whole big three teaming up in Miami. I’ve take a few mental notes on my observations on the leadership traits of some of these teams and players, and would like to note them here. I’d also like to contrast the successful teams with a team that should be dominate but is not (yet), namely the Miami Heat. Even if you don’t like basketball, there could be something for you to take away, so read on!
1. Passion. There isn’t a team as emotionally bonded or fired up as the Boston Celtics. They are fiercely competitive, highly aggressive, and unafraid to go up against anybody. While many fans of basketball dislike them for this reason, it’s one of the reasons I like them as a team. They play like the care for eachother and the game. Recently, when Kendrick Perkins got traded the whole team was devastated. The night they lost Perkins, they were unfocused in their game, their minds clearly on their beloved friend. Most teams would not have been as emotional, would not have felt so much because this is a business of the NBA. But not these Celtics. They choose to feel, choose to never look at eachother as pawns but as friends and teammates who are helping eachother get to the top. That’s admirable.
2. Responsibility. You can discover whether someone has leadership ability by their high sense of responsibility. Derrek Rose of the Chicago Bulls fits the bill here. I have a lot of praise for this kid that I’m even older than! He was the only noteworthy player in the NBA who did not make a plead for Lebron James to come to Chicago. Of course that effected James as he wants to be wooed, wants to be groveled over. But not Rose. He understands that his role as a leader is not to attract some superstar to Chicago, but to make his old and new teammates better. He’s done this. And worthy of saying, last week when the Bulls lost to the Hawks, he took full responsibility for the loss. When they win, he’s praising someone else on his team. And that’s a leader, the high road that you dont see Lebron take. Leaders accept the blame when things go wrong and defer the praise to their team when things go right.
3. Maniacal drive. That’s just the best way that I can describe it. Leaders who do something appear to be and act obsessed with winning and will find a way no matter what. This is absolutely essential for a leader. Take Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, who has lead his team to three consecutive NBA finals and won the last two. While I don’t always agree with the way he treats his teammates, it’s undeniable that he has a fire that few people in the league have. Boston also has this drive, as I read recently in an article something interesting about Rajon Rondo. In a game against the Heat, Lebron was scoring all over the place. Rondo was angry and with that maniacal drive, he went to his coach and requested to be put on Lebron. Even though Rondo was overmatched in every sense of the word, he took him on and did a great job, enough to get the victory for the Celtics. There is a fire in a leader’s eyes, as well as his team’s. It drives them and puts them up against the greatest of obstacles. They are the ones down by 20 with 3 minutes left who don’t believe that they can win, but know that they will win.

You might have noticed, but nobody on famed Miami Heat squad is showing any of these characteristics right now(and that's sad). As far as passion, nobody on that team seems to care about eachother other than the fact that there are superstars on the same team. In regards to responsibility, I beg someone to show me anyone on that team who has this year taken FULL responsibility for a big loss. And as for the maniacal drive? James consistently fails in the clutch. Wade looks dreary-eyed all the time, and Bosh looks lost. They have all the talent to get there but unless they step up and demonstrate these three things, they will never be all they can be.

So as for you, you’ve got a choice to make in your own leadership. You can do very well on your own. Be an all-star, MVP kind of person who dazzles on your own. Or, you can choose to be known for how well you better the people on your team. The latter yields the best rewards, and causes you to make huge impacts on people's lives.

The best player could earn an MVP award.
But the most valuable team always wins the championship.