Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 6

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 6

Image Courtesy: STR New/Reuters

[UPDATE: Due to the positive feedback I received on this series I turned it into a short book called “Lead Like Mike”. If you want to support me and read the ten posts all in one place you can now order the book here.]

So, now we’re on episode 6 of the ten-part documentary series “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls. Check out Part 5 too which was on the importance of focusing on the main thing.


Are You A Competitor?

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Michael Jordan? For me it’s competitive. In episode 6 there was a scene where Michael Jordan’s mother talked about how Michael and his older brother would play each other on the driveway for hours and those games would sometimes end up with punches being thrown because they were so intense.

Once my kids had a sports day at school where they competed in several sporting events.  Because these were internal and non-formal competitions sometimes the kids competed against older students.  That day one of my daughters placed between 1st and 3rd in her events and I think she got 1st place in her swimming event after beating some of the older kids.

My daughter’s excitement was contagious as she explained how she won. And when I asked, “What did you win?” She said, “Nothing.” The winners didn’t get trophies, medals, ribbons– nada. Instead, the school distributed participation ribbons for everyone who attended.

So, instead of recognizing and incentivizing competition, hard work and athletic excellence the school put everyone in a safe bubble of mediocrity by not recognizing those who excelled to avoid hurting the feelings of those who lost. Everyone was recognized for participating.

Around that same time, I saw a friend’s post on Facebook expressing her concern about how bad competition is for children. Today, talking about winning can seem a bit selfish and losing can be seen as psychologically damaging.

One of the ideas I mentioned in my book Leader by Choice is that we — Americans — are becoming so freaking soft. Painful and hard experiences like failure, hard competition, standardized tests, hard to accept facts, or differing points of view are discouraged. In short, we only participate in things that make us feel good or reinforce our opinions.

But Jordan was so driven by competition and the will to win that some felt he took it too far at times. His love for competition was extending to gambling. Some speculated he had a gambling problem.

There’s a scene in episode 5 where Jordan is playing a game against John Wozniak, one of his security detail. The goal is to see who can throw a quarter closest to the wall. Larry beat Jordan and then gave him the signature Jordan move- the shoulder shrug. Larry is now internet famous because he’s known as the only man to have beat Jordan.

Larry Wozniak- Michael Jordan's body guard - coin toss
Wozniak worked in Jordan’s security detail for 20 years. After becoming ill with cancer and unable to work, Jordan continued paying his salary until he passed away.
The infamous should shrug.

When asked directly if he ever had a gambling problem in the documentary Jordan denied it and responded, “I have a competition problem. I have a competitive problem.”

Jordan saw life through the prism of a competitor. Did he take it too far? Probably. But I believe he was also competing against himself. The reason Jordan was nearly always the go-to guy to take the last-second shot is because he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it. 

In episode 5 Jordan says, “I bet on myself.” And I love that idea because I think it’s missing from our vocabulary.

I bet on myself.”

MJ

I’ve seen so many people, including myself at times, go through life without ever betting on themselves or taking risks. Without that sense of a competitive drive or that will to win it’s hard to believe that you will succeed.

One of the most amazing things Jordan did in his career was to keep his competitive drive after winning his 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th championships. It’s incredibly difficult to stay hungry for so long. Jordan constantly looked for ways to trick himself mentally to stay engaged. He would convince himself that other players had disrespected him, he was inspired by the memory of his father who passed away in 1993, or he was encouraged by the sight of entire families coming to see him play.

Jordan found a reason to push himself to win by always finding an internal “why” that kept his fuel burning.

When describing his experiences playing with Jordan in the NBA playoffs and championships, Charles Barkley said in the documentary, “Michael wasn’t going to lose.” That’s the will to win that I’m talking about. Or put another way, Jordan is quoted somewhere else saying, “I’ve never lost a game; I’ve only run out of time.”

LEADERSHIP NUGGET #6: Leaders develop a “whatever-it-takes” mindset which is fueled by an internal “why” to compete against themselves.

Going with the flow of life is fine, but that’s not a plan. I can’t speak for others, but personally I need the will to win because life is hard and is constantly testing us with things like failure, sets backs, and disappointment. Without that internal competitive drive, we simply give up.  

When someone tells me they just want to go with the flow of life it signals they don’t know what they want out of life so they’ll just settle for anything.

I want to in marriage.

I want to win as a father.

I want to win financially.

I want to win with my health.

I want to win in my career life.

And I’m not competing against anyone else. I’m competing against myself because life doesn’t just hand out trophies just for participation. There are some people who have to fight for the things they want and I fall into that category. So, what do we do? We compete.  

Stay humble; stay hungry.

So, are you competing for the things you want most out of life or are you expecting a trophy just for participating?


If you like this series, and want to increase your leadership I.Q check out my book, “Leader by Choice.”

Some of the reviews:

“I think everyone can benefit from reading this, but especially those who feel they are held back by their past.”

“I read a lot of leadership books but few are as accessible, personal, and action-oriented as this one.”

“This was just the book I needed (as someone who has been in middle management for a while, but feeling stuck. Mid life!).” 

“Leader by Choice is a must read! Do yourself, or someone you care about, a favor and order the paperback version of this book.”

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 5

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 5

So, now we’re on episode 5 of the ten-part documentary series “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls (1997-1998). Part 4 was about the importance of leading on purpose and for a purpose.

[UPDATE: Due to the positive feedback I received on this series I turned it into a short book called “Lead Like Mike”. If you want to support me and read the ten posts all in one place you can now order the book here.]

Focus On The Main Thing

Episode 5 was about Michal Jordan’s global influence and was dedicated to Kobe Bryant. By this time, Jordan was one of the most recognizable people in the world. His games were always sold out and internally he was just as popular. People who had no interest in basketball were drawn to him and introduced to the game because of him.

Jordan said that fathers, their wives, and children came as a family to watch him play so he felt obligated to perform every night and not to disappoint them.

In episode 5, Jordan was being pulled in multiple directions with filming TV commercials, starring in a movie, brand deals, and his expanding contract with Nike. The moment he stepped outside he was mobbed by the press and fans and everyone wanted a piece of him. And even before the games, he spent time with the special fans who had health challenges.

At one point in the episode, Jordan explained that the only reason why he had shoe contract, endorsements deals and all of the things that led to him having a house-hold name were due to one thing. Winning championships.  

At a restaurant, you order the main dish before the side dishes. The fame, money, and influence were side dishes. Anything that was not about winning a championship was like a side dish, nice to have, but not the main course.

LEADERSHIP NUGGET #5: Leaders intentionally and disproportionally invest their time, talents, and treasure into a few essential things and ignore the rest. They keep the main thing the main thing.

Here’s a fun fact: Jordan earned nearly $100 million during his career but since his retirement, he’s earned about $100 million per year in royalties. How is this possible?

He had a great agent and made good decisions but he kept the main thing the main thing while he played.

Experts say we live in the information age, but I think it’s the distraction age. We are bombarded daily by Weapons of Mass Distraction. From the moment we wake up we are attacked by endless streams of world-is-ending news, cat videos, clickbait, political Tweets, sexualized images, celebrity drama, and advertisers trying to convince you that your life is terrible unless you buy their product. Internet cookies follow you online from site to site like a lion stalking its prey.

And Google’s algorithm knows you better than you know yourself. That’s why every time you open Youtube the first 10 videos are all like eye candy for your brain. Not only does this algorithm know what you want, it constantly reinforces what you believe by feeding you the same viewpoint, which we are happy to consume.

We have to be intentional about our intentions to remain focused in this digital age. We can’t focus by accident.

Staying focused and having self-control today is really one of the greatest skills you can have.  The future belongs to those who can focus on the sound while avoiding the noise.

We live busier (more distracted) lives today than ever in history. We feel pressured to do more, watch the popular Netflix shows, and stay current with everything happening. There’s even a term for this — FOMO or the Fear of Missing Out.

We read books on how to get more done and how to be more productive. But are we being effective? Are we spending our time and energy on things that truly move the needle of life forward?

There’s a big difference between being efficient and being effective. You can be super-efficient but if you’re working on the wrong things you’re being ineffective.

You Can’t Focus on Everything

The goal isn’t to do everything. The goal is to do the essential. And that’s true productivity.

As awful as COVD19 has been, it’s also forced us many of us to slow down. For the past 2 months I’ve been working from home so no commuting. I only go to the supermarket about once per week. Every movement outside of my home is carefully calculated to minimize interaction with other people, avoid crowded places and to do everything in one trip. No eating out, no shopping malls, and no flights. COVID has forced us to reexamine our lives and focus on the essential — the stuff that matters most — our health, relationships, our finances, and our mortality.

Jordan didn’t focus on contracts, endorsement deals or “gaining followers”. Social media didn’t exist back then, but I’m confident Jordan wouldn’t be sharing pictures of himself or Tweeting. Instead, Jordan kept the main thing the main thing. He focused on mastering his craft so that he could win championships and make an impact in the game.

His agent David Faulk shared this story:

“I brought him a deal three years ago for $100 million. All he had to do was, other than giving his name and likeness, make a one two-hour appearance to announce the deal and he turned it down”

God bless him. He’s been so successful, it gives him an opportunity to do whatever the hell he wants or not to do things he doesn’t want. I really admire that. He’s very, very selective in the things he wants to be involved in.”

Jordan declined a $100 million-dollar deal that would require 2 hours of his time and the use of his image. Why? Because money is not his main thing.

How clear are you about your main thing?



If you like this series, and want to increase your leadership I.Q check out my book, “Leader by Choice.”

Some of the reviews:

“I think everyone can benefit from reading this, but especially those who feel they are held back by their past.”

“I read a lot of leadership books but few are as accessible, personal, and action-oriented as this one.”

“This was just the book I needed (as someone who has been in middle management for a while, but feeling stuck. Mid life!).” 

“Leader by Choice is a must read! Do yourself, or someone you care about, a favor and order the paperback version of this book.”

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 4

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 4

So, now we’re on episode 4 of the ten-part documentary series “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls. Part 3 was on the importance of taking ownership.

[UPDATE: Due to the positive feedback I received on this series I turned it into a short book called “Lead Like Mike”. If you want to support me and read the ten posts all in one place you can now order the book here.]


The Purpose of Leadership

What stood out in episode 4 was Jordan stepping up his physical training.  During this time, NBA games were much more physical than today. In the late 1980s and 1990 players would at times intentionally hurt each other and to some extent, it was tolerated.

In 1989, before Jordan had won his first championship, the most physical team was the Detroit Pistons who were known as the “Bad Boys.” To stop Jordan the Pistons came up with the “Jordan rules” which meant that they would do anything and everything to stop him from getting in the air. The Pistons would literally hit, push, hold down, or sandwich Jordan all in an effort to keep him on the ground.

It wasn’t mentioned in this episode but I found an interview where Tim Grover a personal athletic trainer shared his story about this time. Eager to train professional basketball players in his hometown of Chicago, Grover wrote personal letters to 14 of the Chicago Bull’s 15 players. The only player he excluded was Jordan. No one responded to his personalized letters, but he did receive a call from the Chicago Bulls organization because one athlete was interested. When Grover showed up to the appointment, he learned it was Michael Jordan.

During this time, it wasn’t common for players to hire personal trainers since the teams provided their own. But Jordan hired Grover to gain strength and muscle which he felt he needed to combat the Detroit Pistons’ physical style of playing. Grover ended up training Jordan for over 15 years.

Jordan’s training started at either 5, 6, or 7 in the morning BEFORE the team’s practice. Jordan invited other players to his house for the early morning workouts, which were called the “Breakfast Club” because you couldn’t eat breakfast until the session was over.  Sometimes Jordan would also train after practice.

When the other players saw how hard Jordan was training they had no choice but to emulate him. When they saw how committed Jordan was to winning and getting better they were compelled to do the same. Jordan inspired his teammates to take their training and performance to the next level.

And one of the things I loved about those Chicago Bulls is that non-famous athletes were playing like superstars because they were excelling at very specific roles. Of course, the coaching by Phil Jackson was central to this, but Jordan played a strong role in helping everyone around him become better regardless of who they were.

LEADERSHIP NUGGET #4: Great leaders use their influence to channel the collective energy and strengths of those around them into a worthy objective that one cannot accomplish alone.

One of the signs that someone has real influence is when they can use their influence to channel the collective energy into a worthy objective, goal, or change.

Ghandi did it.

Nelson Mandela did it.

Martin Luther King Jr did it many times. 

Winston Churchill did it.

John F Kennedy did it.

Abraham Lincoln did it.

Hitler did it for the wrong reasons.

And the list goes on and on.  

I’m not saying Jordan’s impact is on the same level as these people. But the common thread here is using one’s influence to accomplish something that you cannot accomplish on your own. Leadership author and guru, John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.” At first, I disagreed but now I see it.

“Leadership is influence.”

John Maxwell

If there’s no one behind you, you’re leading. Well, you’re leading yourself and that’s a critical start. But the purpose of leadership is influence. Positive influence. But you can’t lead others until you start leading yourself.

Leaders have a responsibility to tap into the strengths of those around them, manage their weaknesses, and help them develop their strengths so that together they are better. Jordan did it by becoming the person he felt he needed to become to win championships. This inspired his teammates to improve themselves.

The reason why he had so much authority, respect, and influence over his teammates was due to his dedication to improving himself, the clarity of the goal, and his willingness to let his teammates now when they were not keeping up. Was Jordan liked, like a friend? Probably not. We’ll talk more about that later.

We live in a world of influencers. Being a “social media influencer” is a job title now.

But why do you want to have influence?

What’s the goal?

What’s the common good you want to achieve with that influence?

If you want to lead and have influence then it’s critical you understand why? A lot of people want to be the big boss, but why? Why should you have the privilege and responsibility of leading a group of people?

So, what’s the purpose of your leadership?


If you like this series, check out my book, Leader by Choice.

Some of the reviews:

“I think everyone can benefit from reading this, but especially those who feel they are held back by their past.”

“I read a lot of leadership books but few are as accessible, personal, and action-oriented as this one.”

“This was just the book I needed (as someone who has been in middle management for a while, but feeling stuck. Mid life!).” 

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 3

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 3

Welcome back to part 3 of my blog series on the leadership lessons from “The Last Dance” a 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls. I’m looking for ONE leadership nugget from each episode.

And let me get one thing out of the way. In no way do I believe that Michael Jordan is perfect and that we should copy him, but I do believe there’s a lot we can learn from his wins and his losses.

Check out part 1 and if you haven’t.

[UPDATE: Due to the positive feedback I received on this series I turned it into a short book called “Lead Like Mike”. If you want to support me and read the ten posts all in one place you can now order the book here.]

On Taking Total Responsibility

In episode 3 of “The Last Dance”, they focused on Jordan’s relationship with his teammate Scottie Pippen. He was Jordan’s right-hand man for each of the five prior championships, but during the final season due to a contract dispute, Pippen decided he didn’t want to play until management renegotiated his contract. So, instead of playing, Pippen chose to have foot surgery and sit out for an indefinite amount of time.

Pippen’s absence from the team was felt immediately. During this time, Pippen was arguably the second-best player in the NBA so his presence gave opposing teams something else to worry about aside from Jordan. With Pippen in the game, Jordan didn’t have to focus on doing so much so this gave him more room score, rest, or get others involved.

Plus, without Pippen, it was much easier for opposing teams to double and triple-team Jordan which was physically exhausting. This situation was extremely frustrating for the Chicago Bulls, but especially Jordan.

Without Pippen, Jordan assumed total responsibility for the team and carried the additional weight from Pippen’s absence. Dennis Rodman, a fierce defender, and rebounder was amazing but he wasn’t a scorer like Pippen so while he filled a key role, it wasn’t enough.

While disappointed and frustrated, Jordan didn’t complain or come with excuses. Instead, he convinced himself that it was his responsibility to focus on what he could control. Himself.

LEADERSHIP NUGGET # 3: Great leaders take ownership of their circumstances by focusing their energy on those things they can control.   

During Pippen’s absence, the opposing team knew they had to focus on Jordan.  So, instead of just accepting that it wasn’t going to possible to win without Pippen, Jordan took his game to another level.

He pushed his teammates more than usual, but above all he was hardest on himself. It was as if a fire had been lit inside of him and he rose to the challenge.

Sometimes when personal circumstances in our lives seem so unfair or stacked against us we look for excuses to give up or not give as much effort. But Jordan did the opposite. I’m learning that leadership is counterintuitive.

Jordan once said, “If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” And staying true to himself, that’s exactly what Michael Jordan did. He didn’t change his goal; he changed the strategy.

“If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” 

Michael Jordan

All of this was possible because Jordan took responsibility at a time when he could have been excused for backing away or losing those games when Pippen was away. But great leaders look for opportunities to take ownership instead of avoiding it. Leaders run towards responsibility and not away from it.

Sometimes we have this idea that leaders just sit back and observe without getting their hands dirty. That might be the case for some. But the best leaders I’ve observed are the ones who have a whatever-it-takes mindset which includes taking ownership.

And when things don’t work out, they still take responsibility.

So, what about you?

Personally, I don’t always take ownership but at least now I recognize when I’m making excuses.

When circumstances don’t go your way or failure seems inevitable, do you take ownership and control what you can control or do you just look for excuses?


Check out part 1 and if you haven’t.

And if you liked this article and want to continue investing in your leadership skills please check out my book. If you prefer audiobooks here it is.

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 2

Leadership Lessons from Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” Episode 2

Photo credit ESPN

This is my second post reflecting on episode 2 of the “The Last Dance” a 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls. The purpose of this series to find one leadership nugget in each episode.

Check out part 1 if you haven’t.

[UPDATE: Due to the positive feedback I received on this series I turned it into a short book called “Lead Like Mike”. If you want to support me and read the ten posts all in one place you can now order it here.

——————————————————————————————————-

Are You Waiting for Inspiration?

In the second episode, there was a scene where Michael Jordan, a college student at the time, told his coach, Dean Smith, that he wanted to be the best who ever played at the University of North Carolina.

Coach Smith responded, “Not if you play like you did last year.” And with that, Jordan found the mental trigger he needed to push himself to work harder.

Jordan wasn’t the fastest player in the NBA, he wasn’t strongest, he didn’t have the highest vertical leap, and he didn’t have the best scoring percentage. But what sets him apart was his “growth mindset” or his ability to be coachable.

Psychologist Carol Dweck describes it this way,

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.”

My favorite Jordan story, which I mention in my book, is when he was cut from his high school varsity team.  The kid who took Jordan’s spot on the team is the legendary, Leroy Smith.

Smith is legendary, not due to his basketball career but because history will remember him as the boy who took Jordan’s spot and sent him home crying to mommy. Jordan himself said that without Leroy there would be no Michal Jordan.  

Jordan’s mother said that from the following day she never saw her son without a basketball in his hands. Jordan used that disappointment and failure as fuel to push him to practice more.

Think about this for a minute.

How in the world could someone who didn’t make their varsity team as a sophomore eventually become one the greatest basketball players of all time? That’s not supposed to happen.

So, how did Jordan do it?

Practice, practice, and more practice. Right. But practice alone isn’t enough.

Jordan created a competitive advantage by finding ways of turning any disappointment, failure, or negative experience into fuel for his desire to improve and win. This is the same man who said “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

Jordan and I have some things in common. I was cut from my high school team too. (I was cut in college too.) I also went home crying. But that’s as far as I can take my comparisons with Jordan. When I was cut, instead of being inspired to practice more, I just looked for an easier team to join.

Do you see the difference in mindsets here?

During practice scrimmages, one of his coaches in the NBA would move Jordan to the team that was losing if he was on the winning side. But Jordan learned not to complain; he took it as a personal challenge. And more times than not, his team would win.

Here’s my nugget from episode 2

NUGGET #2: Leaders find ways to inspire and motivate themselves to achieve by turning setbacks, disappointments, and even failures into a competitive advantage and by learning from those experiences.

Leaders create their own internal “why”. Jordan’s why was very simple. He wanted to win, make an impact, and leave his mark.

While researching for this blog post I found this quote from Ryan Blair an American entrepreneur and author (never heard of him but I love the quote), “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

“If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

– Ryan Blair

Jordan found a way to win internally before he won outwardly. Waiting on external motivation and inspiration is a gamble because 1) you don’t know if you’ll find it and 2) it doesn’t last. Instead, we have the ability to inspire ourselves by using life’s circumstances to our advantage.

So, are you the type of person who is waiting for external motivation or do you create it yourself?


If you like this post, go check out my book.