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 2 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 2 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.
