Basketball is one of my Digital Disconnects. Shooting hoops is cathartic and brings back fond memories of shooting hoops with my friends around the neighborhood. Not to mention, it gives me an opportunity to exercise. On the flip side, reclining to watch a closely contested NBA classic whilst indulging on some over-the-top 8-meat pizza of some sort is equally welcome.
But as I play, watch and study the sport, I noticed some parallels that I’ve used to inspire and elevate my own professional game. Why not take your personal hobby and apply it in a way that bolsters your career?
And without further ado…
1. Master the Fundamentals
Whatever career you take on, know the fundamentals. Master the fundamentals by always being a student of them. Your college education and your professional experience are not enough. Actively practice them everyday. When you execute the basics of your position with a monk-like zen, success follows (just ask 5-time champion, Tim Duncan, aka Mr. Fundamental). Others will take notice and might even be inspired themselves to refresh on the basics.
2. One Game at a Time
It’s easy to overwhelm yourself with the future. Coaches continually have to hone their team to the game in front of them. Not the games they’ve already played nor the ones they’re going to play afterwards, just the immediate one in front of them. I want my team laser-focused on the milestone we’re trying to accomplish. And if that’s too far out, what’s the goal for the week? Or the day? Goals, projects, life…they’re marathons and each step along the way matters so don’t get lost looking too far ahead.
3. The Clock is Always Ticking
I am meticulous and methodical in how I operate. But life is in constant motion and if you dribble for too long, the 24 second shot clock will go off. It’s important to be aware of this pressure so you’re managing the clock to your favor and not vice versa.
4. Don’t Dwell on Missed Shots
It’s so easy to swirl on faux pas’ and embarrassing missteps. There’s a negative energy there that degrades your ability to execute causing more mistakes. You shot an air ball, so what? Laugh it off and be a factor that helps your team on the immediate next play. Life is too short to be thinking about how short it is. I have to remind myself of this one a lot.
5. Adjust Accordingly
A well-timed 20 second timeout can shift the momentum of a game. Bake in a halftime in your project to assess if you are on track to meet your goals. If not, why not? How do you correct it? How do you get your team to operate differently? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen teams come out after halftime with a brilliant new plan and dominate the second half.
6. Make Everyone Better
There’s a stat called BPM, i.e. Box Plus/Minus. It measures how a team performs when a player is on/off the court. Regardless of how you feel about LeBron James, the dude tops the BPM charts and that has led to significant results, namely six straight trips to the NBA finals. He literally makes everyone around him a vastly better player. So I ask myself, how can I mimic this in my day-to-day? What can I do to make each of my team members reach and exceed their potential?
7. Never Underestimate the Heart of a Champion
What is more awesome than the force of shear willpower? Against all odds and doubt, the ability to rise like a phoenix and fight through blood, sweat and tears is incredibly inspiring. When I believe “I can do this”, I often find that I can. Here are some recent feats in the basketball spectrum:
- The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, beat a 20 year record by winning 73 of 82 games during the 2015-16 season.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, were the first team ever to win the NBA Finals after getting into a 1-3 hole in the series, bringing the city its first NBA Championship.
- Russel Westbrook averaged a Triple Double throughout the regular season, the first person to do so since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.
As Russel’s motto goes…“Why Not?”
8. Have Fun
I have no hard statistics to backup this, but high-drama, dysfunctional and/or frustrated teams tend to be doomed for early exits. When players are enjoying and savoring every moment, they light up and that energy is noticeably contagious. I can’t say this enough, bad days are in each of our futures. For how long and how bad I can’t say, but I can bet on the inevitability of them. So have some fun! Love what you do or find ways to. I’m also willing to bet surprising opportunities will open along the way if you choose to do this.
As this post rolls out, the first round of the NBA Finals will be wrapping up. It’s a great time to be a fan. Also, my son recently finished his first foray into team-oriented basketball which was an awesome experience as a parent. And I put together my best March Madness bracket to date. If you can’t tell, I could spend a lot time talking about Basketball. There’s a lot more going on here then simply throwing a ball through a hoop!
Inspiring and motivating are key skills of a solid leader. Know what inspires you and take it to heart, whatever it may be. Use it to craft your approach and set an example. Why Not?
The Digital Helm 