I’ve just finished watching The Last Dance, and first off I’d just like to say wow! As a big basketball fan, I’ve always been in awe of the sheer pace and technical skill of the game and this series did not disappoint!
For those that haven’t heard of it or seen it yet, it’s a documentary pieced together with extraordinary behind the scenes footage and game footage over the period 1990 – 1998 when the Bulls won their six NBA championships.
There are so many great lessons to be learnt from the Bulls’ tremendous success, and here are some that really resonated for me:
- Train your mind like you train your body. On his decision to retire from basketball and start a professional baseball career, MJ had to do more than just change his uniform. He had to change the way he trained his body. Different sports require different body shapes with different strengths, and the same applies at work. If you’ve been asked to take on a different role then you’ll need to train your mind to think differently too. Understand what your optimum skillset should be and devise a mental training plan to get yourself into shape for your new role.
- Structure your teams well. Whilst it’s great to be good at everything, you can’t do everything for the team. You need to have a team that is structured to cope with increased demand and activity right from the start. I mean sure, MJ could probably take on another whole team in a game by himself, but he’d be incredibly tired and even despite his extraordinary skills, 1 against 5 is hardly fair.
- Having a strategic objective of ‘winning’ is fine, but you need to have a game plan too. Especially when all the other teams have game plans. Be clear on roles and responsibilities within the team and if some team members need extra coaching to score a few more points then provide that coaching in a timely manner.
- Great coaches make great people better. You might have a team of technical experts who all perform well individually, but the right coaching can turn a group of individual experts into a high performing team. Invest in a good coach who can help you to achieve your ambitions as a business and as a team.
- Invest time to create trust. MJ was often the star of the show, but when he realised that the other players could be star performers too, the team got even better – great things happen when everyone brings their ‘A’ game.
- Find your own motivations. “I took that personally” – MJ must have said this in every episode. His secret to always staying on top of the game and being better each time was to imagine that every slight was a personal attack against him. That created a fighting “I’m gonna show them” mentality that kept him winning. You are your own greatest opponent. The only thing standing in the way to getting where you want to be, is yourself.
- Focus on staying present in the moment – “Why would I worry about missing a shot I haven’t taken yet?” There’s no room for doubt and negative thinking on the court, or off it. Stay focused on the here and now to maintain your composure. If you miss that basket, focus harder when the next opportunity comes around.
- Winners still have hearts – having a killer winning instinct with the technical skills to match might make you an extraordinary athletic talent, but without the heart that comes with it, you can’t inspire and motivate others to be the best version of themselves. MJ inspired millions of people around the world, not just to love the game of basketball, but to show their passions, give their all and ‘Be Like Mike’.
I’d love to hear what you thought of the series and what other insights you picked up. Drop your thoughts in the comments below.