The NBA Finals: A Lesson in Leadership

Becoming a great leader doesn’t just happen. People with an entrepreneurial spirit and business owners have to acquire and develop the skills they need to guide themselves and their team in the right direction.
But not all leaders are alike. Business owners and entrepreneurs, just like basketball players all have their own unique leadership skills. For example: The two most recognized players in the 2013 NBA Finals LeBron James and Tim Duncan have shown they have their own unique way of leading their teams on the court. But no matter how their leadership skills blossom on the court, both of them have been very successful in their careers in the NBA. The same goes for people in business and leaders in any organization. Here are some ways that you can lead your team in business and get the same results.

Be a Charismatic Person

LeBron James, a ten-year veteran player in the NBA, has displayed magnificent leadership at times during his career. At halftime during game 5 of the 2013 NBA Eastern Conference Finals he pulled his teammates together and delivered a passionate and attention-getting speech. The message he gave to his teammates was that they needed to play with a sense of purpose and urgency. He reminded them they should not simply rely on their own individual talents. During the second half of that game, his team the Miami Heat came back from being down by four points to winning by eleven points.
A charismatic business leader can inject that same level of energy and enthusiasm into their employee’s hearts and minds. But at the same time, don’t ever lose the fact that your team is making contributions as well. Having a strong belief in your team and letting them know that you do is essential to winning in society and the marketplace.

Show a Calm yet Assertive Attitude

NBA star Tim Duncan is not into verbal outburst and big emotionally charged speeches. Instead, he meets the expectations his team sets for him every day without the verbal rants. He prefers to lead by example, and that in itself gets his teammates pumped up to play at their highest potential. Business owners and organization leaders can instill a sense of confidence in the people they lead in the same way, by not wearing their emotions on their sleeves. Showing a calm yet serious approach during the tough times that come along, leaders can show those under them that the organization can handle anything that comes along.

Don’t Be a Leadership Hog-Encourage Others to Lead Too

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs was the first player chosen in the 1997 NBA draft. With San Antonio’s addition of players like Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli, the Spurs have been arguably the most consistent NBA team during the past ten years, and have won four championship titles in the NBA finals since 1999. They have shown that a leader with a good supporting cast of teammates can accomplish great things. Using a democratic approach to things, multiple leaders within any organization can play a great role in the success of a business. Leaders should always encourage teamwork and show that they respect and welcome group contributions when decisions have to be made. This kind of approach can raise employee enthusiasm and satisfaction which will have a positive effect on the success of any organization.