In her May 2 “Your Best Next Move” video, Bobbie LaPorte shares leadership lessons from an unlikely source: Draymond Green, the highly talented (and very outspoken!) power forward for the Golden State Warriors. Green, like most pro athletes, has a healthy ego and plenty of confidence in his own ability. But he also has a deep respect for his teammates and his competitors, and he knows he can learn from them. Adopting this kind of “beginner’s mindset”—where you acknowledge and respect the skills of others—can be the first step in improving on your own effectiveness as a leader.
Transcript of Your Best Next Move: How Leaders Get Better Through Respect
Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity. This year, I will help you actively use your personal agency to accelerate what you want to accomplish in 2022.
Over the years I have often shared “lessons learned” from the sports world for today’s leaders: the value of discipline and perseverance, of bouncing back from failures, of relying on the team. There are many parallels to excelling in sports and being an effective leader. One interesting data point that: 80% of women in senior leadership roles played some form of organized sports at an early age.
This week I wanted to share something related, but a little more subtle.
If you are a sports fan, you know that this is NBA playoffs time. With a two-year absence during Covid, plus a season where there is such strong parity across the league, we are seeing some great playoff action, including the series between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets, which the Warriors recently won. But not without a tough fight.
In that series, there was one particularly personal battle: between the Warriors power forward, Draymond Green: a never-give-in defender, feisty, outspoken; a man of many talents who isn’t shy about showing (and speaking) about them. Versus Nikola Jokic, former MVP of the league. The Nuggets big, strong, bruising center, who dominates (it seems) every play.
It isn’t surprising that this would be a battle. They are clearly fierce opponents. They don’t like each other. They are in each other’s face. They contest every move.
But…they do respect each other.
After the Warriors won the series last week, the camera showed Draymond having an earnest post-game conversation with Nikola. When asked what they spoke about, Draymond replied: “I thanked him for making me better.”
That surprised and impressed me.
Why? Because in the face of intense competition (with a lot of money and careers at stake), athletes still have respect for the skills and talents of others. From what they bring to the game. From what they can learn from each other.
And also, because in the times we are living and leading in where not one leader has all the answers, where the challenges our companies are facing are more complex than ever – we need to rely on the skills and assets of others.
We can’t default to our ego that says we know best; to fear that others will think less of us if we admit that we need help; to admit that we can still learn from others.
So, here’s my tip:
Recognize that holding a beginner’s mindset is the gateway to improving our skills and effectiveness.
Each day, consider some curveball you are facing that you are not confident you can handle with your own experience and skill set.
Ask: who can you call on for advice, input, and guidance – letting them know you believe they might have the key to helping you overcome a particularly challenging situation. This accomplishes two important things:
- By asking that person for help, you acknowledge their experience or special gift. That is reason enough to ask.
- You show vulnerability to recognize that you need help; that is one of the first steps to leading through uncertainty.
And, as a bonus, you can always thank them for helping you be a better leader.
Thank you, Draymond.
That’s my tip for this week. For more help on using your personal agency to make uncertainty a part of your success strategy for 2022 – check out my new book, “When the Curveballs Keep Coming: A Leadership Playbook for an Uncertain World”, and my new online course – “Leading Through Uncertainty.”
And GO Warriors!