Shoot to win: How LeBron can make you an MVP CEO - by Richard Du

Richard Du, Agorafy, Inc.

The final moments of the 2016 NBA Championship were some of the most exciting in sports history. LeBron James led an underdog team to win against teams considered more talented, more experienced and, well, just better. How did this happen? How did this man galvanize his team to achieve something almost no one thought was possible? How does a leader defy expectations, to achieve goals that seem, from the outside, unrealistic? These are the same questions any leader must ask if they want to create something unprecedented and make it successful. In other words, how can LeBron James teach us to be a better boss, CEO or entrepreneur?

Inspire Through Example

LeBron is not a flashy player. He is not a bad boy on or off the court. You have never seen him embroiled in controversy or scandal. He is entirely devoted to the vision of his team. This devotion is the keystone to the inspiration of his team. As with any company, a leader is only a leader if people follow, and LeBron has an exceptional ability to enroll his teammates not only into the idea of winning, but into developing themselves to a level of play perhaps even they did not think possible. In a team blog, veteran Cavalier, Richard Jefferson said, “I don’t care if you’re a LeBron ‘fan,’ or not, I have seen it: LeBron has something I’ve never seen. The way he says ‘Follow me and I’ll take you there’ with actions, more than words, is like no one else I’ve ever played with. He’s the kind of leader who makes you want to carry the weight, too. I feel indebted to him. We all do.” The ability to push by inspiring, rather than drive by fear creates a loyalty that lasts. A great CEO sees the best in his team before they do and brings it out not by speeches, but by action.

Persist, Persist, Persist

It’s easy to witness a spectacular moment like the Cavs win and think, “Oh, well he’s just a natural talent,” or, “If I was 6’8” I could do that.” But not everyone knows that LeBron grew up with his single mom on welfare who, during much of LeBron’s early childhood, desperately tried to provide stability for her son, but often they ended up on friend’s couches or in temporary housing. Many in similar circumstances have gone in a bad direction. But LeBron had a dream to play, and he persisted in that dream. He was noticed as an exceptional talent around fourth grade, but it took another 22 years to achieve his current level. One can only imagine the obstacles he overcame, the physical effort, the disappointment he had to look past. But he kept moving towards his goals. Of high school players, about .03% get to play in the NBA, and you can be sure none of those .03% ever gave up. Any leader will be faced with failure. Each and every one of those who quit, fail. Success is not a lack of failure; it is an effect of how you deal with it. Coming from disadvantaged circumstances and reaching the pinnacle of his sport, LeBron shows us how it’s done. 

Character

A great company is like any great team. It’s important to surround yourself with talent, but talent alone will not win the championship. A team must be forged by discipline. The raw talent of the team can be made cohesive by creating a structure around which they can share responsibility, build trust with each other and know that when the chips are down, they are there for each other. A great leader must have the character and discipline within himself to be consistent before he can expect the same from his team. Many have said that while the Cavs won the NBA, LeBron managed to make that happen with one of the weakest supporting casts in the history of basketball — an even greater testament to his leadership skills.

Any great CEO needs to have the structure within himself for the company and his team to challenge themselves to do what is best, not what is comfortable. This willingness to push boundaries, creates innovation which is the cornerstone of any successful team.

While we don’t need to be able to sink a three pointer to be a great CEO, LeBron can show us what it takes to be a leader of men. The same qualities that make him one of the best players of his generation can help us develop our own ability to inspire, to persist and develop the character it takes to win a championship in any arena.

Richard Du is founder of Agorafy, New York, N.Y.