Walking in the shadow of a Giant Leader

by Amjad Desai

I believe that a business is a team sport, and understanding the real contributions of a true leader and the value they bring to the team has always fascinated me. Now when it comes to assessing a great leader's worth, like many people, I also struggle to figure out where to start. In most cases, I feel that leadership is often judged based on the results and not on the leader's ability to overcome failures, perseverance, or impact on those around them.

Is that the correct approach? I wonder!

I recently watched 'The Last Dance' on Netflix - a documentary on Chicago Bulls' 1998 season. Apart from reminiscing about how I used to stay up all nights to watch the Chicago Bulls games, it also got me thinking about Michael Jordan's Leadership of the Chicago Bulls and what lessons I could learn about leadership.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all times, was picked up as a rookie by the Chicago bulls in 1984. There was never a doubt about his greatness, and right from his rookie year, he was considered one of the best in business. Except for his career's first two years, he had either won the MVP or finished in the top three in voting. He also led the Bulls to 6 NBA championships from 1992 - 1998 while winning the NBA MVP in 5 of those six years.

A great illustrious career.

However, I hope you noticed that it took one of the greatest basketball players of all time eight long years before he could get his hands on his first championship trophy.

For years Chicago bulls failed to qualify, and it would hurt him, but he would find a way to motivate himself and come back again next year more focussed and hungrier. It took years of failure to realise that no matter how good he was on the court or how many points he scores, Chicago Bulls will not win the championship unless the whole team improves significantly. He knew that to win, the Bull's needed a leader that could raise the bar, push the team harder to give their best and start believing in themselves and the championship dream. And he was now ready to lead them.

The result of this endeavour was arguably the finest team of all time that went on to win 6 NBA Championships, with Michael leading the pack from the front.

He became the beacon for the entire organisation and made them believe that together they can achieve something that they never thought was possible. This capability to make others push themselves to get better and believe that the impossible is possible requires a special kind of leader.

I address people like Michael Jordan as a "Giant Leader" (GL) because they stand tall above the rest, leaving most in their shadows. As I watched the episodic documentary, I picked a few critical lessons about GL's Leadership approach and its value to an organisation. Below, I share a few notes on what a giant leader brings to the table.

  1. They will never ask you to do something that they wouldn't do themselves.
  2. They provide an unreal sense of belief that makes you want to believe that the moonshot is possible.
  3. They can create an illusion in their mind to motivate themselves and their peers to keep pushing towards their objectives.
  4. Failure is the fuel that keeps a GL motivated and driven. They hate failing but are mature enough to accept it and are always respectful towards those who beat them.
  5. Unwavering perseverance to not give up and keep going for the moon shot no matter how difficult the odds are.
  6. They don't confuse loss with failure and have a sound understanding of the difference.
  7. They know its a team game as long as everybody knows the core rule ' No Room For Mediocrity'.
  8. They tend to have an uncanny ability to push others to raise the bar and do better every day.
  9. They tend to have a one-track mind and focus on their objective.
  10. They keep pushing themselves and their team to get out of their comfort zone and keep testing their limits.
  11. They keep raising the bar of expectations and keep challenging themselves and their peers.
  12. They keep innovating and redefining themselves.
  13. When their team needs it the most somehow, they can always manage to find that extra gear.
  14. Many people might find them inhuman and arrogant. However, these giants are consumed by their passion and obsessed with achieving their life's purpose and legacy.
  15. Achieving their goals/objective is so important that anyone on the team not giving their 200% commitment, is considered betrayal. They have a single focus, so either you are working with them to get them closer to their objectives, or you are in their way.
  16. Giant Leaders bring their share of eccentricity or dogmatism, but that's the price you pay for having them as your leader.

It is evident from these traits that it takes a person with exceptional talent, self-belief & vision to pursue this relentless leadership path towards glory.

But frankly, it's hard to debate that if the objective is to achieve an impossible dream, which mere mortals can't even imagine, then you better give the leash in the hands of a giant leader. Their leadership style might come across as strict and rigorous, but if the means serve the purpose, who am I to question.

And if you have the fortune to work with such a leader, put your chin up and be grateful. Of course, you'll have to earn their respect and trust by showing up every day and pushing your limits. But helping them achieve their moonshots will help you become a better version of yourself, and on top of that, you get a shot at creating history.

So be glad if you have the chance to walk in the shadow of a giant, even if it's for a single dance, cause most others are not that fortunate.