No Off Days...

Last time I briefly referenced a few of the less than positive things about Jordan that were given some media attention; gambling and how he was accused of treating teammates at times… Let’s consider those, but let’s do it with a clear perspective…

It truly doesn’t matter to me whether or not you agree that Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player of all time. Either way, there’s no denying that he has been one of the most prominent figures on the planet for the last 40 years. For those relatively benign accusations to be really the only stones thrown at him in that time is nothing short of amazing. The only person with an even similar profile that I can think of who’s had less negative press was Derek Jeter. And while Jeter may be one of my favorite baseball players ever, even though I’ve always loathed the New York Yankees, his fame was far more limited to the game of baseball and he was nowhere close to the greatest player ever. All said, for either to have lived under their respective microscopes for so long and to have so little dirty laundry was amazing!

The reality of fame and fortune is that someone will always be looking to throw a stone with hopes of shattering a good image. While on a significantly different level, being in a leadership role is eerily similar. The expectations on our superstar star athletes, especially given their age and new found wealth, are very high and often unfair. The expectations we place on those we look to for leadership are rarely different. Leaders can rarely afford to have off days; they have to deliver at a higher level than anyone around them indefinitely. 

The difference between those athletes and someone who has accepted the responsibility of leadership is that the leader has almost always had more time to mature… With that in mind, we can’t lose sight of something I’ve heard John Maxwell say dozens of times, “Maturity usually comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone!” Anyone in a position that has high visibility and significant influence will have far greater expectations placed on them than the majority of folks will ever truly comprehend. To earn genuine influence with the teams we lead, and to continue earning that influence over time, we have to exceed those expectations and we have to do so on an ongoing basis. 

That’s never an easy task! It will require discipline, consistency, and determination - all of which contributed to Jordan becoming the greatest basketball player of all time. But we can’t possibly expect to do it alone, and neither did he! Strong leaders need strong mentors in their lives because they’re not usually willing to follow anyone weak - and that’s where we’ll pick up next time…