5 Tips You Can Learn From the NBA on How To Be a Better Leader

Oct 27, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) flexes for the fans after a basket in the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Sport is all about winning and there is no winning without leadership. Most team sports like NBA are a combination of different characters that are working towards the same goal. It is just like a modern-day company where you have people from different cultures, religions, and nationalities that are trying to synchronize themselves and work flawlessly.

This is where leadership qualities of personalities step in. Whether you are playing basketball or you are in a different organization working with other people, you need to improve your leadership skills if you want to get to your goals faster. 

Great leaders make the impossible seem possible, which is why we wanted to cover some of the things that we can learn from the NBA about how to be a better leader.

It’s all about confidence
Before you can believe in someone else, you need to believe in yourself that what you are doing is right. Since leadership means taking on complex problems and often exploring unknown territories, you need to have the confidence to guide your team.

It is almost impossible to compete in the NBA without confidence and confidence comes from being a worth ethic and being always prepared. In other words, if you want to be confident you should be willing to put out the work. 

Finding the right people
NBA teams nowadays have a complex analysis before they decide to sign an athlete, and there is a good reason for that. One new athlete can disrupt the good chemistry of the team and make them lose their performance. 

Signing players isn’t all about having the right skills. It is more about how well they get along in the team, and whether or not they’ll find their comfort zone. That’s why there is always something happening in the NBA trade rumors section (click here to find out).

We can also learn that every athlete is good or bad at different things/positions. This works the same way in the business world, where you have to find and hire the right people for the job.

Small teams
Being a good leader is all about managing people and improving their efficiency. However, it is almost impossible to manage hundreds of people in one organization at once. That’s why it is much better to divide the work into teams. 

We can see this practice even on NBA training where athletes practice in small teams at different times of the day. This now only improves their efficiency but also lets them work on their chemistry.

Organizing employees or team players is crucial for success. Even great leaders like Jeff Bezos prefer working with a small team.

Lead by Example
In order to become a great leader, you have to be willing to put in the work and show others how it should be done. In other words, if you expect it from the people, you are leading, you should expect it from yourself.  Additionally, you should hold yourself accountable before hold anyone else. 

Can you imagine being a coach of an NBA team without principles or not leading by example? It is impossible! Basketball teaches us that everything in life must be earned, even respect from other people around you, and the best way to earn that is to put in the work.

Learn to put others’ needs first
Knowing how to divide the pie is a crucial characteristic of a great leader. Looking after your team’s needs is what makes a great leader, and compassion and empathy should be your best characteristics. 

In the NBA great leaders will care about their team even when it comes to personal problems. This is the best way to build your team spirit, and the same goes for building a business.

Final Words
Apart from many other things like, working hard, being on time, and develop a working schedule, the NBA teaches us great lessons about life in general. 

If you decide to take a closer look at what’s happening behind the curtains of the NBA, you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn about other things that will make you a better person.