Leadership Lessons Learned

As conference tournaments enter us into March Madness, I fondly remember high school playing days and endless hours balancing schoolwork, basketball, and watching the tournament.  Pulled the picture from back in the day not just so you can see me dribbling through a zone press (pinnacle of being a point guard!), but also so you can be a little bit scared by our school colors and the shorts they had us wear in the early ‘80s as well (class action suit pending…or should be!).

Parallels can always be drawn between so many different facets of our existence and applied in other areas or bidirectionally.  Whether it be parenting, friendships, academics, business, and/or athletics.  In honor of March Madness looming, wanted to provide a region worth of seeds (sixteen) to ponder.  Note that I will not label these the Sweet Sixteen, because there are probably others that are better that you might have, and because there should never be a final sixteen, because there should always be evolution, growth, additions, and changes to them.  So, please simply accept these as Sixteen Seeds randomly ordered that you can play your management tournament with, or that you can plant for later use to grow and develop them if you see fit.

1. Syracuse Orange 2-3 Zone –   If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  For years, Syracuse routinely played a 2-3 zone defense that everyone knew they would and that is usually one of the easiest zones to beat.  However, their adherence to playing it as they did with precision and dedication made it seem very tough for others to defeat.  So, even if what you do may seem routine or easily challenged, if you do it well, you are probably on to something.  Stay the course.
2. 1-3-1 Zone –   Always loved this zone for the ability to allow the 1’s to roam and chase, while at the same time having the rigidity of a zone.  Could have pressure points while also being looser elsewhere.  For a version of leadership 10-5 reports (10 minutes to write, 5 minutes to be read), try a 1-3-1 approach.  Each leader pinpoints 1 key area their team is focused on or prioritizing (most) for the week.  3 other key areas next in priority are also issued/described.  Then finish with the 1 key thing their division/department needs from another division or others.  1-3-1 balances focus/priority with a bit of chase and looseness as well.
3. 1 v 1 Defense – There will always come a time when you will need to play 1 on 1 defense.  Every player must be prepared, knowledgeable, and ready to pull their weight.  It is a team game, so prepare everyone to do their part. Stamina is a requirement.
4. Assist your Assists – Playing point guard, I took it as my responsibility whether or not someone caught my passes. Strong backspin on bounce passes not only allowed it to get through defenders, but it also brought the ball up quickly and into the body of the receiver for an easier catch.  Hitting the receiver higher so they could be in shooting mode instead of having to reposition the ball saved time and promoted their success.  Always set up those you are handing off to for next steps at whatever task or role to be successful.  It is on you to make those you pass to successful.
5. Ready to Shoot – If you are the receiver, ensure you are ready to receive and transition quickly and efficiently into your task/role.  Preparing your feet, your arms, your body, to be ready to catch and shoot can mean the difference between swishing it or eating it.  Be ready for it to come to you when it not only is obvious, but sometimes when it might deflect to you or the point guard might pull a Magic Johnson no look over the shoulder or similar.  It is on you to be ready.
6. Don’t Force It Up – With respect to the previous, it is also up to you to take wise shots.  If something isn’t ready, look for another opening or for someone else open.  Don’t put yourself into a position where the clock is run down and you have to jack something up either.  Be deliberate and seek the best available option to score with.
7. Michael Jordan Who? – Be comfortable, supportive and respectful of the whole team.  Remember that it was John Paxson (1993) and Steve Kerr (1997) who made shots that won the Bulls the championship.  Sometimes a “role player” needs to win the game.  Ensure they are prepared to do so and your MJ (G.O.A.T.) knows when to pass it off for the best shot at the win.
8. Relax to beat a full court press – Slow down to go fast.  Determine whether you can dribble through it (see golden short shorts pic for example!), whether you can pass through it at angles, whether you should go over it, or how you should space out to break it.  When pressured we sometimes try go respond or go quickly, and that is when you usually get trapped or turn it over.  When pressed, slow down, assess, and then go at the proper speed or manner to tackle it.
9. Steph Curry and Caitlin Clark make free throws – While the from the logo three pointers are impressive and draw the most attention, most games are won or lost from the stripe.  The shots worth one point each are usually more important and where the game is won or lost.  Focus on this fundamental to ensure the wins and realize that excellence at it actually improves your overall shooting too, even preparing you to make a logo three.
10. Layup losses linger – The easiest shot in the game should have the most time spent on it.  Ensuring you can hit from the left, from the right, from the center, reversing, with both hands from every location, off the dribble, off the pass, off the backboard, on the rebound, is crucial to securing points and usually makes the difference between winning and losing.  Like free throws, might not be the sexiest of shots, but strong fundamentals make the difference. Master them.
11. Four Corner Offense – The shot clock might have killed the Dean Smith North Carolina Tarheel four corner offense, but understanding how to spread the floor, how to excel at ball handling, and understanding how and when to draw defenders and attack or pass is still fundamental.  Always take history into consideration to build new strategies or tactics with them in mind, while also maintaining that which was good out of it.
12. 12’s beat 5’s – More often than not, almost every year at least one 12 seed (if not more) beats a 5 seed.  Be aware of trends and search for them even when not obvious.  Then accept the reality of trends existing for a reason.  You can win or lose your pool sometimes based on calling the first-round upsets correctly, and knowing the history of 12’s over 5’s as an example, might just lead you to victory.  Trends matter.
13. ABD – When younger and asked who I wanted to win the tournament, I always responded with team ABD (Anybody But Duke).  It was always fun to watch teams compete voraciously against the Blue Devil machine.  To beat someone like them competitively, you must study, understand, and learn their strengths and potential weaknesses.  While I always believe you should play your own game first and foremost, get competitive intel through watching, learning, reading, and assessing. Ensure ABD wins.
14. UMBC – Sticking with an acronym, let’s not forget that Sixteen Seed University Maryland-Baltimore County in 2018 did something never done before by beating One Seed UVA.  Shortly afterwards in 2023, FDU did it again beating Purdue.  There is a reason you play the game!  Go in confident, hungry, and willing to take on the challenge.  It might just happen, once, or now twice even.  Don’t rate limit yourself, ever.
15. Cinderella doesn’t run away from the dance – To be a true Cinderella, you actually stay at the dance for a while.  Cinderella stories are made when teams run far into the tournament instead of from it.  Don’t read your own press releases and savor the one upset.  Maintain your drive, hunger, and energy to win again, and again.  Act like you’ve been there before sure, but realize it for the chance of a lifetime it may be.  Drive to thrive.  Make the shoe fit.
16. Represent something bigger – A beauty of March Madness is that it still seems to this day that the players are playing for something bigger.  They are playing for their teammates, for their coaches, for their fans, for their universities, for the alumni, for their conferences, for their states, and for all those who helped them along the way.  They are on a Mission.  Mission matters.  Always realize you are playing for something bigger than yourself, bigger than the win, bigger than the trophy, and it might just add that one thing you need to bring the victory home.  Play for something bigger.

May March Madness bring smiles to your faces and nervousness to your knees as you watch.  May you also learn a thing or two that helps you in your Managerial Madness tournament, that also may help you to be a better teammate, significant other, parent, child, friend, or person in general.  Let’s use the opportunity to enjoy it for what it is, but also to make it worth something bigger.

#Itmatters #marchmadness #mission #leadership