Lebron James is the best player in the NBA and possesses all of the necessary talent and skills to one day surpass Michael Jordan as the greatest ever. At 6-8 and 270 pounds, he is built like a linebacker with sprinter speed and is the most accomplished 26 year old player in league history. James is a high-level CEO on the basketball court. CEO stands for Champions Elevate Others and if he wants to be recognized in the same conversation with Air Jordan, he must make his teammates better and win NBA Titles.
CEO is not just a job title; it’s a mindset and winning approach to sports, life and business. There are three valuable CEO leadership lessons that can be learned from watching the journey of Lebron James.
Build Team Trust – I spoke with Lebron in January and asked for the most important leadership skill necessary for him to drive the Cavaliers to a title. He said, “Michael Jordan did not win an NBA championship for the first seven years of his career. Then he increased the trust in his Bulls teammates and won six. I need to trust my team for us to win.” Great leaders share responsibility and empower their team by building trust.
Display Self-Leadership – Lebron James has completely dominated the NBA on both ends of the court during his back- to-back MVP seasons. He is the youngest player to reach the 15,000 point plateau and has already become a fixture on the league’s all-defense team. James is a work ethic role model for his teammates. He is regularly the first player on the court prior to Cavalier games perfecting his game. Big producers lead by example and set an incredibly high standard for their teammates. When the best player is the hardest worker, the team thrives.
Share Unstoppable Confidence – Team productivity soars when the leader in charge displays confidence and star power. During my basketball career, I played with 24 NBA all-stars and they possessed a swagger that gave everyone the belief that victory was imminent. Lebron is powered by a positive trait called interior arrogance. He knows he’s the best and so does everyone else. He expects to win and his contagious confidence boosts the performance of everyone on his team.
The Cavs’ shocking playoff collapse against Boston caused many to blame the Chosen One’s ability to lead his people to the Promised Land. The Cavaliers On-the-Court CEO will eventually win an NBA title because of his immense talent and tremendous leadership potential. The 20 million-dollar question for Cavalier fans is “How long will it take and will it be in Cleveland?” Good luck Cavs’ fans.