Kobe Interview: The Art of Leadership

Here are some notes that I took from Kobe Bryant's NBA TV interview.  Here is talking about his idea of what leadership is.

The real challenge of all leadership is how to get a group of guys and bring them with you.  If they don’t come along, sometimes you have to drag them along.  Leadership is lonely, but that is part of the sacrifice.  You can’t be afraid of confrontation in getting guys where they need to go.  There is a big misconception that in order to win, everybody has to have a great time, and put your arms around people and pat them on the back when they mess up.  

In reality, if you are going to be a leader, you are not going to please everybody.  You have to hold people accountable, even if you have to go through that moment of being uncomfortable.  Leadership is not personal; its about getting everybody in the group where they need to go.  Its not about the person, its about the action.  When you are able to separate the two and put your own ego to the side, then we can get somewhere.  You’re trying to get the best out of them, and you want them to be the best version of themselves, and the leader has to drive that.   

In the  moment, there will be times where they don’t see that.  You have to be comfortable driving them.  If you’re not, you will run into a team with a leader who is comfortable doing that and you will lose.  If you can handle the driving and pushing, they will end up in a place of success that very few people have ever made it to.