MJ Mondays | Lead By Example

Have you ever been on a team where a leader needed to step up or have you ever wanted to be a leader but you felt like you didn't have the voice to lead?

When Michael Jordan joined the Bulls as a rookie, they were a struggling team and a struggling franchise. They needed a jolt of energy and leadership, and Michael became that jolt and provided that leadership.

The culture of the team at the time wasn't what it needed to be and felt like Jordan needed to do something about it because he wasn't used to losing. The Bulls didn't handle adversity well, and they would put their heads down and give up when they faced challenges or got down in a game, but Jordan's character wouldn't allow that to continue. His teammates quickly learned that Jordan wouldn't let them lose. Within the first couple of weeks, MJ proved to his teammates that he was the best player on the team and a leader worth following.

Michael Jordan said, "My mentality was - whoever was the team leader on the team, I am going after them. And I didn't do it with my voice because I had no voice. I had no status, so I had to do it with the way that I played."

It didn't hurt that Michael Jordan was already a college champion and college player of the year, but he worked hard to prove himself with his work and his actions and he completely changed the culture of the Chicago Bulls.

We all don't have the talent, height, and athleticism of Michael Jordan, but we can all be leaders and impact our teams if we believe we can. Here are three things that you can do to help change your culture or become a better leader:

1 - Energy and Enthusiasm

Bring energy and enthusiasm to everything that you do. Very few things can be done at a high level without positive energy and enthusiasm, and as leaders, we have to model that for our teammates. We can't expect our athletes or teammates to be enthusiastic about things that we can't be enthusiastic about. Find ways to be excited about the things you need to be excited about - working hard, working together, competing, and getting better.

2 - Compete

In every drill, in every scrimmage, on every play, in every practice, and in every game - compete. Competing means striving to gain or win something. Strive to get better and compete with who you are capable of becoming. Have a competitive enthusiasm to get better every day.

3 - Connect

A connected team is a better team. Lead by bringing people together and keeping them connected. You can connect with your teammates by talking and touching. Make a goal to say something positive to every teammate, every day. Also, look to connect with teammates with high five, fist bumps, and pats on the back. Those touches can make a difference in bringing teammates together.