The Last Dance & Leadership

“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” – President Harry S. Truman

The 10-hour documentary chronicles the story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls who won six NBA championships during a magical run in the 90s.

It’s must see TV and the 10 hours fly by. I could have watched at least ten more hours; the story was that compelling.

Much has been written about the documentary especially the leadership skills and personality of Jordan whose basketball skills were other worldly but whose personality was… how shall I say it…challenging.

In short, Jordan led through a combination of hard work, dedication and bullying that at least on two occasions led to actual violence. He punched two teammates during practice sessions that got so intense that they …well …led to fisticuffs.

Jordan had impossibly high standards. Winning was the only thing that mattered.

If he sensed you weren’t dedicated, or you were weak, he pounced and wouldn’t let up until he was satisfied you were not going to get in the way of winning.

There’s no arguing that he got results. Six rings. And I was reminded through the documentary that he was the best player I’ve ever seen.

But when asked about their teammate, many of the Bulls who played alongside MJ hedged their feelings. Yes he was great and he made others better. Yes we won. But boy could he be a jerk and yes he crossed the line many times.

At times it was painful too watch. You could see how his teammates are still struggling with Jordan’s style.

There are other examples of great individual talents whose personalities left a lot to be desired.

Steve Jobs led Apple to great heights but was said to be brutal to team members.

In the HBO film “LBJ-All The Way” Bryan Cranston portrays Lyndon Johnson as an expert politician but a man lacking in tact and manners. A theme throughout the film is LBJ’s reluctance to choose Hubert Humphrey as his running mate in 1964 because he openly worries that Humphrey is too nice.

You have to be mean to succeed in a blood sport such as politics, he tells Humphrey.

Which begs the question: do you?

Do you have to be mean and a bully to succeed?

I’m not so sure.

Although it’s hard to argue with the success of Jobs, Jordan and LBJ —who sure passed a lot of landmark legislation before getting swallowed by Vietnam—I’d like to believe that kind, empathetic, servant leadership is a more reliable and sustainable model.

That doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be tough at times. There are instances that call for leaders to be brutally honest and there are times when leaders are called upon to take on bullies. And sometimes  the best way to take on a bully is to give him or her a taste of their own medicine.

Sometimes it’s the only thing a bully understands.

But when it comes to day to day effective leadership I think those who lead with love  get more done.

Maya Angelou said it best: people may forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel.

In Michael Jordan’s case they won’t forget the six titles or the soaring dunks but they also won’t forget that they didn’t feel all that great at times ducking his punches and his insults.

Of course, it’s  hard to argue with results, but few of us are Michael Jordan.

For those with modest talents who wish to change the world,  I think the best way to lead is with love and affection.

Now some may feel that love is a strong word. It is.

But it’s essential for success.

Mayors should love their cities. CEOs should love their company’s mission, their employees and their customers.

Love is the killer app.

It enables you to find hidden reserves when trouble comes; and trouble always comes.

Passion for your cause will ensure you succeed. Jordan, Jobs and others had it. But they wouldn’t have been any less dominant if they mixed their passion with an old fashioned dose of kindness.