24 Quotes And Characteristics Of A Leadership Killer

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is the odds-on favorite to win the NBA MVP this year.  He is an Apex Leader, the best in the game.  What makes him so good?  All leaders can learn from two articles that recently profiled the 22-year-old superstar.

Sports Illustrated March 7, 2011

1. Killer Instinct – “The best ones are killers (instinct) all the time.”
2. Results – “I’ve got a different word for killers…He is the reason we win.” – Brian Scalabrine
3. Continual Improvement – Rose added not one, but three dimensions to his game during the off-season – more free throws  (298) than all last season with 24 games to go, more than five times the three pointers (85), and more need baskets.
4. Understated Honesty – During the recruitment of then-free agent LeBron James, Rose only contacted him once.  He sent a text message that said “I”m just hitting you up to kill all the rumors that I don’t want to play with you.  I’d like to play with you.  I just want to win.”
5. Motivation – “It made me want to get in the gym” when James chose the Miami Heat.
6. Maturity – “He used to defer, he now realizes it’s all on his shoulders.” – Jarrett Jack
7. Opportunity – If James would have come to Chicago, he would be making all the need baskets.  In his absence, Rose has grown as a player.
8. Distinctiveness – “There’s no one in the league like this.” – Joakim Noah on Rose’s humbleness.
9. Normalcy – “He takes pride in being normal.” – Rick Brunson
10. Others – Luol Deng is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 6.1 rebounds because of the confidence Rose showed in him by not going hard after James.
11. Confidence – “I do think we can win it all this year.”

Sporting News March 14th

1. Coaching – “Listening to him (head coach Tom Thibodeau) got me fired up, and I just carried it out on the court.  It was motivation.”
2. Accountability – “Thibs is a hard coach to play for.  Practices are very hard; we watch film every single day.  He teaches you the right way.  He holds you accountable for everything…I’m the leader, so he has to stay on me…It’s hard but he made sure I knew it’s my role and I have to accept it.”
3. Pride – “He is so diligent in his work.  He has embraced working had; he has embraced leadership…That’s the thing that makes him so special, is his pride.  He wants to be a complete player, so he works on all aspects of his game.” –  Thibodeau
4. Commitment – “He lives in the gym he is so committed.  He is in early, he stays late, he prepares, he studies, and he does all he can do to be the best he can be.  His teammates see that, and they follow.” – Thibodeau
5. Maximizing Margins – “I just wanted to add something to my game, and I decided that was going to be it this summer – I wanted to become a better shooter.  So I just took a lot of shots.  It was just repetition until I felt like I was getting better.”
6. Ownership – “It’s his team now.” – Kirk Hinrich
7. Family – “Staying on the right path was something that, really, didn’t have to happen to me…My family sheltered me and made sure I stayed on the right path, and I am lucky to have them (family) in my life.”

Do you have these 24 characteristics?  If so, you may also be an Apex Leader, the best at what you do.

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