10 Tips To Leading A Bad Team

No leader ever experiences constant success.  We all go through periods of difficulty and failure.  Leadership that is sustainable understands that failure is fertile ground for creativity and personal growth.  It also really helps us enjoy the good times because we have experienced the alternative.

The Washington Wizards have the NBA’s 2nd worst record.  In the April 2nd edition of Sports Illustrated, Chris Mannix takes a look at the floundering team whose star point guard John Wall’s stock is plummeting.  Wall, however, is working hard to improve and salvage as much from this season as he possibly can.

The following are the lessons that all leaders can learn from this article about leading bad teams:

1. Failure does not mean you do not have value or worth.  Focus on your strengths.  Wall is still arguably the fastest player in the league.
2. You never have to recover from a good start.  The team lost its first eight games and then fired head coach Flip Saunders.
3. Avoid Indifference – The slow start caused the underachieving team to become indifferent.  They simply did not care anymore.  This revealed itself in the team’s lack of effort.
4. Avoid Negative Influences – The 21-year-old Wall was expected to be a leader on the team.  Unfortunately, he was negatively influenced by the indifferent locker room.
5. Priortize Improvement – While Wall’s strength is his incredible speed, he is prone to over-reliance on that skill.  Therefore, he has failed to improve other areas of his game such as his jump shot.
6. Simplification – Interim head coach Randy Wittman has improved Wall’s game by helping him to focus on only three or four ways to attack his opponent.
7. Start Making Good Decisions – Wittman also points out that Wall made a conscious decision to improve and make the most of this season.  Leaders do not quit.  They press into issues.
8. Seek Outside Assistance – Wall has sought the counsel of Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant who endured two losing seasons to start his career.  It is important for leaders of struggling organizations to know that they are not alone.
9. Set The Example For Hard Work - Durant advised Wall to be the first to practice and last to leave.  Durant knows that leaders set the standard for all areas of the organization.  People do what people see.
10. Replace The Malcontents – At the recent trade deadline, the Wizards traded two players and will remove another couple during the off-season.  For struggling teams or organizations, there is often addition by subtraction when it comes to personnel.

Value, Worth, Good Starts, Avoid Indifference and Negative Influences, Prioritize Improvement, Simplify, Make Good Decisions, Outside Assistance, Work Hard, and Replace Malcontents.  Focus on these competencies and watch your team or organization begin to improve.

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