He is a global icon, a basketball monolith, the most prevalent and recognizable athlete of our generation. And he’s one of a kind, because he’s the first to rise to prominence in the Information Age.” – Shane Battier
LeBron James is an Apex Leader meaning he is the best at what he does. And what James does is play basketball for the Miami Heat at the highest level. In the April 30th edition of Sports Illustrated, Lee Jenkins gives us a unique insight into the mind of this Apex Leader.
Leaders, if you want to be the very best at what you do, the following quotes and insights gained from Jenkin’s article are must-haves for your leadership toolbox.
Apex Leaders:
- Accept Responsibility – Apex Leaders own the results.  Battier goes on to add, “He’s accountable every single day for every single thing, from how he plays to what he tweets to what he says in pre- and the postgame inteviews…This is what he signed up for. There is a price to pay. He understands that.”
- Focus – “I need one. I need to get one first. I have short goals – to get better every day, to help my teammates every day – but my only ultimate goal is to win an NBA championship. It’s all that matters. I dream about it. I dream about it all the time.” – James
- Embrace Hard Work – Apex Leaders work very, very hard on their craft. In fact, they embrace it. During the off-season, James took hundreds of jump shots and practiced countless numbers of power moves on a daily basis. James also now frequently arrives to the game prior to his teammates to hone his skills.
- Make Impact Plays – Apex Leaders make an impact on their profession and others. “I make impact plays. I make game-changing plays..I didn’t make nearly enough (in last year’s championship series against the Dallas Mavericks.) – James
- Are Uncomfortable – Apex Leaders have a holy discontent. “The greats always stay uncomfortable.” – Miam head coach Erik Spoelstra. Because of their level of uncomfort, they are constantly looking for and….
- Desire Honesty – Apex Leaders are selfish for greatness. But to achieve it, they need people around them who will be honest and point out blind spots. Former high school coach Keith Dambrot says, “A lot of people are intimidated by LeBron, but he wants the truth. He’s not too big to take criticism.”
- Continually Improve - For Apex Leaders, this flows from honesty. James says, “I’m looking for opportunities to get better.”
- Return To The Fundamentals – Apex Leaders know that no matter how talented they may be, the fundamental provide the foundation for their success.  Dambrot adds, “You have to do more things you don’t want to do. You have to do more offensive and defensive rebounding, moving without the ball, all the basics that made you great going back to the beginning.”
- Prioritize – For Apex Leaders to go to another level in their performance, they must give up some things. James says, “If I’m going to work more in the post, I have to give up something.” Assistant coach David Fizdale adds, “Everything we did was about being good at less, great at more.”
- Seek Friends Who Are Also Apex Leaders – Kings talk to kings. Apex Leaders talk to other Apex Leaders. To improve his work in the post, James spent the summer working with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olojuwan.
- Have A Great Memory – Apex Leaders forget nothing. James remembers the smallest details from games years ago and how teams defended him.
- Make Others Better – As talented as Apex Leaders are, nothing great is ever accomplished alone. You need a team.  This is a lesson James learned all the way back in middle school. His rec league coach Frankie Walker told him, “You’re going to be in the limelight a lot. You have to remember to bring your teammates with you.”
- Experience Peace And Tranquility – One of the benefits to Apex Leaders having a great team is that they become a safe haven for you. Battier says, “In the crazy world he lives in, this (the Heat locker room) is really the only bastion of normalcy he gets.”
Pastors and other leaders, what are your thoughts of these 14 points? Are there any areas in which you need to improve? But here is the bigger question – Are you experiencing peace and tranquility?
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