Recently, I had the unique privilege of interviewing Jeff Pearlman, author of the current best-selling Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty for the Pursuit Of Service podcast, which I co-host with Jeff Wright. Pearlman has written nine books, six of which are New York Times best-sellers. I feel this is his finest book and will become the definitive work of this era of basketball. You can purchase it by clicking HERE.
My favorite part of the interview is not Jeff’s assessment of the Lakers dynasty, though that was great as well. My favorite part took place at the 6:30 – 8;30 mark. During these two minutes, two men who could not be any different found common ground over what normally separates so many. Jeff is liberal, West Coast, and Jewish. I am conservative, Southern, and Christian. It was a beautiful exchange that I wish our entire nation would be having.
Jeff made these two statements during our conversation:
- “I was in New York after September 11th, we all felt this kinship… Let’s at least understand for each other how bad this year is.”
- “We probably agree on 90%… We all have same basic needs. We get caught up in these arguments.”
Click HERE to listen to the entire interview. I think you will love it (especially if you’re a basketball fan). Also, there are some audio issues in the first three-and-a-half minutes but this corrects for the remaining 43 minutes.
Now onto Jeff’s comments. The following are 18 Leadership Quotes from My Interview with Jeff Pearlman, Author of Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty:
- Life Is A Journey And A Process – “Should I judge someone based on who he is at 25 when he died at 41 and this book is just a progression.”
- “I have received three, maybe two, negative tweets and that is it. I’m shocked beyond a thousand.” – Pearlman on his chapters dealing with Kobe’s sexual assault trial.
- Leaders Are Often Remembered More Fondly After Their Death Than When They Are Living – “When someone dies everything changes. The perception changes.”
- What Leaders Mean To Other People – “Out here Kobe meant something to people much more than basketball. He meant hard work. He meant dedication, doggedness, this idea that if you had a dream (and) worked toward it, you can do it.”
Phil Jackson and Jerry West
- Great Leaders Care More About Influence Than Titles – “Phil Jackson didn’t want to walk into a situation where his power was sort of minimized by someone else. That’s just the nature of being at that level.”
- Your Reputation Follows You – “I think Jerry West talked to Jerry Krause enough to know Phil Jackson could be problematic.”
- The Importance Of Organizational Alignment – “Phil Jackson wasn’t Jerry West’s choice at all. He wanted Kurt Rambis to stay the coach. He though Kurt Rambis was going to develop into a very good coach.”
- Apex Leaders Rarely Work Well Together – “It was kind of a doomed relationship to begin with, two guys who were heavyweights. In the movies, Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa worked well together. In real life it’s hard for two guys at that level to work together.”
- Facts About Micromanaging – “One of the things Phil Jackson does not get enough credit for is his ability to manage a locker room and roster without feeling like he has to micromanage.”
- Talent Wins – “Name me an NBA team that won a championship without great talent… Talent wins.”
Shaquille O’Neal
- Great Leaders Are Great Teammates – “I think he’s the best superstar teammate.”
- Smart Leaders Enjoy Their Hard Work – “What are you doing this all for if you don’t enjoy this… Life is about working hard so you can enjoy yourself.”
- Success vs Enjoyment – “Kobe had a better career than Shaq but Shaq enjoyed it a gazillion times more than Kobe.”
- Great Leaders Never Confuse Activity For Accomplishment – “He was a dominant player in the NBA for 10 years. He won four NBA titles. That’s a pretty good career. (And) he actually enjoyed it.”
Kobe Bryant
- “His number one legacy as a basketball player is he wanted to be Michael Jordan and he actually became Michael Jordan. That’s amazing!”
- The Importance Of Goals – “He is the perfect example of someone who said I am willing to give everything I have for this goal.”
- Kobe’s Impact On The Next Generation – “When he died, the number one thing I heard young people say is, ‘He taught me about work ethic. Kobe taught me about drive. Kobe taught me about doggedness.'”
- “The value of hard work. A lot of people are missing that right now.”
For additional posts on the Shaq-Kobe era, enjoy the following:
- 20 Life Advice And Leadership Lessons From The Mind Of Kobe Bryant
- 16 Lessons From Kobe Bryant’s Visit With Nick Saban And Their Message For Young Leaders
- 29 Leadership Lessons From The Shaquille O’Neal – Kobe Bryant Feud
If you have not done so already, purchase the book by clicking the image below.
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