A Masterclass In Leadership: The Last Dance

Michael Jordan still sells. An average of 5.6 million viewers watched 10 episodes of ESPN’s docuseries “The Last Dance” over a 5-week time span, making it the most-watched documentary the sports network had ever aired. For 5 straight Sundays, it was the trending topic on Twitter. My family was part of the audience, gathering together on our quarantine couch so my young children can get their first true understanding of what made Jordan more than “the guy who was on Bugs Bunny’s basketball team competing against the aliens.”

From Space Jam to behind-the-scenes exclusives around an eight-year window where the Chicago Bulls won six NBA Championships, I marveled at the way the series revealed how this team sustained success despite all of the complications surrounding each component of the franchise.

1. In order to get the most out of your personnel, you must pay attention to your personnel.

Paying attention to your people doesn’t mean micro-managing them. Rather it means to listen to them and consistently find ways to connect with them in ways that help them truly commit to the team’s overall goal.

Phil Jackson found ways to constantly push Jordan to be better. He paid attention to MJ’s personality and the way “His Airness” aggressively interacted with teammates so he created a natural balance that held players to a high standard while still giving them time to decompress from the pressure of working alongside the most competitive player of all-time. When MJ crossed boundaries, Jackson wasn’t afraid to kick him out of practice and have honest conversations with his best player. But Phil knew that leadership wasn’t just about how you lead your best player—he intentionally found ways to make individual connections with each of the players on the team. He specifically sought to establish a common ground with each player rather than rely on group trust.