This article is NOT about basketball. It’s about YOU. It’s about your shop. It’s about your business. And, arguably it’s about your life. It’s how about to get the most out of everyone you interact with.
It just so happens that today’s lesson came from a basketball player. A professional one. A really famous and really good player: The 2017 NBA rookie of the year, the President, Malcolm Brogdon.
My good friend Michael invited me to a behind-the-scenes look at the new Fiserv Forum’s media room and the Bucks’ locker room, and a short game-review and basketball strategy with Malcolm. Then we got to have our pictures taken, shake hands, and say something short. I came up with nothing cool. Just said something standard like, “Mr. President, you guys look great. Keep it up.”

Although I missed my opportunity to impress Malcolm, he certainly did not miss the opportunity to impress me, nor to impress upon me the following leadership lesson.
The Milwaukee Bucks are off to a great start this year (currently 18-9). EPSN has the Bucks at 2^nd in power rankings. And they’re a young team with a new coach. Coach Bud (Budenholzer) is leading a starting lineup consisting of some of the most dynamic and exciting players in the world – Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka “The Greek Freak”), Malcolm Brogdon, Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez.
Near the end of the discussion, a fan asked a question: “What’s different this year with the coaching? Why do you think you’re winning so many games with many of the same players from last year?”
Malcolm immediately responded that it’s all about Coach Bud and his crew. Malcolm explained that coaches are invested in the players. They care about the players. It’s not just about winning games for the coaches, it’s about developing players. He said the coaches care more about player development than the team record. And then Malcolm capped it off with:
“It’s amazing to play for people that I love playing for.”
It’s no different in the real world. People want to work for people they love working for. People want a coach (aka, a manager or a boss) who is invested in them. People want a boss who cares about them.
Basketball players don’t play for the team, just like your employees don’t play for your company. Basketball players play for themselves first, and they play for their coach second. Your employees work for themselves first and they work for you second.
Make sense?
Then, ask yourself, do your people love playing for you?  
Do they know you care about them?
Do they know you are invested in them?
Do they know you want to develop them into all-stars?
How do they know?
I challenge you to write down a few examples of actions you have taken recently to show your people that you care about them, that you are invested in them, and that you want them to develop and become better for themselves.
Look at the Bucks. Same players + different coaches = different (better) results.
Sometimes it’s not your employee’s fault they are underperforming.
Sometimes you’re the problem.
But you don’t have to replace yourself, you just have to be willing to make a few changes and a try a new coaching strategy.
I hope you’ll be the Coach Bud of your shop or your business or your family. I hope you’ll invest yourself into your people so that they invest themselves into winning for you.
Let’s make this interactive. In the comments field below, share something you’ve seen or done that speaks to Malcolm’s lesson. Tell me what you do in your shop. Or tell me about a time when your boss did something that got you to love working for them.