One person’s trash is another person’s treasure
Life lessons through sports.
5.15.23 | by Coach Mike Deegan
How did the Miami Heat reach the NBA finals?
They entered as the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. The playoffs began with them handling the Indiana pacers (4-0), then slaying the #1 Milwaukee Bucks (4-1), before defeating the Boston Celtics (4-2).
The person who has been given major credit for their success is someone who was previously seen as a clubhouse cancer, Jimmy Butler.
Over his NBA career, Butler developed a reputation as a bad teammate. He entered the league with the Chicago Bulls in 2011, but it wasn’t a fit. He clashed with teammates and fought with the coach, Fred Holberg.
Next, he landed in Minnesota with young stars Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony Towns. Butler’s intense work ethic and fierce desire to win were met with resistance. There is a legendary story from this time when Butler took a group of reserve players and DUSTED the starters in a scrimmage.
In the process he called out the entire organization, aggressively shouting at the GM that they needed him to win. Not long after he was traded to Philadelphia where things once again failed to work out.
Here’s where the story takes a turn. During his time with the Bulls, Butler got close to former Miami Heat icon, Dwyane Wade. Wade’s time in Chicago was not good either. Like Butler, he clashed with the organization. When Wade went back to Miami, he told the front office they had to get Jimmy Butler; that he was their type of guy.
Several years later, after a meeting with President Pat Riley and Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, Butler jumped at the chance to join the Heat. With Butler leading the way, the Heat are now competing in the NBA finals against the LA Lakers.
Three Questions:
This story has my mind racing. Here are three questions to ponder regardless of your business:
1. Who is the problem? Butler was seen as a bad teammate. He couldn’t get along with players, coaches or the front office. Could it be that those organizations were not focused on the right things? Is it possible that they valued talent (like Wiggins and Townsend) over championship behaviors?
We often write people off as being too brash, opinionated, or selfish. Would it be in our best interest to listen to these difficult people? To provide the space to express their frustrations. It takes courage to listen, to REALLY listen, because we may hear uncomfortable things.
Have you ever felt like you weren’t being heard? It’s extremely frustrating. As leaders we must ask ourselves: “Who is the problem?”
2. Is the culture strong enough to handle an outlier? The Heat have a clearly defined culture based on hard work, competing and winning. Pat Riley has a long history of success. This type of stability and awareness allows them to take calculated risks on players that others may be leery of. Jimmy Butler, or anyone for that matter, isn’t bigger than the organization.
Do you believe in your culture? Is your culture strong enough to take a shot on a high leverage person that others fear? It’s ok to say, “no, we aren’t ready for that, yet.” It’s actually admirable. Cultures like the Heat, Spurs, Patriots, Steelers, Cardinals, and others are equipped for the risk. But many are not.
3. What if it’s a bad fit? The story of former NBA star, Dennis Rodman, is compelling. Rodman was a fit for the “Bad Boy” Pistons during their championship runs. He was then dealt to San Antonio Spurs where his eccentric style wasn’t embraced. Eventually he landed in Chicago where the coach (Phil Jackson) and leaders (Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen) decided his skill-set was necessary for them to win championships.
The documentary, “The Last Dance,” does an amazing job recounting the Bulls internal struggle with Rodman’s antics.
Were the Spurs wrong for letting Rodman go? No. Were the Bulls wrong for comprising some of their values to accommodate him? No. Fit is everything. Knowing the people and values of the organization are critical to long-term success. The Bulls won multiple championships with Rodman. The Spurs shine came later when they hired Greg Popovich and went on to win five championships. Their journey was a slower play.
How well do you know your organization? Are you ok with someone leaving and flourishing in another role?
Final Thoughts:
The Jimmy Butler odyssey challenged me to reflect. I’m reminded that some of my all-time favorite kids entered with a checkered past. “Be careful, he can rub his teammates wrong.” “He’s not coachable.” Sometimes a new culture can make the difference.
On the other hand, many athletes have left our program and flourished in other environments. Our program didn’t bring out that person’s best.
Butler went from being seen as a cancer, a horrible teammate, to an exemplary leader. “As I’ve said time and time again and Spo constantly says, ‘We’re not for everybody.’ I’m not for everybody. But, here I am. The guys we have, we’re (perfect) for one another. We’re going to constantly compete for one another. This is home for me.”
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
I’d love to hear if this story resonates with you. After reflecting, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Have a great week!
Mike
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