LeBron Raymone James Sr. (born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed “King James“, he is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history and is frequently compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player ever. The only player to have won NBA championships with three franchises (the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Lakers) as NBA Finals MVP, James has competed in ten NBA Finals, eight of them consecutively with the Heat and the Cavaliers from 2011 to 2018. His accomplishments include four NBA championships, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals. During his 18-year career, James holds the record for all-time playoffs points, is third in all-time points, and eighth in career assists. James has been selected to the All-NBA Team a record 17 times (with a record of 13 First Team selections and 11 consecutive First Team selections, the latter of which is shared with Jordan and Karl Malone), made the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times, and has been named an All-Star 17 times, including three All-Star MVP selections.
Here are some of Lebron James’s business lessons:
1. Do Whatever Needs to Be Done
Lebron is among the most versatile players in the history of the NBA. He rises to challenges. He finds openings where others do not.
That’s what business leaders do. They find solutions where others see problems. To be truly successful, you need to be prepared to step into situations of all kinds, and step up your game.
2. LEARN FROM OTHERS.
When LeBron left for the Miami Heat, he did so to learn how to win. Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade taught him how to be a champion and LeBron brought all that knowledge and experience back to Cleveland. Who are your mentors, guides and role models? What have they taught you?
3. Make the People Around You Better
Many of Lebron’s past and current teammates have had career years while playing with him. He demands excellence, but he also puts people in a position to succeed.
Lebron even memorized where his teammates preferred to receive passes. Impressive.
Although personal success is great, you make a much bigger impact when you can help everyone in your business achieve personal bests.
4. DON’T FORGET YOUR ROOTS
LeBron is from Akron, Ohio. Everyone knows it. He graduated from St. Vincent St. Mary Catholic High School in 2003 and reminds people that he’s “just a kid from Akron” whenever he can. Take pride in your hometown and give back whenever and however you can.
5. Stay Positive in the Face of Adversity
Lebron’s greatest achievement to date is leading the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. The same Warriors who had won a record 73 games that year.
Situations don’t get much tougher than that. Yet Lebron and his teammates did what was seemingly impossible by staying positive and taking it one game at a time.
Resilience is an absolutely essential skill in life and business. Things will go wrong. Staying positive, professional, and even-headed when they do will help you swing the pendulum back in the other direction.
How many of Lebron James’s success lessons do you resonate with? Leave a comment below.
