It was equally shocking for the entire world that stood up after hearing the tragic news of the death of Kobe Bryant. It was as if the world of Basketball was torn into pieces and is still trying to mend itself after a huge loss. There is no doubt about the fact that millions of people around the globe know Kobe Bryant more than his Basketball skills. His figure and star quality are bigger than his qualities as a basketball player. Not only Kobe’s fans but the entire public took inspiration from Kobe Bryant’s leadership skills and legacy, and now more than ever, after his tragic death.
“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
They admired his sportsmanship, work ethics, his ability to get over failures and losses, how he could cope with massive anticipations and stress, and how his legacy helps us to improve as leaders and people. Kobe Bryant’s leadership qualities are not confined to his teammates and basketball court only, as everyone has a lot to learn from him.
Instead, it helps us to learn amazing tips on how you can enhance your leadership skills, in your personal life, as well as in your work life. The leadership legacy of Kobe Bryant leaves amazing messages for the upcoming generation as well. They encourage the new leaders to implement Kobe’s legacy for becoming a proactive leader for their team and for themselves.
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great at whatever they want to do.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
The above saying is summing a lot of what Kobe had believed in, as for what his role is as a leader, and not only as a basketball player.
Even if it is the corporate world or the world of sports, Kobe Bryant’s leadership skills have been greatly implemented so that a winning and inspiring work environment is maintained.
A proactive leader is much needed in every organization and society to flourish. We are sure it is required in your organization or community too. Therefore, you can look into what Kobe has done and demonstrated throughout his career and his activity outside the basketball court, and extract the values and tips you can implement within your team.
Things to Learn from Kobe Bryant’s Leadership Legacy
“A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord.”
~ Kobe Bryant ~
After Kobe’s death, the entire world is still paying their tribute to his leadership legacy. Bryant has been famous for certain leadership qualities that are highly regarded by large organizations’ philosophies as well as individuals at the managerial level. By being a proactive leader that practices what he preaches, it’s easy to see why Kobe’s following leadership qualities and style are so valued by so many:
Work Harder to Enjoy the Results
According to Michael Jordon, Kobe Bryant is the only basketball player or one of those very few players who exactly knew what work ethics really is. He knew how to reach a goal, keeping in mind his work ethics. But Kobe really had some record-breaking work ethics. His immense hard work is what the entire world still chants about. It is even said that Kobe’s hard work has surpassed MJ’s.
“I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
His hard work can be well understood from one of his daily routine activities. It was his teenage times when Kobe used to show up for his practice matches at 5 in the morning and then leave for High school at sharp 7 am. This punctuality and determination were proved by one of his teammates, John Celestand. He said that Kobe was usually the first one to show up for matches, even when he faced injury in the previous matches.
This clearly explains that to achieve something in life, you need to stay motivated, and stay determined even when times get tough. Moreover, it is vital to work with focus and persistence. The challenge of working hard will no more be a challenge for you then. You will adopt the trait of ‘hard work’ and it will not be something extraordinary perceived by you, rather than a natural way of living.
Efficiency in Adaptability according to Changes
“Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
If we go back to Kobe’s career, we can observe jaw-dropping events on how Kobe was bringing drastic changes in his approach, the way he played, and his intensity. His achievements won during his basketball career were not all. This is because after his career Kobe was seen adopting remarkability after his sporty era. His focus and passion were seen in the tech-investment space, and in the domains of creativity and arts as well.
Well, one can simply say that Kobe’s career did not end after basketball. In fact, he was efficient enough to adopt the changes that came through in his life and never stopped to excel. And as the inspiring leader that he was, Kobe never kept these qualities to himself. He wrote a short film and several stories to encourage children to never stop working for their passions and dreams. His stories always depicted what most of the children suffer when they choose sports as their career and passion.
Kobe has left incredible messages for us as well. If we talk about the corporate world then your team always looks forward to leaders who are highly adaptable to any changes. To reach goals more efficiently and accurately it is the leader who takes the entire team into consideration first. The leader is the one exposed to any changes and is has to train and adjust his team accordingly so that productivity and results are not affected.
Always Focus on Maintaining Standard to Excel
“Use your success, wealth, and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
Chris Bosh, the former Miami Heat NBA champion, honored Bryant saying that he already has set the standard to excel globally. Therefore, it won’t be surprising at all if someone else in the coming years turns out to be an extraordinary player as Kobe will also be equally perfect. Everyone knows how Kobe asked for 110% performance from his team knowing that his team was already slacking. And that is why in one of his interviews Bryant told how his co-star in the Lakers Shaq, was driven by his laziness and diet.
Kobe knew how his team can get affected due to Shaq’s athleticism. He always felt that his team can excel and Shaq can get better only if he practice, practice, and practice. This was exasperating for Bryant as he has set a benchmark to excel with his team.
This lesson explains to us well that to achieve your targets, goals and to reach a higher level, you always need to set benchmarks. You need to focus on establishing some standards that will lead to excellence. If you are leading a team then you have to be more proactive towards setting standards for excellence. Delivering these standards to your team and keeping bucking them up to reach the level of perfection. Only then you will be able to achieve better and bigger goals and targets.
Never Miss Out Your Home Work
“Working harder wasn’t enough.
~ Kobe Bryant ~
I had to study this man maniacally.
I obsessively read every article and book I could find about AI (Allen Iverson). I obsessively watched every game he had played, going back to the IUPU All-American Game. I obsessively studied his every success, and his every struggle. I obsessively searched for any weakness I could find.“
Well, this is something we have been taught since we were children. Our teacher and parents were always after us, making sure that we complete our homework on time. But the real question arises that what is the homework when you are a sports player? Well, Kobe has his part of homework as well. The amazing quote above was said by Kobe in reference to his anger at Allen Iverson, who’s 41 Points vs. the Lakers in 1999 highly embarrassed Kobe.
So Kobe religiously used to watch his replays and previous matches, learning from the matches and planning on for new techniques to defeat and win. That is why there is no doubt about the fact that Kobe mostly relied on his immense work ethics rather than his talent, when he defeated other big players like Michael Jordon and many superstars as well.
Kobe taught how essential preparations are before any performance or presentation. You should have a detailed understanding of your work so that you are able to give your 100%. Therefore, Kobe Bryant’s leadership skills convey to many leaders how they should be prepared with their part of homework so that accurate information and instruction should be provided to your teammates.
Look Up to Your Mentors
“It was a rough couple years for me coming into the league, ‘cause at the time the league was so much older, it’s not as young as it is today. So nobody was really thinking much of me, I was a kid that shot a bunch of air balls, you know what I mean? And at that point, Michael provided a lot of guidance for me. Like I had a question about shooting this turnaround shot, so I asked him about it. He gave me a great, detailed answer but on top of that, he said, ‘If you ever need anything, give me a call.’ That’s like my big brother.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
The world knows that Kobe Bryant’s mentor was Michael Jordon. He always wanted to do more and better than what Jordon did in his career. And that is why he always used to learn from the amazing leadership skills of Jordon and looked up to him as his only mentor. This was even proved by Jordon’s teammates that Kobe was another Jordon as he followed his greatness.
Though Jordon and Kobe were competitors, Jordon still looked forward to him as his brother. And that is how gradually he became Kobe’s mentor. Kobe’s past is all about how he learned skills from his mentors and became close to them.
This is one of the many reasons why Kobe is a global inspiration and a role model for not only the sports players but in every sector, as he was always looking to learn from someone, acknowledging that despite his greatness he can be mentored as well.
Set and Focus on Long-Term Goals
“It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.“
~ Kobe Bryant ~
Kobe Bryant’s leadership is an inspiration not only for the people that saw him when he was still alive, but as well for the new generation that is looking up to him, his achievements, messages, and values. This can be understood from how 20 years of Kobe’s unforgettable career, that had provided so many great moments. Moments that explain why he is remembered by us the way he does.
He always knew what he wanted to be. The best he can. His vision and path were clear, and he had the talent and resilience to bring himself to self-actualization. So a clear focus and long term planning are all that you need to become an inspiration for not only your team, but also to the entire world. There are great tips that you can learn from Kobe Bryant’s leadership and legacy, and implement them in your own career. You just need to be open to accept challenges and learn from, just like he did.
