No champion without a coach!

Moving from Performance to Excellence: Lessons from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant for Businesses. In his book "WINNING: The method of Michael Jordan's coach," Tim Grover sheds light on the secrets that forged the legend of one of the greatest athletes of all time. And it's fascinating!

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Upon reading this captivating book, I asked myself the following question: how can an already performing company surpass itself to achieve long-term operational excellence, following in the footsteps of sporting legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant? Drawing inspiration from the examples of these sports icons, here's how companies can climb the steps to excellence:

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Rituals and Training:

?Similar to high-level athletes, companies must adopt rigorous rituals and routines to maintain their performance and strive for excellence. The SAFe collaboration framework proposes collective and regular training sessions, PI Planning, and PI iterations to strengthen collaboration between teams, align them with common goals and practices.

“For me, routines are freedom, if used correctly. They allow us to act with certainty and determination; they remove the variables and speed bumps that slow us down. And most importantly, they bypass the battlefield decisions: Should I go? Should I not go? Like this? Like that? Today? Tomorrow? How long? Who should I ask? When you have a well-planned routine, these questions have already been answered. You act, and you move forward.”

These successive training sessions enable the measurement and analysis of field data, identifying areas for improvement to make informed decisions and develop decision-making autonomy. This is notably done during Inspect & Adapt, which promotes continuous learning and process improvement.

“Kobe used to say, ‘Knowledge is power.’ And I would say, ‘Only if you use it.’ He really used it.”

Matches and Meetings:

?Just like athletes, companies must be ready to test different scenarios and adjust their strategies according to real situations. As Kobe Bryant said, "Details are not just details - they make the difference." By demonstrating the work done during short production cycles (Planning Interval (PI)), valuable feedback from the public is collected. System demos and PI System demos help share progress and gather and consider feedback that will make a difference in the field!

“A part of Michael’s greatness was his ability to execute; even the smallest details of his movements allowed him to act and react faster than almost anyone on the court. He could trigger his shot very quickly because he received the ball with already bent knees and shoulders already thrown back in shooting position. Most players receive the ball, then get into shooting position. MJ was already ready; the gun was already loaded and ready to fire.”

“Every routine must account for an uncertainty factor. If you prepare for only one scenario, you have no chance of surviving the volatility of real match conditions. This is true in sports, in business, and in real life. If you can only be operational when things unfold in a certain way, at a certain time, it tells me that you lack real-time adaptability to variability.”

Fostering the "Flow" State:

The concept of "flow," as described in the book by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, is crucial for achieving operational excellence. It is in this state of intense concentration and full immersion that teams can reach their highest level of performance. Companies must create an environment that fosters this flow state by sanctifying time for deep work. Innovation Planning (IP) allows for breathing and gaining perspective or deploying creativity during Hackathons, for example.

“One element of his routine was to lace up his shoes before every game, all fresh out of the box. This ritual had a special meaning for him; every time he did it, he remembered when he had a new pair of sneakers when he was a kid; it brought him back to a place that mentally prepared him for the game, and it helped him get into the ‘zone’.”

Drawing from the lessons of legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and by adopting the following key principles, high-performing companies can access excellence:

Developing a culture of "Never Settle": never settle for current performance, always seek relentless improvement.

Having an obsession with victory: setting ambitious goals and leaving nothing to chance to achieve them. Relying on Strategic Themes and OKRs.

Allowing time for "Radical Focus": fostering an environment where teams can achieve optimal concentration and performance.

Staying humble and open to criticism: engaging in a continuous learning dynamic.

Fostering open and transparent communication: encouraging smooth communication across all levels of the company.

Developing talent: investing in team training and skill development.

Building a culture of trust and collaboration among teams. Being able to rely on each other, knowing that in tough times, the team will be there. Celebrating individual and collective achievements.

Getting coached: just as high-level athletes need coaches to maintain and improve their performances, high-performing companies can also benefit from professional coaching and support to excel and evolve continuously.

So? Do you want to perform? To make a difference? Don't stay in your little routine at the risk of being overtaken and having your dreams stolen ;-)

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#OperationalExcellence #EnterpriseAgility #Leadership #Innovation #Performance #Coaching #Agile #AtScale #SAFe

Italicized excerpts from "WINNING: The method of Michael Jordan's coach" by Tim Grover.