What the Raptors Can Teach Us About Leadership
Dr. Jill Birch
Keynote Speaker | Strategic Leadership Consultant | Author of 'The Compassion Advantage' | Empowering Teams for Success
Chipping Away at Leadership: Pound the rock
Yesterday, I looked at the present leadership of the Raptor's, charting Nick Nurses' experience in coaching1000 games before he even began as head coach. Like a Dickensian novel, it's always insightful to trace leadership's past to better understand the present. This led me to think about the tenure of his mentor, Dwane Casey. With 609 games under his belt, Dwane laid the cultural groundwork of this relatively new team.
Before “We the North” became the Raptor mantra, Dwane installed at 1,300- pound rock in the Raptor dressing room. He wasn’t yearning for Muskoka. He told the team while they wouldn’t be able to smash it on their first or maybe even their 1000th strike, eventually, they would crack it. The rock was meant to inspire a team who at the time, were in a tough patch with more losses than wins. It was a tangible symbol to players: every time they walked out to play, they touched the rock. Every huddle finished with a call to "Pound the Rock!"
We can take three things away from this story. As we think about leadership past, present and future, it's critical to remember those who led before us, to actively seek and remember the gifts they left for us to keep building upon. We talk a lot today about leaders motivating and influencing people but so often these are sentiments more than actions, just so many words. Dwane didn't just talk. He got into action - in a big way - using a the power of a symbol - to foster cohesion. And lastly, he drew from an inspirational story to urge players on. He learned the meaning of "Pound the Rock" went back to a social reformer, Jacob Riis, who used this phase in the late 1800s to illustrate how the poor of New York could overcome their poverty.
With Casey’s “Pound the Rock” strategy, you can’t help but wonder if the collective strike of past and present leadership smashed the rock leading them to the ultimate future match with the Warriors. "We the North" will "Pound the Rock" in Game 5. Go Raptors!!