A Winning Organizational Blueprint?

A Breakdown of NBA’s Golden State Warriors as a High Performing Organization

Some Unique Roles on a Team We Can All Identify With… and Need.

As the 2022-2023 NBA Playoffs are underway, the defending champion Golden State Warriors face an uphill battle in the extremely talented and competitive Western Conference. But do they have the right pieces on their basketball roster to successfully repeat with a title??

Too early to tell, but it made me think about the individuals they’ve assembled, their skillsets, the roles they play, and how they their personas may complement each other as a formula for success. While I know it’s a gross oversimplification of the living, breathing, evolving human beings that they are, I tried to capture their value and contributing characteristics as parts of this particular team. Do these translate to any high-performing organization?

Here’s a breakdown of the key players on the roster…

Stephen Curry: The epitome of excellence. This individual redefines the rules of the game based on their attention to detail, maniacal focus, unmatched preparation, and freakish competitive drive. Where they lead by way of example, everyone else tries to follow… and replicate.

Draymond Green: The risk taker. They are willing to go down in flames to light a spark for the sake of the organization and for everyone to get better. Driven to protect the excellence that's been built, but isn’t afraid to fail — nor do they care about what others think. They are willing to put themselves out there (loudly) as an emotional leader, constantly challenge others, and call out even the top leaders or parts of the organization that may be underperforming.

Klay Thompson: The streaky, but invaluable performer. Because when they’re “on” with a high level on confidence and fully engaged, they are absolutely unstoppable. This individual can “make it rain” and completely take over when other team members are not at their best. You just have to get them going.

Kevon Looney: The iron man/woman. This individual can always be counted on and is willing to do all the little things needed, exactly when they’re needed. Unsung hero who grinds and outperforms their talent level with desire on a daily basis. Their best ability is sometimes just their availability — holds the perfect attendance record because there is no other place that they would rather be.

Andrew Wiggins: The missing cog. A critical member of the leadership team that may have to go out on FMLA. All others are trying to hold it together and cover for this individual when they are out on leave. But everyone trusts them and knows that when they are back with the organization, the team will feel truly complete. The individual is fully respected and delivers so much value that upon their return, it feels like they never left.

Jordan Poole: The young buck. An eager and competitive ball of energy, who wants to do it their way. When harnessed, they are an enormous talent who is considered a next generation leader. They are extremely confident and pushing to take over, but may not be quite ready to do so.?

Donte DiVencenzo: The acquired champion. A proven winner who is newer to the organization but has tasted success at every level in other organizations and knows exactly what it takes to get the job done. This individual steps up when needed and takes advantage of their opportunity to shine and contribute to the winning culture. Brings a different set of experiences drawn elsewhere.

Jonathan Kuminga: The raw talent. A developing young talent with an expansive skillset. They just need experience, a set of guardrails, and a few more development opportunities within the organization. You don’t want to stifle their creativity, drive, and enthusiasm — so you must give them opportunities to shine — and fail to a degree.

Andre Igudala: The seasoned veteran. Former MVP, player / coach / advisor / mentor / sage counselor. A "been-there-done-that" high achiever who can share lessons learned from recent personal experience. Not ready to hang them up just yet, even if they’re now primarily serving in an advisory role these days. A positive influence on the young buck and raw talent.

Gary Payton II: The specialist.?This teammate who knows their role and excels at it, because that is exactly what the team needs. They know exactly who they are and what they can deliver to the team. Even in a limited capacity, this individual makes?a huge impact when given the opportunity.

Steve Kerr, head coach: The orchestrator. A role playing, specialist in their earlier days, but now can see the forest for the trees. Knows when to take action, when to motivate, and when to sit back and let their leaders lead. Sees the bigger picture and doesn’t get sucked into the drama that inevitably unfolds with the day-to-day grind of business.

Do any of the personas above resonate with you? Teams you serve on? Do they remind you of anyone you work with now??Or those you worked with in the past with whom you wish you could again? What traits are you missing in your organization to win today?

And finally, is this a formula for success for a professional basketball team in 2023??Maybe, maybe not. But objectively, many listed above have achieved the ultimate in team success two, three, and even four times over in the form of a championship.?And this is a cutthroat business where only one of 30 teams experiences that level of success each year — translated, 97% fall short.?

I suppose I like the Warriors chances with this organizational blueprint.

Go Dubs!