Larry Bird

Another sports generated example of the importance of leadership. Larry Bird, only the most famous and well respected Hoosier, talks about the Indiana Pacers getting better. In an article for the www.Indystar.com, Mr. Bird is quoted, "I don’t think we have what I call a great leader in that locker room. Players will say, ‘Come on, I’m a leader.’ No, it’s not there . .. Until we have that, we will struggle at times. There’s no question about that. As far as a leader, no, we don’t have that.”

This is exactly how class was on day one. We did not have a leader. Without the leader, we were scattered-brained dodos.




http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/SPORTS04/80222034

Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban says it in another cameo moment. He talks about what a great leader does in his blog he reports in. if you are not familiar with it, I suggest you bookmark it and with open minds, keep up with it. It is amazing.

http://www.blogmaverick.com/

You got it, now go save it and read it.

Today Mark Cuban blogged about the mega trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Jersey Nets. After the trade was stalled last week due to unforeseeable obstacles, the Mavs and the Nets pushed through. They recalculated their goals, made sure people involved understood the goals (lack of role in goal and misunderstanding of goal is what prevented the trade the first time) knew their roles in the goal, and understand the goal.

Quoted by Cuban, " The business side. I think we were stagnating some. I think the spark and excitement that JKidd will bring is more than just what his talent offers. There is a reason why Kobe and Lebron were lobbying management to bring JKidd in. We think he will recharge the batteries of not just our players, but the organization, fans, media and even merchandise and advertising sales.

That's the reality of this business. Wins and losses are not just about talent, its about energy and teamwork. The best leaders recognize when a spark is needed and are honest enough to admit it, and get it. Even when things are going well, its sometimes hard to sustain the energy of being a start up or of levels year past. In business it might be an acquisition, or a sale that may not be the perfect transaction, but its the most impactful. We have been discussing this now for at least a month. We think this deal will have impact."

"The best leaders recognize when a spark is needed and are honest enough to admit it, and get it."
How many leaders in your lives have done such a thing. i can recall not too many in my life had the gumshion to such a thing . As simple as it is, most leaders are not honest when they need to be, which is all the time. I wish I could see more of that. Hopefully, our next President will bring that spark America is missing.

-Jesse

Mark Cuban

Whoops , I even screwed up titling my blog

This is definably not the right way of starting class.  I do not even know if I have the opportunity to recover, due to the bureaucracy of the class structure.  Tonight, I finally found how I can look at the syllabus.  For the first time this semester, I am clued in.  I have downloaded the link to the syllabus on the first day of class, however I had no clue it was fifteen pages.  The browser info on the bottom of my word processor didn't show the "pages." Therefore I never browsed down.  I have always clicked on the blue link on the first page of the syllabus.  

I read much of the required reading for the first time tonight.  I saw the song assignment for the first time tonight.  I saw that many, many, too many things for the first time tonight.  Now that I am almost on the same page, I hope, with given opportunity, that I can catch back up and achieve an A as I learn about leadership.