If you watched the hugely popular Netflix Documentary ‘The Last Dance’ you would of got a huge insight and deeper look at the Great Michael Jordan
"The Last Dance" follows the Bulls' 1997-98 season from start to finish, while also covering the rest of the chapters in Jordan's remarkable career.
The 10-part docuseries follows the Jordan timeline from when he was an emerging star on his high school team to becoming a worldwide marketing force and cultural figure.
The series takes its name from a phrase coined by then-Bulls coach Phil Jackson, who knew that the season would likely be the final run for the core members of that 1990s Bulls dynasty.
If you watched the series you would of seen a closer look of how determined and competitive Jordan was.
Jordan was the face and leader of his Chicago Bulls team, and his style of leadership was very muchAutocratic leadership, also known asauthoritarian leadership.
He fitted the traits of an Autocratic style leadership,characterized by his individual control over all decisions and little input from group members
When you look atSome of the primary characteristics of autocratic leadership they were some of the behaviors Jordan showed on the documentary and that include :
- Jordan allowing little or no input from team members
- Jordan to make almost all of the decisions (apart from Coach Phil Jackson)
- Jordan dictated the work ethos and standards
- He left most team members feeling like he didn’t trust them in key situations or important plays
- Jordan created a hugely demanding work environment
- Jordan established his rules amongst the team which were clearly outlined and communicated
- Challenged teammates and sometimes border lined bullying
Calling Jordan autocratic leader tendsto sound quite negative. But he came across that way at times in the documentary especially with his authoritarian style being overused, constantly applied to the same people, or used in the wrong situations.
Like with most Autocratic leadership and it happened within the Chicago Bulls, Teammates ended up feeling that they have no input or say in how things or done.
This was a problem especially when Jordans skilled, talented, and more than capable teammates were left feeling that their abilities and contributions are undermined.
But with Jordan being not only the best on the team but the best in the league his Autocratic leadership style seemed to be tolerated and accepted by teammates.
And it usually is the only time that an autocratic leadership style is accepted or used effectively, in situations where the leader is the most knowledgeable or the most skilled member of a group or team.
Autocratic leadership is often most effective when it is used for specific situations, and Jordan always took control of key and clutch situations.
In big-game situations when every second count, Jordan's autocratic leadership proved to be beneficial especially when decisions need to be made quickly without consulting with teammates.
When the game was on the line, give the ball the Jordan. And it was the game plan what everyone looked to do. As they knew it was a winning one.
They knew he was their leader despite the way he went about it.
the question that keeps popping out at me is, Jordan was undoubtedly a great player, but was he a great leader?
He did play an instrumental part in the Chicago Bulls winning 6 NBA championship titles, but was that him being the great player or him being the great leader?
With sports being a results-based industry and 6 titles in 8 years you can maybe argue he was both a great player and a great leader.
I suppose it is down to personal preference and what you seek from a leader and how you best respond to certain leadership styles.
He was definitely the autocratic leader, he was definitely a winner and he definitely is one of the greatest sportsmen to grace this earth…
I still love Michael Jordan, I loved his desire to win, how he changed from sportsman to global Icon, how he showed the next generation of basketballers how to be more than an athlete.
He transcended what being an athlete was and took it all to a whole new level.
But his style of leadership wouldn’t have worked with me…. I couldn't have played with that type of leadership, I know I wouldn’t respond too well to that style.
How do you respond to the Autocratic style leadership? and what style brings out the best in you?
