The Toronto Raptors host the NBA Finals tomorrow. It’s the first time in the franchise’s 25-year history that they’ve gone so far in the postseason. A combination of resilience, diverse abilities and a focus on winning as a team have contributed to the Raptors’ winning ways as well as unleashed the awesome potential of perhaps the NBA’s greatest fanbase (they might still be celebrating in Jurassic Park). Here are five ways to win like the Toronto Raptors.
Trade for Kawhi Leonard
Okay, so maybe your strategy division or finance team doesn’t specifically need Kawhi Leonard (he’s quiet, though, so we can’t say that we have an exhaustive grasp of his knowledge and skills), but you are probably aware of superstar in your field of work. When Raptors GM Masai Ujiri traded DeMar DeRosen for Kawhi last summer he was betting on an uncertain future – Kawhi becomes a free agent this offseason and he probably won’t stay in Toronto. Regardless of what happens during the offseason, the Raptors head into the Finals with the best player in the playoffs. Kawhi has been consistently awesome in the postseason, but, according to Adam Grant, your workplace will be more likely to win if you can find consistent strong performers:
Don’t bet on the person who shows occasional flashes of greatness. Bet on the person who delivers day after day.
It’s better to be consistently good than intermittently excellent.
Results and relationships depend on reliability.#SundayMotivation
— Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) May 26, 2019
The Raptors are winning because Kawhi Leonard is someone we can all bet on to deliver results consistently. He is focused and determined like a cyborg/terminator, he has a unique skillset and, most importantly, he got Finals-level experience when he was 20 years old. For your team to win at the highest level you need top talent, even if you’re uncertain how long they’ll be around.
Be resilient
Here’s how the Raptors started their three series en route to an Eastern Conference Championship:
- Tied 1-1 to the lowly Orlando Magic (the Raps lost game one at home!)
- Down 2-1 to the Philadelphia 76ers
- Down 2-0 to the Milwaukee Bucks
Multiple times they’ve been down big and rallied to win – in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks they were down by 15-points before going on a 26-3 run. Whether we call it “grit” or “resilience” or “courage”, the Raptors have it. The world of work is changing in countless ways all the time. Teams need to cultivate resilience in order to grapple with everything from automation to economic downturns. The Raptors have bashed their way through the playoffs with a mindset that nothing is over until the game (or series) ends – if there is time on the clock the team, channeling their superstar, perseveres, often times against spectacular odds. Managing our feelings and bringing discipline to how we face adverse situations can make us, and our teams, more resilient as we face uncertainty in our communities.
Get a cheering section
Jurassic Park has evolved into an incredible community of basketball enthusiasts – it may or may be made up of half the City of Toronto. It is the most diverse fanbase in the NBA (possible the world of sports). It might be the politest, too.
Work should be joyful, but it often isn’t, and we all suffer from hard days. Having a support network of friends, family and colleagues is essential for managing your well-being. The energy from Jurassic Park – and, I guess, Superfan Drake? – is contagious and legitimately motivational for Toronto’s players. According to HBR’s Emma Seppala and Marissa King, burnout at work is as likely to come from loneliness as it is from exhaustion. By forming a community of supporters you will increase your chances of personal and team success because of the social and emotional connections that you create together.
Have a diverse toolbox
The Toronto Raptors can present a few different options – or “looks” – to opponents. With Spanish Giant Marc Gasol playing center, the team can match or disrupt their opponents with size. And if the Raptors must go small, like they will against the always-moving Golden State Warriors, then they’ll make a seamless transition and make Serge Ibaka their big man.
Modern workplace teams need to blend digital acumen with human skills to engage colleagues and delight customers. Teams should be able to facilitate transformational in-person experiences as well as manage someone’s journey across multiple digital channels – depending on the need, teams should present the right talent with the right thinking to solve different kinds of problems.
Win as a team
Something that I love most about basketball is stifling team defense. They are heading into the Finals with arguably the best defense in NBA Playoffs history. In fact, it’s their lockdown defense that has allowed them to fall behind by double digits and claw their way back by basically holding their opponents to few (or sometimes no) points. Oh, and since they added Marc Gasol in February the Raptors are leading the league in assists – they are literally sharing the ball, and the work, more than any other team and winning together.
What’s the compelling and unifying focus that your team needs to achieve? Whether your mission is to provide exceptional service or foster unparalleled innovation through learning, defining how you will win as a team will create a bulletproof approach to how work gets done.
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