Nikola Jokić is a two time National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP). He loves passing the ball almost as much as he loves horses. In fact, Jokić is probably the best passing big man of all time, one of the most efficient and accurate scorers of all time, and is the frontrunner for MVP this season (it would be his third straight MVP). The Serbian’s game combines collaboration, generosity, experimentation, mastery, and joy, which are traits that we can emulate (or at least aspire to) in our social and professional lives. Let’s all work like Nikola Jokić plays basketball because it will make everything better.
Here are 30 minutes of Nikola Jokić passing highlights:
Share the ball
Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr and Canadian Hoops Icon Steve Nash argue that “the ball finds energy”, which is why sharing the ball creates connective energy when everybody touches it and when everyone on the team expects to be included. Nobody likes playing pickup (or any sport) with a ball hog and the most productive teams collaborate to solve problems and build cool things (energy does not come from micromanaging bosses).
A few months ago, our team discussed our annual engagement survey highlights. During the conversation a team member noted our high scores for trust and working relationships within the team and said that “it feels like we can do anything when we work together”. Rarely does anyone create a novel product or piece of content alone, nor do we suffer through a problem independently. Sharing the work not only leads to a better product, but we get energy from the experience, too.
Experiment
“Tonight I will try to dominate the game without shooting the ball … well, maybe I will shoot five times” is a phrase I assume Nikola Jokić said to himself once or twice before taking the court. He approaches the game like an artist trying to create masterpieces with different tools every game. It’s incredible. For you, experimentation needn’t be masterful. Simply taking a different route to work, trying a new tactic for a team meeting, or taking your kids’ lead with dinner can unlock creative potential.
Experimenting fosters wonder and unlocks learning. When Jokić tries unconventional passes (like making a pass to the corner, but then letting go of the ball in the middle of the pass and actually dropping off the real pass to a cutting teammate for a dunk) or puts novel spin on the ball from a never-before-tried shooting angle, he inspires creative thinking in his teammates by demonstrating the art of possibility.
Work with joy
One of Jokić’s nicknames is “The Joker” and he seems to not take everything so seriously (unless you foul him or, probably, insult his horse).
All metrics of performance improve when folks work with joy. People feel safer, which means they are more likely to share ideas and tell the most powerful people on the call if an idea or product will fail. People feel connection, which means that they are more likely to understand and adapt to each other’s styles, collaborate to solve complex problems, and generally be more engaged with their work. All it takes is for an employee to have a best friend at work for performance, wellbeing, and creativity to skyrocket.
For the record I think Jokić’s best pal is Jamal Murray, the pride of Kitchener, Ontario.
From kicking off huddles with dad jokes to relishing the laugher of your kids to actually turning joke writing into a creative experience for a team, working with joy reflect the serious business of winning in worklife (maybe even in the NBA Finals!).
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This article was originally published on February 15, 2023 … it holds up super-well because of the game last night!