I just recently learned about one of the best NBA pointguards, John Stockton. Like most I knew the usual suspects Jordan lebraun kobe , but I had never heard of him. After hearing his story, I would argue he was probably the best ever. And someone who's style we as performers should emulate.

No he wasn't the most attention seeking, no he didn't focus on scoring.

His focus was on the team and leading the team to success. He holds the record for most score assists.

Lets think about that lesson. We are hired to support someone else's event become a success. We should be like John Stockton and focus our efforts for the team success and make others look good. Doing that we will not have the high fame, but we will have high respect and stability in our careers.

Another analogy would be like the homer in kings, these guys shoot for the glory of hitting it out the park, but they also strike out the most. A paid professional should focus on consistency and hitting the objectives "getting on base" and support the team effort for success.

The entire point if what we do is to make others look good. I am an absolute master of letting others think it was their idea.

Much like a routine in a show that highlights the spectators, a career that highlights the person in charge of bringing you will be very well received.

Great analogy Walter. Stockton was a solid, depended upon player that truly knew and understood his role and position on the team and his value. As many that truly know my story, I was actively part of and involved with the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls as an agent and also as a press, media and promotional rep, as I was a decade earlier for the 1985 Ditka's (Payton, McMahon, etc.) Super Bowl Chicago Bears.

Nowhere have I ever see what you are describing better demonstrated than these two scenarios. Sure they were team sports and approaches, but a team is made up of individual and independent players and personalities, that each deal in reality and know their own expected roles in creating the desired outcome. While not necessarily one of the glory players, Stockton was respected more than you can imagine by the Jordans, Birds, and others that were considered the superstars. That is one of the things that made the Bulls so prominent was the coach, Phil Jackson, understood what he needed to reach his goal, and how to best utilize each individual player to attain the desire goals. Each player dealt in reality, knew and completely understood their role, and committed to it without waiver. This created success - having all of the proper or best components in place to achieve the predetermined, planned and desired outcome.

It is the exact same in business, including us as entertainers. Great comparison and perspective.

YES! (to all three posts!)

You right Walter, Championships are won as a team.

I love reading about the older baseball players. Lots of good success lessons there. My brother married the daughter of Bob Grims an older all star pitcher for the Yankees. He played with Mantle and other stars from the past. You could tell he was a fanatic about the little details. I learned from him that the little things do matter. Success is about being prepared for the right moment.

Tom

I tell you something else about sports. You deal with the coach and how he coaches.

Also the team does not coddle players and support all behavior and play just because it is nice. They tell people when they are wrong, they help them to learn right. They don't just get behind every idiotic idea out of some misguided idea of "brotherhood". They would never function that way.

Yeah, when the distinction between winning and loosing is so apparent, as it is in sporting events, it is surprising how different the approach often is. The lesson I take away from sports is that one should pursue their business opportunities with similiar mentalities as those that comprise winning teams.

"If any of my competitors were drowning, I'd stick a hose in their mouth and turn on the water."

That is Ray Kroc. Ray wasn't a nicey nicey sort of fellow by any standard you care to apply.

One would be a complete IDIOT not to listen to him because you didn't like his "way" of teaching.

While Ray Kroc didn’t allow the competitors to push him over, he was certainly a team player. Many remember him from his saying, “None of us is as good as all of us.” He was a big believer in teamwork and a true believer in helping others succeed. He taught the managers to work with the employees, and often told them, “the more I help others to succeed, the more I succeed.”

In business, the key is knowing who is on your team and who is not.

Tom

He NEVER let anyone on his team tell him how to teach them. Did he?

Nobody said he wasn't a team player. That is something only you have mentioned. His team, his way. Simple.

No of course he would not allow the employees to tell him what to do, but he did say this, “I believe that if you hire a man to do a job, you ought to get out of the way and let him do it. If you doubt his ability, you shouldn’t have hired him in the first place” He trusted his team.

Tom

Ok sidenote as a basketball junkie --- BRO.... How is it possible that you have never heard of John Stockton but know about Jordon, "LeBron" (not Lebraun), Kobe?
One of the smartest player in the history of the game brotha, hated the Jazz as they were rivals to my SEATTLE supersonics. (F OKC)
He plays a little dirty for being not as gifted physically; but the man is a class act all the way.

Another thing to take away from him is that he NEVER speaks ill of his opponents, never ever ever ever ever, be it after a win/loss.
That's another take away for us, when asked about other magicians, never ever ever speak ill of them even though you might have reasons to.

Anyway, did I say I'm a basketball junkie? LOL

Wayne Gretzky, undoubtedly the greatest hockey player of all time, knew the value of the assist also. But, honestly I never considered this business a team sport. The marathon I ran at age 15 taught me more about this business than any other sport. Its all about not giving up!

I think the understanding of entertainment business operations best relates to the team mentality and approach (more so than in performance). In consumer markets most buying decisions are made by an individual (perhaps with the thoughts or input bounced off a spouse, friend or co-corker), where as in professional markets the process is often conducted by a department, team, group or project board/committee with many different roles in the process, each having their own input and position in the process. Knowing and understanding these roles can determine how best to target, market and execute in such a team landscape.

Well said Nash. When it comes to sports there is no room at the top for jealousy.

A professional understands that on the court the player is competing against himself.

There is a saying among true professionals. “When you win say nothing, when you lose say less.”

Tom

Not sure about this one. While it makes for a respectable individual, history shows that many at the very top are extremely jealous. In fact, some wonder if Stocktons sportsmanship was a contributing factor to the fact that he failed to ever win the championship, despite being absolutely outstanding.

Many successful in all walks of life have spoken ill of their opponents. Ali and Trump come to mind immediately. While I am not advocating such action, just saying ist is not necessarily great business advice.

Yeah, I would tend to agree with this too. Michael, Barkley, Shaq, Kobe, Ewing, and others were quite competitive trash talkers, with much animosity and jealousy prominently present and easily noticeable. Jealousy and animosity are quite common in professional sports and success.

There are exceptions for the few at the very top of their game like Ali and Trump who uses it as show to make a point. When you standing alone on top of the mountain you can shout what you want. Or if you have already signed that 100 million dollar contract and cashed the check. But for those who care about being respected or those still trying to make sales or sell tickets, your hands are tied.

I certainly don’t know any magician that has reached that level yet. I know some that think they have. Even those in the Copperfield league still depend on their peers to support them, they don’t want to talk bad about the ticket buyers.

Ask the SF Quarterback if you can just do what you want in sports without paying a price.

Tom

Who but you ever said to talk bad about ticket buyers?

It is such a myopic version of the world to think like this. If someone task talks they are not respected? Many are respected for that computerised edge! How do you think they GOT to the top of the mountain? Did Ali start his talk one he was great? NO!

Tell Din Rickles you can't insult ticket buyers. Or Dice Clay, Louis C K, Dangerfield, and on and on.

These are not exceptions, at the top it is sort of common. And again how did they get there?

I didn’t say for you to talk bad about tickets.
I said that it is magic lovers and peers who buy the tickets.

Tom