Mamba Mentality: Leadership Lessons from the Late Kobe Bryant
On January 26th, we were shocked to learn that we had lost Basketball great Kobe Bryant. Kobe has been one of the most dominant players in recent times, and was the center of my home team, the Los Angeles Lakers. In reading about his life and legacy, I was struck by seven lessons we can all learn from Kobe.
1. Be relentless in practicing your craft.
Kobe was known for his work ethic. He would perfect each shot, sometimes practicing the same one over and over again for hours, separately from team practices or conditioning time. How are you honing your craft on a daily basis? How are you taking what you already know, and building on it?
2. Don’t give up, and don’t accept failure.
Even the greats don’t win every game. Kobe played fully every time he was on the court. He played through injuries. Even though there were moments where I’m sure it seemed like the odds were against him/his team, he never gave up. Think about how you can refocus your energy when the tide isn’t going your way.
3. Chase the greats who came before you, support the ones who come after you.
Early in his career, Kobe was said to be chasing the records of Michael Jordan, and said he learned a lot from Jordan in a 2012 ESPN interview. Toward the end of his career, he was said to have formed a friendship with LeBron James, and ironically, his last tweet was congratulating LeBron on beating one of his records. Aim high, and help others do the same.
4. Enable the next generation of leaders, especially if they are under-served.
Kobe built a basketball academy and was very supportive of his daughter Gianna’s budding basketball career. He was advocating for the WNBA, even though professional sports still continues to underserve women, and owners say women’s sports don’t command the same attention (even though Women’s Soccer has clearly proven otherwise). It’s easy to help people who naturally fit the picture of a leader… it’s harder to go against the grain and support the leaders who look a bit different than those at the table today. What can you do to enable this?
5. Plan your next chapter, while still in your current one.
Even though Kobe retired as a professional athlete a few years ago, he was actively pursuing his next chapter. He turned a poem into an Oscar-winning short. He established two locations of Mamba Sports Academy for both aspiring top-tier athletes and adults wishing train like an elite. He continued to work with NIKE. Retirement for Kobe didn’t mean hanging it up, it meant evolving what he was able to work on.
6. Know your priorities, on and off the court.
One of the saddest parts of his tragic death was knowing he died taking his daughter and others to a travel ball game. His family was a priority. Part of the reason it’s said that Kobe spent so much time in helicopters is that it allowed him to commute through relentless SoCal traffic to games, practices, etc. and still have plenty of time with his family.
7. You must love what you do.
I saw a recent video that Kobe posted on TikTok, imploring that his biggest life lesson was loving what you do. He had a coach that told him not to pursue basketball, and yet his passion for the game fuel him to great heights. I doubt he would have been able to hone his craft the way he did were he not already so passionate about his sport. Think about how you perform when you’re fully engaged in something versus when you have to channel your focus?
What lessons did you learn from Kobe? How will they affect how you show up?