Leadership lessons from The Chicago Bulls’ “Last Dance”

What we can learn from the dynamics of the greatest basketball team

It’s a story of growth, both personal and collective, from one superstar operating independent of the other dozen players, to a team of synchronized collaborators.

The team values of the 1990s Chicago Bulls are legendary not just in theory, but because they won. Again and again. I watched the docuseries “The Last Dance” for a second time with this specifically in mind, to surface some of the key leadership lessons (some learned the hard way) that can be applied off the court.

The timeless attributes and tactics outlined below were tested under high stakes, intense pressure, and at the most elite level of performance.

1. Becoming and being the best

“I want to be the best player to ever play here.” —MJ

“Well, you’re going to have to work harder than you did in high school.”—Asst. Coach Roy Williams, Chapel Hill

“I worked just as hard as everybody else.”—MJ

“I thought you wanted…