Life Lessons Learned @ the NBA
Some time ago I was asked to speak about my experiences at the AOL headquarters (Dulles, VA), with about 150+ executives and other business leaders in attendance. The response was excellent.
Here are just a few of the life lessons I shared at the event, with illustrations:
- Listen. And then listen some more.
- Approach every day with curiosity and a sense of humor.
- Address problems with practical solutions.
- Give credit where credit is due.
- Start projects worth finishing and then finish them with excellence.
- Give more value than receiving in payment for services rendered.
- Customize each training experience to meet specific needs.
- Life is short. Do the details with dignity.
- Act with purpose and passion.
- Take your job seriously but not yourself too seriously.
- Paint all the way to the edge of the canvas.
- Practice humility.
- Gratitude for everything. Everything.
Over the years I have shared vignettes about my life with players at the pro level to illustrate a point. But this was the first time -- some 40+ years after I had started -- that I made an entire presentation titled: "Business Wisdom & Life Lessons from an NBA Chaplain."
The feedback from that event was so compelling that I am now working on a book, tentatively titled: "FINDING THE OPEN MAN: The Surprising Benefits of Unselfishness" -- still working on it...hopefully published soon.
I have already interviewed well over 55-60 people for this book (e.g. Del Harris, Pat Williams, Mark Eaton, Kevin Porter, Claude Terry, Kevin Grevey, Phil Chenier, Brent Price, Bob Ferry, Helen Carpenter, Mayce Webber, Jerry Colangelo, Al Egg, Monica Wright [WNBA], Bill Alexson, Pete Babcock, John Jenkins, Kevin Harvey, Tony Evans, Chris Broussard [ESPN], Harry Swayne [NFL], Rod Hairston, John Tolson, and many more...)
The book will be addressing the various topics ranging from how the chaplaincy program started in the NBA and the 77/78 NBA Championship to stress at the pro level, emotional intelligence, James Naismith...the inventor of God's game, dealing with anger, head games, race relations, living for God on and off the court, diversity, lessons learned off the court that weren’t learned on the court, remembering players who have already left us (Wayman Tisdale, Dan Roundfield, Manute Bol, etc.), addressing the concept of Selfaholics Anonymous, and so much more.
Call me if you are interested in acquiring a copy of this book when it is published (cell: 410-991-9718).
Contact
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH ANYONE
Some who contact me want to know how they can become a chaplain for a pro team and I am not sure that I can be of any help, but I am willing to talk with you.
I do not want to pour any water on your desire to become a chaplain at the pro level, but just about every chaplain I have ever talked with has told me that they kind of walked into the opportunity serendipitously.
So, from what I can deduce, the more one desires to become a chaplain at the pro level, the less likely it is to happen.
My counsel is to start at the high school or college level in your community. Who knows? You may be working with an athlete who may make it to the "bigs" and who will then request for you to help as an assistant chaplain for that team.
If you are looking for a speaker, please fill out the information below, letting us know as much as you can about your upcoming event.