ASK ANYONE WHAT MAKES LEBRON SO EXCEPTIONAL AND I AM GUESSING YOU WILL GET A PRETTY CONSISTENT RESPONSE. “Lebron is the greatest basketball player on the planet.” Even Lebron agrees – at least that is what he told reporters after game 5. Watching him will his team into the Finals, despite all of his team’s injuries, it’s pretty hard to argue. But is that ALL he is? My question…is he considered exceptional because he is such a great basketball player or is his talent on the hardwood simply a consequence of being exceptional? No denying, Lebron is insanely “gifted” – among other things, he is 6’8”, has a 40+ inch vertical leap and a forty time of 4.6. Few of the rest of us come into the world with close to any of that. Genes undoubtedly play a big role in his athleticism and overall success. But…if we can put the discussion about his genes aside for a second, what I want to understand is – would he be great if he did something outside of sports? The Value Proposition When we work with clients, we spend most of our time upfront attempting to isolate their few distinct attributes. It’s about getting them out of their “bucket” and the assumptions others make simply based on what they do. Our goal is to capture their unique story by digging into what drives them and understanding the characteristics that will lead to future success. We refer to that as their “Core Value Proposition” So… what if Lebron applied his “10,000 hours” to something else? When I think of Lebron’s “Value Proposition” – the first thing that comes to mind is his sheer determination and desire to succeed. Hard to think of a vocation that wouldn’t benefit from that trait. But then he blends it with an ability to lead his peers and help them maximize their potential both on their own and in the context of his team. How about his ability to overcome adversity? Or his phenomenal self-confidence which enables him to quiet the self-doubt that most others experience when in front of an audience? Along those lines, consider how comfortable he is in front of a microphone. Consider his ability to think on his feet – both on the court and when responding to reporters. Are some of those learned behaviors? Absolutely. But if I were to describe those as being qualities of an entrepreneur or asset manager that you could possibly invest in, my guess is that you would certainly give them a close look. Probably the same if it was a politician that was up for election. Or even a salesperson you are looking for to peddle copy machines. Lebron’s “Value Proposition” represents all of these… He just chose to “take his talents” to basketball. by Meyler Capital
If history is any guide, then no, LeBron would not be remarkable at anything else besides sports. Most athletes are horrendous businessmen... as proven by the fact that so many are bankrupt within years of leaving their sport. And as for being an incredible leader...he's only the leader because he's the best, most physically gifted player on his team. If he was a bench player, you would never hear about his great leadership.
http://www.businessinsider.com/professional-athletes-turned-entrepreneurs-2015-2?op=1 This list includes LeBron himself: http://www.rantsports.com/clubhouse/2013/06/13/15-athletes-who-are-brilliant-businessmen/#slide_10 So much for labels and stereotypes, eh Clubber?
The PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) does an annual charity event with Chris Paul hosting. We get to see how some stars in other sports bowl. LaBron sucks (kind of like Charles Barkely at golf), but Chris Paul rolls it rather decently as does Terrell Owens. I've heard Gerome Bettis (The Bus) has bowled 300. ... just a FWIW.