Two events collided this week:
- The birth of a book authored by an Original Gangster, Barry Kleiman…he is original in a variety of ways…as a marketer, a successful headhunter…and as an original Titans Xcelerator member…and we are fortunate to have him inside our group.
- The birth of my grandson Ian…a future Titans Xcelerator member (once he gets a job…right now he’s a little on the “lazy side”).
After all, in the words of Brian Smith, Founder of UGG Footwear:
“You can’t give birth to adults”
Here I am giving Ian a little coaching and a pep talk:
NOTE: Despite being the oldest person in most of the rooms I enter these days…and after telling you for years that I am NOT the curmudgeonly grandpa telling “the kids” to get off of my lawn (but to pay attention to some of my accumulated wisdom at least once in a while)…I am now ready to ease into that role…kindly…and literally. 🙂
What do the two “events” mentioned above have in common?
Marketing (and life) lessons of course. 😊
Barry’s book, The Playground Principles is a gem…the premise is that Barry learned everything he needed to live a productive and successful life playing basketball on the playgrounds of Philadelphia.
However, the twist is that he had everything he needed before stepping on the court…from the lessons he learned from his dad…which included:
- Show up consistently, not with fanfare, but with quiet reliability
- Work with humility, letting your actions speak louder than your words
- Give your best effort regardless of who was watching or what you might gain
The playground was just where he tested (and mastered) his dad’s theories.
More on “achieving mastery” below….
While my new grandson is not ready to hit the blacktop to shoot hoops yet, it’s never too early to begin the teaching.
This blog post will serve as his first set of lessons…well before he can read and act on them for sure…but I want to document them for posterity.
The additional lessons for Ian (and you) today…which complement the ones from Barry’s dad…will also use basketball as a backdrop…based on a concept I heard while attending a mastermind many years ago…called “Positionless Basketball.”
In the past, basketball had five distinct positions:
- Point Guard (for the short guy who could dribble and distribute/pass)
- Shooting Guard (for another short guy who could score)
- Small Forward (bigger guy who could score)
- Power Forward (even bigger guy who could rebound/collect missed shots…with “rebounding” being an additional theme for later…open loop 😊)
- Center (biggest guy who could take up space, block shots and rebound)
Over time, while players are still defined by these five positions, the lines have been blurred:
For example, the seven-footer who can shoot from the outside and handle the ball is commonplace…as is the six-footer who can rebound with the best of the best.
All players on the basketball court can play multiple positions, they can all play offense and defense against anyone else, and they all know everything about everyone else’s position so they can play it if necessary.
It’s confusing for fans of old school basketball…but a necessary evolution.
An analogy would be “doublers” (“triplers?”) in the theatre. More on that in a future post.
Basketball players have gotten bigger and stronger with their size not diminishing their dexterity, which seemed to be the case in the past; and if you have the deficiency of being short, you can make up for it with athleticism and leaping ability.
In today’s game, the biggest guy on the court who can dribble and shoot no longer gets shortchanged by being pigeonholed into a position…nor does the smallest guy on the court who can go inside with the big boys.
What does all this mean for my grandson?
Simply to explore all possibilities, be multifaceted…and be flexible.
Later, I will teach him how the opposite can play on the “court” of life as well.
That is, once he’s done his exploring in multiple areas, he can then pursue his true passions, think about differentiation…and if he wants to be a marketer (which I will not encourage…I already promised my daughter) to go narrow and deep (as opposed to wide and shallow) …and incorporate those passions into his life…and career.
The riches are in the niches.
But since he’s only a week old, he’s got some time for all that. 😊
Right now, it’s all about wonder and curiosity…and I will be a stand for that (for him) every step of the way.
At least that’s my plan.
One more lesson for baby Ian today (from Uncle Barry’s book):
Shots are missed…prepare to rebound
This is another tribute to “Positionless Basketball”—with the emphasis not on winning or losing but rather on winning or learning.
See the P.S. for more about that.
And here is Ian, already in “position” to rebound:
Or is he just getting ready to poop?
That too is something worth mastering. 😊
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. In chapter 7 of Barry’s book he writes:
“Whether on the court or in life, the ethos, resolve, and ability to position yourself for recovery [the rebound] before a shot is even taken — to recognize failure as an opportunity, to hunger for that second chance — are fundamental lessons in meritocracy.”
I’ll add:
To simply recognize a unique opportunity is a gift…while positioning yourself for recovery before you take your first shot (i.e. you will get multiple chances to turn that opportunity into reality by mastering the art of rebounding) … you can also get it right the first time.
Success comes in various flavors…sometimes even without hardship. 😊
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