4 Lessons Construction Companies Can Take From Episodes 3 & 4 of The Last Dance

If you have turned on any sports channel or radio station in the past couple of weeks, you’re probably very familiar with The Last Dance, a documentary about the final season of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s.

After episodes 1 and 2, I posted some thoughts about a few lessons construction companies can take away from the team’s dominance, including not holding back top talent, not betting against your company, treating your people fairly, and not letting your ego get in the way.

Episodes 3 & 4 dropped on April 26 and, after posting 5 giveaway contests last week, I’ve finally gotten around to posting my thoughts on those episodes. Episodes 5 & 6 released last night, so I’ll be working on a recap of those this week.

What Happened: Michael Jordan Hits Series Winning Shot Against the Cleveland in the 1989 Playoffs

Lesson: Put Your People in the Right Position to Succeed

In the 1989 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael Jordan hit a game winner in what would forever be referred to as “The Shot.” His defender? Craig Ehlo.

As iconic as that shot is, not many knew the background of that play from the Cavs perspective.  Ron Harper, who would later join the Bulls on their second three-peat run of the 90s, was on the Cavs at the time.  In the documentary, Harper claimed to have told his coach that he wanted to guard Jordan on the last play, but the coach opted to play Ehlo (this was news to Ehlo 31 years later). Jordan himself admitted that that was a mistake, because Harper was guarding him better.

Whether or not this is revisionist history, the point is to put your people in the correct place to succeed. Not everyone is cut out to do every single job, so you can’t assume that they’re a bad employee because they’re in a role that may not suit them. For instance, some of your best tradespeople may never be a great manager, and some of the people that would be your best managers may not be the best tradespeople.  Some have fantastic tactical knowledge, but don’t know who to direct others and delegate work for a more efficient work environment.  Others might not be able to grasp the technical detail of a specific task.  Both are OK to admit, but it doesn’t mean they’re a bad employee.

Albert Einstein is credited with a fantastic quote to further illustrate this point: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

What Happened: Michael Jordan Had to Change in Order to Get Past the Pistons

Lesson: You’re Never Too Good to Stop Improving

By the 1989-1990 season, Michael Jordan was already considered the greatest player in the game, but there was one problem: the Detroit Pistons, AKA The Bad Boys.  The mission of the Pistons of that time was to physically beat you with the hardest fouls that were legally allowed and overall grit.  The team instilled what they called “The Jordan Rules,” which were specifically designed to put “His Airness” on the ground. And it worked…the Pistons knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs in 1989 and 1990.

Fed up with the physical beatdowns, Jordan started doing something he previously didn’t pay much attention to: hitting the gym and adding muscle.  The next year, in the 1991 playoffs, the Bulls and their added muscle swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals on their way to 3 straight titles.

So while Jordan was already widely considered the league’s best, he still had to overcome obstacles to become a champion.  For construction companies or even individuals within your company, there is always room for improvement, no matter how great you already are. Is “good” good enough or are there ways that you can become even better? Is there a new building method or technique you can employ? Is there a piece of technology that can separate yourself from the competition?

What Happened: The Pistons Didn’t Shake the Bulls’ Hands When They Lost

Lesson: Bad PR Can Destroy Your Company

After the Bulls finally defeated the Pistons in the playoffs, the stars for the Pistons walked off the court just before time expired to avoid shaking hands with the Bulls players. The move was widely criticized in the media and by other players across the league and the reputations of several of the Piston’s players were damaged. This was on top of what was already a team that was disliked for their physical play.

We all know other construction companies that seem to enjoy acquiring or managing projects with “shady” practices to earn a higher profit.  Many of these tactics may not be illegal, but widely considered to be morally wrong.  When companies base themselves on these tactics, they set themselves up for hardships later on.  Taking advantage of subcontractors or performing low quality work are not ways to sustain long term success.  What is does do is create an environment where a lot of people are looking to expose you.

What Happened: Dennis Rodman Took a Mid-Season Vacation

Lesson: Different People Require Different Management Styles

Bonus Lesson: If Your Company’s Culture is Strong Enough, You Can Handle Big Personalities

Dennis Rodman is……….unique. He’s a larger than life character, who would be a nightmare to have on most teams and in most companies.  On the flip side, he was also one of the league’s greatest rebounders and was a big part of the Chicago Bulls’ second three peat and the 2 championships he won with the aforementioned Detroit Pistons.

Midway through his final season with the Bulls, Rodman sat down with coach Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan and told them he needed to go to Las Vegas for vacation.  This is unheard of, professional basketball players don’t get mid-season vacations. But, Jackson and a disgruntled Jordan allowed him a 48-hour vacation anyway and, long story short, they had to drag him out of his apartment 4 days later after he didn’t return. When he got back, though he picked up right where he left off.

Obviously, this is a very hyperbolic situation and one that any other company would undoubtedly treat differently, but the lesson is that different people require different management styles and Phil Jackson was a master at that.  What would have been worse for the Bulls that season? Missing Rodman for a couple of games or dealing with a Rodman for the rest of the season who was causing problems and acting out?

In your company, there may be employees that are incentivized by different things, some may place more value on time off and others may care about their salary or hourly wage. Individuals also respond differently to discipline or criticism. A one-size fits all approach isn’t good enough any more.

From another angle, the Bulls knew what they were getting with Rodman when they signed him and they were willing to accept the risk. What they also knew was, with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen leading the charge, their team had a strong enough culture established to be able to handle the occasional act-out from a wild card.

Without establishing a strong company culture, one person may be able to derail your entire operation.  It’s important to had solid leaders across your organization and practice what you preach.

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