I am a broken record of sorts as I go around repeating myself most every day in thousands of little, mostly mundane ways. Today will be no exception.
One of my favorite forms of entertainment is watching the Kansas Jayhawks play basketball. Being in Allen with the crowd out of control and the Jayhawks dominating takes me right back to a happy place with my Dad. I love watching them play some kinda smothering Bill Self defense leading to a fast break with the lanes all filled and finished with a no look pass and a monster dunk.
I also enjoy good film and the repeated story of the “builders journey.” Good improv, however, lights me up like none other. The facilitator throws out a word and before I blink, I’m crying. Crying ’cause I’m laughing so hard. How can anybody be that good to just “wing it” and end up soaring instead of boring. Kinda like the Jayhawks fastbreak, great improv, isn’t what you think.
Great fast breaks and great improv aren’t for the talented few. Nope, they’re not. Great hoops and great theatre come from deep, domain specific, and deliberate practice. Ten thousand hours, remember, is what it takes for your brain and for mine to wire itself to perform without having to think about what it’s performing. Watch a Jayhawks practice and you’ll see them “chunking” it out. Check out a rehersal with the cast of Mother and you’ll quickly learn that the cast isn’t the zany, impulsive, free spirited comedians that that might appear to be. They are simply a band that is committed to deep, deliberate practice. Why? Because their art, just like yours, is governed by a bunch of rules, and they practice, practice, and practice some more so they are sure that when they do go onstage, the rules will simply be “in” them. They will be freed from having to think.
And, this is why in the moment you find yourself suddenly laughing at Mother.
And, just as suddenly you find yourself out of your seat at Allen. The ball has barely left the hands of the KU rebounder and he’s already located the outlet man whose eyes are already downcourt even though he’s only at the free throw line. Just as quickly as the ball reaches his chest it’s flipped forward to KU’s streaking point guard who spins left the instant his hands secure the rock. One dribble later he’s lobbed it to his right and the crashing 3 man who is already airborne and appears to be hanging against all that you thought to be true of gravity. Your arms go up instinctively as you anticipate the hammer like throw down just as it occurs. Your face is all smiles as you high five your Miss and some complete stranger too.
And, this is why you and your band, your team must commit to practice, practice, and more practice. Deep, domain specific, and deliberate practice. And, when your client throws you and your team a tough one, you’ll simply smile and without thinking or being thrown off, you’ll work your magic.
This is why we practice…
BUILT TO LEAD 