Leadership lessons from two days at Timberwolves camp

October 13, 2023•3 min read

Leadership lessons from two days at Timberwolves camp

October 13th, 2023

This past week, I spent a couple of days at the Minnesota Timberwolves training camp as part of a coaching development project. The Timberwolves have high expectations heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. A year ago, they made an aggressive move to bolster their roster, and now is the time to capitalize on their talent. The NBA world is watching.

Talent alone won’t win the day for the Wolves. Their coaches and staff will be critical to their success. Tracking this group over the past two days was refreshing, inspiring, and a reminder of why leadership matters.

The Wolves Head Coach, Chris Finch, is in his third year with the team after an amazing career journey through Europe and the G-League as a head coach, as well as several NBA teams as an assistant. Full disclosure, we spent five years working together with the British Olympic Basketball team in the run up to London 2012.

I like the Wolves’ odds in the long run given how Chris leads, with a focus on three principles.

Establish Meaningful Work

Chris is masterful at developing environments where his people can dig into their work, establish ownership and have an impact. This isn’t easy. It takes preparation and patience. As well, it leaves you exposed as the leader, as every NBA head coach is the “accountable officer of wins and loses!”. Many coaches shy away from distributing power as they want unbridled control. The pressure of being fully accountable to wins and losses can do this to people.

Chris understands the positive impact building ownership can have on organizational performance and the development of his people in the long run. I think this makes him a rare breed. A unicorn, of sorts.

Be Clear

If Orange is the new Black, then Clarity is the new Strat Plan, in my mind. Chris is way out in front in this space. The more important the topic, the clearer he is, usually through the use of fewer words. “This is exactly WHAT we need and WHY we need it. And, here is how WE will achieve this”.

His people love this. Wouldn’t you?

An interesting aside, is that Chris was the first person I heard describe the use of “headlines” when communicating with athletes. Cut to the good stuff. Focus on what is essential. It works so well for him and the Timberwolves.

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Have Fun

Today, I watched an NBA team play dodgeball as part of their warm-up at practice. They had a blast. It set the tone for the next two hours.

Throughout my two days with the team, having fun and leaning into humour was essential. Chris, as the accountable officer, understands how fun can lead to stronger relationships and improved performance.

So, how can you put a bit of “Finchy” in your coaching style? Well, start with ensuring that everyone has clear accountabilities, something that allows them to make their mark. Next, shift your thinking from pure strategy to power of clarity. Define things. Be uber clear. Finally, play dodgeball! Have fun. Focus on relationships. We all perform better when we are making a difference, feel connected and experiencing joy.

Go Wolves!

Ron Wuotila 2023-10-14T05:07:20-06:00 13 October 2023 |Coaching, Featured |