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Basketball, Sport, and Authority Bias

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Basketball, Sport, and Authority Bias
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says, “There is always a pecking order.” In “The Art of Thinking Clearly” Rolf Donell shares how deferring to others can get you in trouble, or expelled from Eden.

Coaches set multiple goals – improve the person, the player, and the team. We seek influence through a delicate ecosystem balance between supervision and independence. When successful, the balance leans toward more freedom for the player. 

Results prove the model. 

Alysa Liu

The Olympic figure skating gold medalist walked away from the sport at 16. Burnout, lack of control, and unhappiness almost deprived the sport of her talent. She resumed skating only with autonomy over her music, choreography, training schedule and intensity, and even her diet. She made fun a priority and won big. 

The Benefits of Coaching

Rams coach Sean McVay says, “Everyone benefits from coaching.” The best players know that excellence runs through that pathway. McVay’s results with two trips to the Super Bowl reinforce his beliefs. 

Imbalances of Power

In some cultures, “authority imbalances” led to disasters. Aircraft cockpits became laboratories exposing empowered captains whose errors (navigation, fueling) weren’t overridden by subordinates. “Crew Resource Management” collaboration fixed the problems. 

You’ve heard this. In 2015, Steve Kerr bought into videographer Nick U’Ren’s observation that the Warriors played better against the Cavs using ‘small ball’. Iguodala replaced Bogut and the rest is history. 

Tim Duncan quietly led the Spurs. When Duncan took less money, accepted coaching, and didn’t demand special treatment, the locker room followed.

You may not know this. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a Russian submariner, Vasili Arkhipov refused to fire a nuclear torpedo. Not the senior officer, Arkhipov refused to authorize launch and argued to surface and await orders. The Captain stood down. Some call Arkhipov “the man who saved the world.” 

Speaking Truth to Power

Disagreeing with senior people or those higher up in the “chain of command” is difficult. Sometimes you have more information, insight, or experience with a given situation than they do. And sometimes those in charge have distractions or other issues complicating the decision. Speak truth to power all the time and you’ll ruin your career. Allow misinformation to cloud their decisions and worse can happen. 

Influence

Robert Cialdini’s classic book “Influence” informs key factors that influence decisions. 

Chart from Chat GPT Plus based on Cialdini’s “Influence”

Heat Culture is well-known. works because once publicly commitment and consistency rule with Spoelstra and Riley. Players who sign there know: conditioning standards are non-negotiable, body fat standards are measured. practice intensity is demanded.

Two other easy ones to recall are reciprocity (“You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”) and liking. It’s easier to listen and follow someone likeable. 

Lagniappe. Coaches without a strong philosophy are like explorers without compasses or sextants. 

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