Small Talk

May 20, 2010 »

The Role of ‘The Big 3’

I’m a big Boston Celtics fan, and I’m impressed with how they’ve grown as an organization. In the post-Bird era, they really were terrible! They did not function as a team. Instead, they were a one-man show; a team built around our captain, Paul Pierce.

A few years ago, the Celtics management took a massive gamble by bringing in some big name experienced players (Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett), who could win games and turn the Celtics into a successful team. They joined Paul Pierce, and “The Big 3” was formed.

The gamble the management took paid off, winning the title back in 2008, and making them a strong contender this year as well.  This move got me thinking about the strategy behind it and how it could translate to business.  How does a move like this hurt or aid a failing organization?

When a coach (or a CEO) has all the right people doing the right things, it allows him to focus on strategy. Our CEO has previously blogged about the idea of a fish tank as a metaphor for a team, and how if the “ph” level is off, then the whole balance and function will be negatively affected.

Over the last few games, I noticed something different about the Celtics and more specifically the Celtics coach, Doc Rivers. Now, with a well-performing team that was no longer reliant on just one player, Doc could get strategic. Following a sensational game from Rondo, Boston’s point guard, Doc benched him the next game for most of the first half. The plan confused the defense tactics from Cleveland, and it worked wonders. Fast-forward to Game 1 of the Conference finals series against Orlando, and Doc called on Rasheed Wallace (underperforming for most of the year) to man Dwight Howard (Orlando’s star player) to rough him up and frustrate him.  The result was just that: Howard was visibly frustrated and ended the game with only 13 points and the Celtics won on the road.

Doc Rivers has been able to get his stars to play like a team.  The “Big 3” realized how important they are to the team’s success. But they’ve also helped nurture some of the younger players, creating a strong team overall that has fewer and fewer gaps.  So even if one of the Big 3 is having an off night, the rest of the players can step up and help the team win. 

Whether it is sports or business, it underscores the importance of a well-functioning team, the value of each member of the team, and how important they are to its foundation and its long-term success.

It’s nice that in the business world, our stats are not based on four 12-minute quarters but our success and results over time.

We’re curious to know: do you have your “Big 3” and do they make your team successful?”

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