“My teams do three things,” Coach Lou Campanelli told them. “We play defense, we play hard, and we play together. That’s it.”
His system impressed Butler. “I think for any organization, especially as you get bigger, simplification is the important part,” explained Butler in the podcast. “Those simple statements are things that people can rally around.”
Butler went on to be drafted by the Boston Celtics, only to be denied an NBA career because of a player’s strike and injury. But he pivoted to a career in finance and now serves as Co-CEO of Dimensional Fund Advisors. In the 25 years since he joined, the firm has grown from $10 billion in assets under management to nearly $700 billion.
He may have switched career tracks but Campanelli’s words continue to serve as a model for how Butler motivates his corporate team. Butler also admires the way Campanelli operationalized the value of simplicity by creating a point system that rewarded players for acting on the team’s values. For example, if you scored a basket, you got one point. But if you took a defensive charge, you got five points. If you dove for a ball on the ground, you got four points.
“His system taught me that big, broad, simplistic statements that people can rally around are important, but you also have to have the tactics underneath that are going to support those statements. Otherwise, they become empty,” said Butler
Listeners looking for creative ways of connecting a broad mission with specific tactical measures will benefit from Butler’s lessons, including:
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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