Bulls HC Devised a Strategy to Turn Michael Jordan into a Better Leader While He was Away Playing Baseball

The Chicago Bulls team completely changed after Michael Jordan left to play baseball back in 1993. While people were stunned by Jordan’s decision to retire, Bulls’ then head coach Phil Jackson seemed to be sure of his return. But in the meantime, Jackson collaborated with coach George Mumford to better the Bulls on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. 

Coach Jackson thought that if Jordan wanted to play with the Bulls again, as their leader, he would have to learn to be compassionate toward his teammates. Jackson thought he could tell Jordan that if he wanted to win Championships, he couldn’t do it alone. Without understanding his teammates, he couldn’t possibly lead them in battle. Therefore, the veteran coach decided to lift the team’s all-round development to such a level, that they would demand excellence from their leader, not the other way round.

Jackson further explained his ideology in his 2013 book, Eleven Rings: A Soul of Success,

“If Michael was going to gel with this team and be its floor leader, he would have to get to know his teammates more intimately and relate to them more compassionately. He would need to understand that each player was different and had something important to offer the team.”

Jackson did have a vision for the Bulls’ second three-peat, but needed someone to help shape the idea into an executable method. George Mumford stepped into the picture at this juncture, as the mindfulness expert helped break barriers between the players, ultimately helping Jackson develop a cohesive unit out of his fragmented Bulls team. Even though Jackson had managed to get everyone on board, the Bulls coach still had problems getting through to Jordan. Fortunately for Jackson, Mumford had a few words of advice for No.23.

Recalling the same in his book Jackson wrote, “As George puts it, Michael had to ‘take his ability to see things on the basketball court and use that to improve the way he related to others.'” 

Jordan eventually embraced the process set by Coach Phil Jackson, focusing more on becoming an understanding leader than a tyrant, like he previously was. The Bulls benefited greatly from Jordan’s change, proceeding to win three more championships. 

Jordan needed Mumford’s help 

Michael Jordan might have accepted Jackson’s ways, but the No.23 still had a pricky personality, often getting into verbal altercations with his teammates. Jordan did turn a stone when he realized he was taking things too far, but that realization didn’t come cheap. His sit down with Mumford only came after Jordan punched Steve Kerr, following which he realized the errors in his ways.

Not knowing what to do, MJ turned to Jackson for help. While Jackson was a great coach, he knew that Jordan’s current predicament was outside his expertise, hence, pointing him in the direction of Mumford. Recalling the event, Jackson wrote the following in his 2013 book Eleven Rings: A Soul of Success, 

“I encouraged Michael to start working more closely with George Mumford. George understood what Michael was going through because he had seen his friend Julius Erving experience similar pressures after he turned into a superstar.” 

Mumford pinpointed Jordan’s predicament as being similar to that of his friend and NBA legend, Julius Erving. When he spent time with Dr. J, he got to see first-hand what pressure and fame can do to a person, thus understanding that Jordan needed help.