As readers of this column know, I played football in high school and college, and my dad had a long career as a football coach at the Division 1 level. The lessons I was taught on the field and at home have shaped my professional life and my leadership style.
Simply put, I wouldn’t be where I am today if sports hadn’t taught me the value of teamwork, perseverance, and continuous learning.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Today, I admire those characteristics in people like LeVelle Moton, head coach for North Carolina Central University’s men’s basketball. A former standout student-athlete at the Durham school, Moton has won more games as a coach in the history of NCCU men's basketball.
His personal accomplishments are just as noteworthy. Moton leads the Velle Cares Foundation, which helps area families get jobs, affordable housing, education and community assistance. Moton also works to build affordable housing units as one of the owners of Raleigh Raised Developments.
Earlier this month, Moton was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society, considered North Carolina's highest civilian honor. He is also a recipient of the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, given to individuals who have made a lasting impact through volunteer work.
“People often think their purpose is attached to their career. Our careers are what we get paid to do, but our calling is what we were made to do,” Moton says. “My greater purpose in life is to pay it forward.”
The power of teamwork
Moton is devoted to his players and his alma mater, but the program he has dedicated much of his life to is facing serious challenges. N.C. Central, like other HBCUs, is struggling to keep its best players from being recruited away, transferring to larger schools with more financial resources. Along with greater exposure, bigger programs can offer more lucrative NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, which allow athletes to earn money for playing.
Determined to keep his program strong, Moton reached out to Grant Hill, NBA legend and business leader. Hill, who is perhaps best known for his buzzer-beating pass to Christian Laettner in the 1992 Duke vs. Kentucky game, responded to Moton’s call with another assist.
Hill will be the keynote speaker at the NC Central Men's Basketball Tip-Off Banquet, 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Raleigh-Durham Airport. The fundraiser brings together alumni, business leaders and community partners to celebrate and support the North Carolina Central University Men's Basketball Program. Proceeds from the event will help fund equipment, travel, facilities and leadership development. These crucial resources will support student-athletes and keep NCCU nationally competitive.
Winning on and off the court
The event is an opportunity to invest in young people, but it is also a chance to be inspired. Hill leveraged his basketball prowess to attain business success. Now worth roughly $250 million, Hill heads a diverse business portfolio including commercial real estate and has a stake in the Atlanta Hawks franchise.
He attributes much of his success to building and leading great teams, perseverance and continuous learning:
1. Teamwork: Any great team starts with leaders who can recruit people whose talents and skillsets complement each other. But because everyone’s contribution matters, each individual must be highly competent at their job. Winning is possible only when there is a culture of shared accountability and mutual respect.
“Work is important, but what are we doing to bring people together? You build culture through intentional interactions and intentional connections,” Hill says.
2. Perseverance: The best athletes practice for hours, honing their mind and their muscles so they can perform well under any circumstances. They learn from failure, and they prepare for every possible outcome. “If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready,” he says.
3. Continuous learning: Early in his NBA career, Hill took charge of his own business, acting as the CEO. He learned from his executive team and studied the business section in newspapers to learn about money. Hill still connects with mentors from different walks of life to gain insights that he can apply in his own work.
“I have a natural curiosity in terms of learning from others who’ve done great things,” he says. “What can I pull from their experiences, their life, and their journey?”
Have an impact beyond the buzzer
For me, the skills I learned as an athlete have helped me thrive in the business world as a leader and an entrepreneur.
Playing sports showed me how to assemble great teams and leverage strengths and skillsets. It taught me how to enjoy the homework, so when I’m in a pitch meeting or client presentation, I’m confident and prepared. Finally, it gave me the confidence to treat failure as learning opportunities. I’ve learned that the only way to succeed is to practice getting knocked down and getting back up.
At NCCU, Coach Moton hopes to instill these same lessons in young athletes for years to come. But his success depends on the support of the community, people like Grant Hill, and business leaders who understand — as I do — that playing sports has an impact that lasts long after the final whistle blows.
As Moton says, "I just hope people respect what I do through my work, through my commitment, through my dedication, through my community and through other people in touching the lives of these young men."
About the Author
Donald Thompson, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 SE Award-winner, founded The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company, to fundamentally transform the modern workplace through diversity-led culture change. Recognized by Inc., Fast Company and Forbes, Thompson is author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success and has published widely on leadership and the executive mindset. His latest book is The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth, co-authored with Kurt Merriweather, Vice President of Global Marketing at Workplace Options. Follow Thompson on LinkedIn for updates on news, events and his podcast, or contact him at info@donaldthompson.com for executive coaching and speaking engagements.