Comments on: The NBA Not Involving Its Employees? http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Safety, Quality (Starts), Delivery (to the Plate), and Coaches — Lean Blog http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-22724 Safety, Quality (Starts), Delivery (to the Plate), and Coaches — Lean Blog Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:15:42 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2006/12/the-nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-22724 [...] decisions from sports leagues that didn’t involve the players. First, it was the NBA and the new ball controversy, then the NHL and the new jerseys. In both cases, there was backpedaling after players complained [...] [...] decisions from sports leagues that didn’t involve the players. First, it was the NBA and the new ball controversy, then the NHL and the new jerseys. In both cases, there was backpedaling after players complained [...]

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]]> By: NBA’s David Stern on Listening — Lean Blog http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-22722 NBA’s David Stern on Listening — Lean Blog Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:15:08 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2006/12/the-nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-22722 [...] might remember the story about how the NBA unilaterally changed to a new ball without much input from the players (or that was the complaint). The NBA later reversed course and [...] [...] might remember the story about how the NBA unilaterally changed to a new ball without much input from the players (or that was the complaint). The NBA later reversed course and [...]

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]]> By: A Lean Guy Reads USA Today – Sept 24 2010 — Lean Blog http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-12900 A Lean Guy Reads USA Today – Sept 24 2010 — Lean Blog Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:02:20 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2006/12/the-nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-12900 [...] Back in 2006, the NBA foolishly forced a new synthetic basketball on the players without getting their input. I wrote about it here: “The NBA Not Involving Its Employees?” [...] [...] Back in 2006, the NBA foolishly forced a new synthetic basketball on the players without getting their input. I wrote about it here: “The NBA Not Involving Its Employees?” [...]

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-1324 Anonymous Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:04:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2006/12/the-nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-1324 Very insightful, Dean. <br/><br/>One other approach I like to adopt from Toyota is "explaining why" to help get buy in. Did the league sufficiently explain "why" to the players? Or did they just say, "here's a new ball, have fun"?<br/><br/>There are stories out there that one of the league owners is a huge PETA type activist and pushed the league toward a synthetic ball for that reason alone.<br/><br/>I still find it hard to believe that Spalding could design a ball that cuts your fingers. I wonder how much of the new ball plan was built around a business case of selling new balls to people and promoting Spalding?<br/><br/>If Nike had done this, I bet we'd hear more of an uproar? That said, this could be a fight amongst sponsors (Nike players badmouthing Spalding). There's that factor, as well. Complicated dynamics. But yes, I think Stern blew it. Very insightful, Dean.

One other approach I like to adopt from Toyota is “explaining why” to help get buy in. Did the league sufficiently explain “why” to the players? Or did they just say, “here’s a new ball, have fun”?

There are stories out there that one of the league owners is a huge PETA type activist and pushed the league toward a synthetic ball for that reason alone.

I still find it hard to believe that Spalding could design a ball that cuts your fingers. I wonder how much of the new ball plan was built around a business case of selling new balls to people and promoting Spalding?

If Nike had done this, I bet we’d hear more of an uproar? That said, this could be a fight amongst sponsors (Nike players badmouthing Spalding). There’s that factor, as well. Complicated dynamics. But yes, I think Stern blew it.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2006/12/nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-1323 Anonymous Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:59:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2006/12/the-nba-not-involving-its-employees/#comment-1323 I've been following this story with interest, and as a Lean guy, I see the whole "non-involvement, reaction, union intervention" thing as completely unnecessary - if things had been done differently. David Stern may be the best commissioner in sports today, but his tendency to dictate policy without sufficient consensus from his organization has bitten him on the, well, you know. Though the dynamics of sports aren't the same as building cars or machining parts, the human dynamics are similar - people want to be involved in the decisions that affect their work. I've quoted others who have said that Lean is 20% tools and 80% change management. Perhaps Commissioner Stern is just starting to learn that lesson. I’ve been following this story with interest, and as a Lean guy, I see the whole “non-involvement, reaction, union intervention” thing as completely unnecessary – if things had been done differently. David Stern may be the best commissioner in sports today, but his tendency to dictate policy without sufficient consensus from his organization has bitten him on the, well, you know. Though the dynamics of sports aren’t the same as building cars or machining parts, the human dynamics are similar – people want to be involved in the decisions that affect their work. I’ve quoted others who have said that Lean is 20% tools and 80% change management. Perhaps Commissioner Stern is just starting to learn that lesson.

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