The Ryan Leak Podcast - Breeding Confidence w/Dallas Mavericks Player Relations Manager Brandon Barkley

Episode Date: December 3, 2020

Brandon Barkley is the Player Relations Manager for the Dallas Mavericks. He has some unique insights as to what it takes to be a great follower. Highlights from this episode: "When having to pivot or adjust plans on the fly, it is best to go into the situation having had already visualized all possible solutions or scenarios, so you are prepared." "When speaking with your boss or manager, you have to exude confidence."   "When you exude the confidence that you are taking control of your job and everything you handle is taken care of, there is  less micromanagement and lack of confidence from management."   "Carrying your organization or company's culture well is the most crucial thing a follower can do."

Welcome to followership with Ryan Leak, a podcast design to equip you with the tools you need to succeed in the workplace. Hey, here's the deal. I don't know what kind of leader you work for or following. Maybe they're good. Maybe they're excellent. Maybe they're mediocre. But here's the good news. Regardless of the kind of leader you have, it doesn't have to determine the type of follower you can become.

And I'm so excited to have my friend, Brandon Barkley, on followership with Ryan League today. He works in player relations for the Dallas Mavericks. And today we're going to be talking about the confidence that you need when speaking with the manager and also the importance of embodying your work culture. You can get all of the show notes from today's episode on ryanleek.com slash followership. And without any further ado, I want to jump into a conversation I had with my friend Brandon Barkley. Thank you so much for your time. It's an honor to have you on followership with Ryan Leak. How are you doing today, man? I'm doing good, man. I'm doing good. Just taking it a day at a time, but I'm doing fantastic, very blessed. How are you doing?

Man, I'm doing really well because I get to have a conversation with one of my good friends. I love all of our conversations. This is the first one that's ever recorded. But we've had so many about basketball, about life, about leadership. And today we're talking about followership and man, when I think about what followership means and what it means to be a good follower and to represent an organization well, dude, I think of you. I think you completely embody that so well and even in your role that I want you to talk about here in a little bit, it is a very delicate role where you are constantly representing high profile players and you're also representing a high-profile organization.

And there's a lot of dancing in that. I think you're an incredible leader. But what I really see in you is, man, you've been able to really follow well. There's so many incredible leaders that you and I both have gotten to work with with the Mavericks. And I've just seen you navigate so many different situations very well. And so kudos to you, man. And so I'm just very, very excited to have you on today. So then the first question I would ask for you just for our listeners to even get an understanding of what it is you do.

Tell us a little bit what it means to be the player relations manager. I don't think people even, I mean, people go, okay, he works with the players, but what does that look like for you on a daily basis? Man, that's a great question. And one, I get quite a bit, to be honest with you, like when I tell me what I do, like, okay, it sounds kind of cool, but what exactly do you do? I'd say in the simplest terms, I basically am what you would call a liaison between the players and what would be called like basketball ops, you know, anybody that kind of within the game day side of things that, you know, plays on the team, maybe coaches, things of that nature. I'm the liaison between those individuals and the business office.

So when we're talking about, you know, our ticket sales department, our sponsorship department, our community, things that we do out with the Mavs Foundation, things we do with our basketball academy, our camps, where players or coaches might be involved on that. Basically, I'm the person that is helping getting those things organized, really talking things up to the players and the coaches as well and making it basically just trying to make sure I help the Mavs any way I can't. Yeah. And you know, one of the things that I didn't know until I met you

was the amount of events that each player has to do. And I didn't even realize that there was a difference between the Dallas Mavericks and the Mavs Foundation and just how much the Mavericks are doing in the DFW area. I mean, like, once we started hanging out and started working together, I'm sitting there like, dude, you're always doing an event. Can you explain to our listeners how that even works with, in the NBA because I don't think people

understand like you just say hey yeah I coordinate some events I don't think people understand how many events you're coordinating and the maps are coordinating on a yearly basis oh yeah I mean it's it's incredible when you really sit down and break it down so

as you know probably your your basic sports fan might not understand but you know most sports leagues have what's called a CBA like a collective bargaining agreement so within the NBA and this you can actually just Google and they have the whole thing online and it's a lot of pages but within that there's you know requirements you know for players to go out and do appearances

usually kind of based upon a sponsorship and community are probably the two heavy hitters I'd say so there's a number that they need to do every year both from a full complete group and team side and then individuals I mean it's basically the NBA wants their players to be active and continue to be faces in their communities and their teams. So within that, you know, you have 15 guys. I mean, and sometimes 17, if you add in your two-way players, and all those guys have to do those appearances. So what's beautiful is the Mavs and most other franchises

have a ton of different events, whether it be season ticket member events, sponsorship appearances for their various sponsors, you know, whether you see it on their jersey patch or on the courts, all those companies are sponsors. And then we are blessed enough to have our own foundation, also with community efforts. And then we also have a basketball academy that affords players opportunities to go out and be around kids.

So I'd say last season, we typically do, you know, just about every season, at least 100 to 150 events. Ooh! Total. So it's a lot. That's most of the year. It's like more than a third of the year? It's every day.

And then, you know, there's ebbs and flows just like just about anything. But, you know, when it's busy, it's busy. I mean, I've had weeks where I've had two weeks where maybe there was 10 appearances. So, I mean, maybe three or four days where there wasn't something. But it's a lot, you know, and there's days where there's two or three in one day. Wow. You know, you know, well, we've been on the phone a couple times where you were on the way to an event. And I'm like, well, when do you get back?

Well, I got another event to go to. Oh, okay. Well, I guess I'll catch you tomorrow. So has it been that way in COVID still? Like are they are, I mean, how many events can the guys possibly do? I mean, are these, are they just doing like surprise zooms for kids or like what's that kind of look like for you? That's a great question. And yes, like I'd say again, Evan Flo, but when COVID first hit, you know, the Mavericks being the Mavericks,

They thought, how can we be creative and still keeping our players front facing? So we did a lot, man. And I'd say a lot of it was surrounding social media. But we just did a lot of things. And the players just always were in the front of all those things. So we did that. We did a lot of hospital visits. We did a lot of Zoom calls.

Zoom probably got a lot of stock. Oh, yeah. Their value probably went up quite a bit. Oh, it did. Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. We did a lot of that. And then just a lot of trying to figure out how to engage in the community.

Social justice was a major theme of a lot of what we did, too, helping the frontline workers. A lot of Mavs players donated money time. We cleaned up Dallas. So we did a couple of things physically, too, but we did a lot of virtual. So we stayed busy, which was awesome, because then I was able to obviously continue to do what I do and really didn't slow down too much over the over COVID.

Man, one of the things I don't, I don't think people often truly understand about any sports organization. And I really didn't, I really didn't understand it until, until working with the Mavs a little bit. It's amazing the pace that you guys run at. And how quickly you have to adapt on the floor. lie, you're constantly responding to request. I'm amazed at specifically your ability to pivot.

You are, for all our listeners out there, if you ever get a position where you are a player relations manager, your inbox will be full with requests for autographs, for locker room access, for, I mean, it is. It is a constant thing. But dude, I've watched you just navigate that whole thing with so much professionalism. And you're often game day, last minute, at an event, you're asked to do something that is either difficult, maybe outside of your job description. Man, how have you handled yourself so well in those positions?

What do you tell yourself when you're having to be? pivot, adjust plans on the fly. What's the message you give to yourself in those moments that could help a lot of our listeners who are often given assignments, maybe last minute, it's 2020, we all make plans and they all get flipped upside down? You know, what do you do in those moments when you're responding to last minute request? Yeah. So in my job, to your point, and I've probably called you and asked you your thoughts many of times, but it happens quite a bit. And what I try to do, I say it's twofold.

I try to, first of all, be as organized as possible because, A, I'm young in my role. And I work with a lot of people that are older than me. So typically, when you are in that situation, you do have a, there's a level of he might be, but not be professional, or he might not be as organized they're on top of things. It's we, we think there's a perception to it, right?

So for me, I try to be overly organized and on top of things. If someone has a question, I already got an answer for it. That's good. And I'd say on the flip side, I try to, and people may find this strange, but if you're an athlete or have been an athlete at any level, you probably understand this. I try to visualize what's about to happen. So if I go into an event or a game night where I know a lot's going to happen, or maybe this is a celebrity at the game, whatever it might be.

I try to visualize what can happen in my potential scenarios and responses to these various things. So I try to really dive deep into what I'm going to do, similar to when I was in college or in high school going into a game, and I knew that the other team had a really good player. I was going to have to guard. I just, I feel like that's so underrated. And when you prepare for tough assignments or when you know something's coming, that's not going to be easy.

You visualize yourself in that position because then you feel like you're a little more ready. So I always feel like I'm prepared, even when it may seem like something you could never prepare for. You know, obviously a lot of the people you work in between or as a go between those people. You're obviously, some are in the NBA. Some of them are well-known business people. Obviously, Mark Cuban-ons, the Mavs, St. Marshall is the CEO. You know, when it comes to following people of that magnitude, do you see it as different than someone that's just working for someone that maybe isn't as well known?

Do you feel a pressure in that? And I wonder if there are some listeners that perhaps there's a level of intimidation that exists within their role. And I know when we first met, you weren't in that role. But so something definitely shifted for you. and obviously you were promoted and it was well deserved and it's awesome. But what was that shift like and what is that like following in a organization that's owned by Mark Cuban, ran by St. Marshall, Greg, your direct report, who's awesome.

I mean, what's it like following those people who have had some massive success in the business world and there could be some pressure that comes on your role as you represent them? Right. I think it's special. because, you know, again, when you look at someone that, like Mark, who's had unlimited success and obviously is well respected in so many rooms, and along with St. and Greg, you feel like A, it's someone that when they're speaking, you value whatever advice they're giving. So when they give you a path to something, you feel like, okay, if I follow this path,

it probably will lead me down the right route and I'll probably have some success here. I'd say that's the first part of it. And then, you know, for me, yeah, there is pressure for sure. When, you know, when you're talking face to face with Mark Cuban about certain things, you're going to feel some anxiety. But I think the major thing is, and people probably feel the same way. So speaking to their boss or maybe the CEO of their company or whatever it may be, I think you have to exude their confidence.

Because when you're, when you exude the confidence that you are taking control of your job and everything that you handle is definitely taken care of. I think that there's less of wanting to micromanage you. There's less of people not having maybe a lot of confidence in what you're doing. So I try to make sure I exude as much confidence in what I'm trying to do. And that way I can make sure there's trust there. And then it goes back to the last thing, you know, when you're extremely organized and you can visualize what you're going to do,

even when you might go into that conversation with Mark Cuban or St. Marshall, I think it just adds to it because it's almost like I've already practiced. Here's what I'm going to say if he says this. Here's what I'm going to say if he does this. That way, at least you feel like, man, I've been here before because, yes, you will get intimidated because that's literally a billionaire you're talking to. Right. What have you learned from St. Marshall, who took over as the T.O. the Dallas Mavericks,

that was what now? was it two years ago? Yep. Yeah, two years ago. Massive shift, had to change a culture, charismatic leader, incredible rallyer. I've never seen a leader rally people better than sent. The energy she brings to the office is incredible. What have you learned from following a leader like sent?

Well, what I've learned for sure is the importance of a culture. and having someone that breathes, lives it every single day. There's not a day sent just says, I'm not really feeling the culture today. I'm just going to do what I want. Sent is authentic, and that's actually one of our core values. And her authenticity kind of, it rubs off on everyone else,

and you feel like you need to make sure you're your authentic self. And the beauty of it is her authentic self follows all of the values that she, you know, make sure the rest of us. follow. So I think it's, I think she does a great job of setting a culture. You know, they say like the best coaches like Coach K and Cal and all those top college basketball coaches have a program. I feel like, uh, scent is like John Wooden or something, you know, she's a, she's got a program and she knows what it takes to actually create a culture within an organization. She's done a great job. I mean, it's night and day. I actually came in not too long before sent. And I mean,

obviously it wasn't embedded in what the Mabs were before, but what I've seen since is night and day and just a short time, and we love Sint. She's someone that we all would go to bat for, and we all believe she has our best interest in heart and the best interest, not just for the Mabbs, city of Dallas, people of color, women, I mean, just to have all these things. And she's all in, and that's how I feel all leaders should be,

and that's why it's so easy. whatever she says, it's done because we know that she's asking for a reason. We know it's something that has a trust. Yes, there's just unlimited trust there. You mentioned culture there. How important do you think it is for a follower to carry culture? Well, it's the most important thing because if you can have a great coach, and just warning to the listeners, a lot of my analysis.

are going to go back to sports just because that's my whole life. It's Ryan and myself and our conversations about sports. Oh, yeah. So it equates having to play basketball so long. I just think of the fact that you don't, it doesn't really matter how good your star player is if the role players don't understand their role and follow that. Like if that guy's not rebounding,

it doesn't matter if that guy's dropping 50, if the other team's getting a bunch of offensive rebounds. I think that's the key. It has to be believed in by every single person. We have 150 people in our office. It's got to be 150 people on the same page. And that's what's incredible, is that that's what we have. It took some time, but that's literally what we have now.

And that's why it's so important because those people touch so many different parts of the business. So if there's only one department really thinking that way, then you'd be in trouble because now you're not going to be able to be consistent in your messaging and in the theme of your company. So I think that that's so important. And I'm blessed to say that the Mabs definitely do that. And it starts with that leadership team led by Sint and Mark. Well, did I got one last question for you.

I'm going to put you on the spot. And I'm even going to ask the question and then I'm going to talk for a little bit to give you some time to think about it. Okay. I want you to give me your pre-season prediction of what seed you think the Dallas Mavericks will end up at the end of next season. This is important. Listen, I don't expect you to say, I know you want to say number one because this is a public podcast. And again, they're number one in your heart. I also know that you're a realist.

Okay. you understand, you know, I'll even give you an opportunity to throw in a potential trade, a potential signing of a free agent to be able to add to your credible prediction. So if you want to say, hey, I predict blah, blah, blah, we're going to sign so-and-so. This person is going to be healthy, and I like our. So I'm going to let you create your whole scenario for all of our listeners, all of our sports fans. I'm sure all of our other listeners probably have turned it off at this point.

It doesn't matter because it's you and me right now. So I want your preseason prediction. Ready, set, go. Okay. So I've thought about this. And I'm going to say, I think the Mazz will finish fourth. I think I'll finish fourth. I think and now this is very much harping on.

I am banking that Chris Stamps Porzingis is his normal self. He's healthy. Dwight Powell's is normal self. I'm banking on those. And I'm thinking that with us having two very high draft picks, normally we don't have high draft picks. I think that the map will either trade those and get a veteran player or make some good role-playing draft picks.

you know, similar to like a Jalen Brunson. But I'm saying forth as the team is constructed now. I think the Lakers will still be up there, obviously. Clippers, even though they implode, will probably be up there. And I'd say Golden State might slide in it. Because they're back healthy and they have the number two. Don't back. People don't forget about those guys.

Well, yeah, you can't. You can't disrespect the warriors. We can't do that. I like, I've got the Mavs in the two-seat. And the reason I have the Mavs at the two-seat is because I believe they will sign the reigning MVP and defensive player of the year in Janus. And I believe that that's going to be awesome. If that does not happen, well, we will have to come back. on this podcast and give a brand new prediction, my friend.

Dude, thank you so much, man, for being on followership, man. I love our conversation. I love your insight, who you are as a person, as a leader, as a follower. And, you're good people. You're good people, man, and you do really great work. And love what the Mazz are doing. Love what you're doing. And I really just appreciate your time today, man.

I absolutely loved my time with my good friend, Brandon, then so many things that I wrote down and a couple of things that I want you to be able to take away as our listeners. And that's this. This week, I want you to ask yourself, how can you be more confident in your role or your position? You were put there for a reason. You're paid for that position one way or another. Maybe you're a volunteer. You were put there for a reason.

So how can you walk in confidence in that role? Second thing I want you to think about is do you know the culture of your company well? Do you know the culture of your company well? And are you walking out those values well on a daily basis? And I want you to look for ways that you can display those values in the culture of your company while being your authentic self. Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of followership with Ryan Leak. Once again, the show notes from today's episode can be found on Ryanleak.com.

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