Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was caught berating teammate Buddy Hield in a clip that went viral during the team’s match against the Phoenix Suns Saturday.
In a post-game interview, Green defended his outburst as a necessary dose of motivation to the shooting guard. But one leadership expert noted his language was likely more damaging than helpful, no matter his good intentions.
The veteran NBA star’s heart was in the right place — but turning Hield into the new Jordan Poole was more akin to “shooting (himself) in the foot” than boosting the team’s performance, noted Jamie Gruman, a professor of organizational behaviour at Guelph University. Here’s why.
Draymond Green cusses out Buddy Hield
“Wake the f—k up, or go sit the f—k down,” Green told Hield in a fiery exchange so loud it was caught by microphones on the court.
After the game, Green doubled down on his words, telling reporters: “I know what it looks like to win. I know what it takes to win. So, as a leader, it’s on you to figure out what it takes to help this team win. And if that’s mixing it up with a guy every now and then, if that’s yelling, then you do that.”
He later referenced his stellar record playing on all four title-winning Warriors games: “I’ve happened to play a lot of championship basketball, a lot of meaningful basketball. Buddy hasn’t had the opportunity to play a bunch of meaningful basketball in this league. Guess what? It’s our job to make sure he understands what that means. And if people don’t like it, so be it.”
But Green’s “motivation” had little effect on Hield’s performance, who finished the game with zero points after missing all seven of his field goal attempts.
“Draymond stepped up to try to exercise leadership,” Gruman noted. “But he did it in a way that damages his relationship with his colleagues. Not only that, the other players are watching, too… He’s not endearing himself to his teammates, which is going to undermine the cohesion of the group.”
No matter whether you work on an assembly line or the NBA, it’s crucial to maintain your relationship with colleagues — “if you develop an animosity between you, you’re not going to cooperate as well and as eagerly as you would otherwise,” he said. In the end, Green’s words likely hurt his team more than helped them.
How to effectively give negative feedback
It’s “absolutely crucial” for people in positions of leadership to give their colleagues feedback, especially if it’s about something they’re doing wrong or could improve on, Gruman said.
But Green went about it the wrong way. “He didn’t point out what the problem was, or what the solution was … You don’t just scream and yell at people,” he said.
Whether it’s on the court or in the office, if you notice a co-worker is lagging in certain areas, it can be important to provide fair critique. But the key is to offer actionable advice on the areas they could actually improve on, instead of venting your frustration.
Gruman noted it’s also key to vary your approach depending on who you’re talking to. If you find your colleague responds best to blunt, assertive language, speak to them in that way.
“Don’t treat everyone the same way you want to be treated, because they may not necessarily respond to that,” he said. “Everyone’s different, everyone’s unique, everyone has their own unique motivations and interests. You need to tailor the way you interact with people to (their personality).”
What to do if you’re getting bullied at work
If you’ve got a Draymond Green in your workplace, the only way to deal with it is to stand your ground, Gruman said. If you let yourself become a doormat, people will walk all over you.
“But do not become a bully. You don’t deal with aggression by becoming aggressive — you display the behaviour that you want to see.”
This will require some tact, especially if you’re dealing with a superior. One approach would be to say: “Thank you for trying to help me improve. But this isn’t as helpful to me as it would be if you told me exactly what it is you find problematic. What do you think I should do differently?” Gruman said.
Instead of focusing on the aggressor’s statements head-on, address their underlying motives. Once you understand their interests and reasoning behind their behaviour, you may find ways to reach a resolution agreeable to both of you, he continued.
“They may not be responsive immediately because there are often egos involved,” Gruman said. “But if you can become the adult in the room and reorient their behaviour … you’re actually helping them grow, and you become the person giving them the feedback.”
