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We all have our passions. Mine happens to be playing pick-up basketball, and at the age of 55, I still load up my gym bag three or four days a week and slip off to the downtown YMCA to play in the noontime pick-up basketball games. It's the same crowd you'll find in most any active YMCA gym. The ages range from the early 20s to the late 50s; the players are black, white, and Hispanic; some come into the locker room wearing shirts and ties, but most are more casual. A few have even been known to wear ankle bracelets compliments of the local criminal justice system. Regardless, our common denominator is a shared love for the game.

Playing pick-up basketball is more than good exercise and camaraderie. It's a microcosm of society in general and the business office in particular. I constantly find myself evaluating employees and new contacts against the same criteria that I value in good teammates on the basketball court. Are they team players or are they selfish? Do they understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and role? Can they put points on the board? Will they take on tough assignments? Do they help others out? Are they good communicators and a positive influence? Are they winners or whiners?

However, there's more at play here than personnel profiling. There are a number of leadership principles that translate from the basketball court to the business office. As a lifelong pick-up basketball player and as the chief executive for a national nonprofit organization with a $22 million annual operating budget and a staff of 70, here are my top five:

See the court.
Great leaders are able to look at a problem, an issue, or an industry and see things that others don't. They see opportunities and solutions, and they are able to articulate a vision that gives purpose to the efforts of others. A true leader is not only constantly looking for the new opportunities, but they're also looking to get the ball to teammates who are best positioned to take advantage of the situation. Like a blessed point guard, an experienced leader will visualize the expanded benefits that reveal themselves like falling dominoes as one action naturally leads to another. Equally important, the good leader will keep their team out of trouble and not put the ball into the hands of the wrong person at the wrong time. Leaders, like the point guard, have court awareness and a sixth sense about how and when to utilize resources and take decisive action.

Score points and keep score.
Pick-up basketball is all about winning the game and holding the court. It's no different in business. Good leaders put pressure on themselves to consistently put "points on the board." This can be in the form of announcing accomplishments and milestones; launching new products, programs, or services; and introducing new plans. They know the score and are continually looking to create value for and interest in their brand. Like savvy ball players, good leaders are aware of the circumstances that surround and can impact their business, and they confidently adjust strategies and tactics to avoid obstacles and take advantage of market developments.