Life Lessons from a Hardwood Wizard

When a 29-year-old is named president and CEO of a major North American sports team, that’s impressive. But when it’s a woman? That’s incredible. Susan O’Malley broke through that glass ceiling, not to mention an old boys’ network, and navigated locker room machismo when she was tapped to lead the then-Washington Bullets (now Wizards) of the National Basketball Association and later, Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association. She served as president of Washington Sports & Entertainment from 1991 to 2007.

O’Malley shared insights on her journey as the keynote speaker during the HCPA Annual Meeting. She captured the attention of attendees when she recalled how much her father loved WD-40. Her message to HCPA attendees was based on the teachings of her mother and father.

Seven Steps to Success

Here are seven ideas to achieve success:

Make your bed every day. Motion creates motion. “If you don’t do the small things right, how can you do the big things right?” she asked. “And if you had a lousy day, at least you have a nice bed to sleep in!”
Plan your work and work your plan. “Technology is great, but think about how it can move you and your business forward,” said O’Malley. “Don’t confuse activity for achievement.”

Keep working your craft. When O’Malley took over the Wizards, she visited every NBA team to find out what works. In Boston, she watched Celtic legend Larry Bird out on the court, hours before game time, in a prolonged shoot around.

Set expectations. O’Malley created the NBA’s first intern program, but when she heard that intern cheering loudly for the visiting New Jersey Nets, she planned to fire him. “I’m sorry,” said the young man. “I didn’t know I was supposed to root for the Bullets.” The kid remained an intern and O’Malley still keeps in touch with him.

When you mess up make it right. O’Malley created a program to contact season ticket holders and gain insights on how to make things better. When one longtime fan complained that his pants got ruined by rubbing against gum under the seat, O’Malley made sure the gum was gone by the next tip-off.

Have fun. “When people have fun, they do a better job. Fun boosts productivity.
Attitude and effort are the only two things you can control.

After leaving pro sports, O’Malley was still just 46. For the next several years she taught sports management at Georgetown University and later, at her alma mater, the University of South Carolina.