Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Hands-On ... - always yours

ARE YOU A STAR PERFORMER OR JUST AVERAGE? 53
EI Ratings: Bill Clinton
PERSONAL
SOCIAL
Understanding Self Others
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Managing Self Others
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EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON
Only an elite handful of athletes have ever dominated their sport
so thoroughly and with as much flair as Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Jr. did throughout his storied basketball career. Magic Johnson is
widely recognized as the greatest point guard ever to play the game
and has become the standard for excellence at his position. Despite
all his endless accolades as a basketball player, however, Johnson
is more proud of his post-basketball accomplishments as an entrepreneur
and community leader that displays many of the EI competencies.
He states in his book Earvin “Magic” Johnson: 32 Ways
to Be a Champion in Business, “I am grateful for my experiences
as an athlete. Yet the rewards of my entrepreneurial endeavors
have been even more fulfi lling. I’ve learned that creating jobs and
providing goods and services to urban communities beats even five
NBA championships.” 74 (Service Orientation) Magic Johnson Enterprises
encompasses numerous business ventures and is valued at
over $700 million, while also investing in the development of at-risk
urban communities. Through his strategic partnerships with the
likes of Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness, and T.G.I. Friday’s, Johnson
has invested $1.5 billion to raise the quality of life in cities such
as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,
Miami, and Washington, D.C.
Johnson was one of nine brothers and sisters growing up in Lansing,
Michigan. As a child his basketball heroes were Wilt Chamberlain
and Bill Russell. His real role models and mentors, though, were