What Happens When You Stop Optimizing and Start Committing with Former LA Lakers President Tim Harris

What Happens When You Stop Optimizing and Start Committing with Former LA Lakers President Tim Harris

June 2, 2026 · 57 min · Episode 227

About this episode

Tim Harris discusses his 35-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers and the importance of commitment over optimization in leadership and business.

In a world of job-hopping, side hustles, and an endless LinkedIn feed, Tim Harris did something almost no one does anymore. He stayed put. Few executives spend an entire career helping build a dynasty. Tim Harris spent 35 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, rising to President of Business Operations and helping transform the franchise into a global brand. Through championship eras, iconic athletes like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, and decades of change in professional sports, Tim's influence was felt not on the hardwood, but in the culture, leadership, and business excellence that powered one of the NBA's most storied organizations. In this episode you'll learn: ➡️ Why clarity of role is the most underrated tool in any leader's arsenal ➡️ The three unspoken words that silently destroy any team ➡️ What Kobe Bryant taught Tim about mindset (+ why it matters off the court) ➡️ How the Lakers built one of the most powerful brands in sports ➡️ What elite athletes do differently + how it translates directly to business ➡️ What caring, high-performing leadership actually looks like ➡️ Why giving away free tickets to strangers was a brilliant + caring business decision ➡️ The cost of…

People in this episode

Host: Simon Sinek

Guest: Tim Harris

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Los Angeles Lakers, NBA

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