Kobe Bryant's Leadership in 24 Words

On the morning of January 26, we lost basketball icon Kobe Bryant, 41, his daughter, 13, and seven others to a helicopter crash west of Los Angeles. The world now mourns the tragic loss of arguably the greatest basketball player of a generation.

However, it is important that we recognize Kobe as much more than a star athlete. He was a father, a husband, a CEO, a venture capitalist, a New York Times’ best-selling author and an Oscar winner. Similar to the late baseball player Roberto Clemente, the world was robbed of somebody much more than the name on the back of a jersey.

He was a leader.

As the years have carried on, tales of Kobe’s leadership and commitment to excellence have simply been acknowledged as the “Mamba Mentality” — a drive and a mantra to strive for the best possible version of yourself (and the title of his best-selling book). The “Mamba Mentality” summarized Kobe’s unparalleled work ethic, unwavering consistency and extreme attention to detail as a player, person and trailblazer.

It was this mentality that allowed him to transcend sports and become a recognized leader and icon across the world.

There is perhaps no better way to summarize the Mamba than from Donta Ingram. Here are eight leadership lessons, in 24 words, to honor Kobe Bryant’s leadership.

Kobe Bryant may be gone, but the leadership lessons he offered us live on. In honor of this fallen leader, we hope you adopt the “Mamba Mentality” in your own life and remember these 24 important words.