4 Lessons We Learned From Pippen’s “Last Dance” Campaign for Fair Pay

The docuseries we all didn’t know we needed right now are giving us more than behind the scenes stories of the NBA’s most famous championship run of the Chicago Bulls. The docuseries is giving us insight on what the working culture was like for basketball players in the late 80s and early 90s, specifically part 2 of the series that explored Scottie Pippen’s history with the franchise and how he fell in love with the game of basketball. The part that broke the internet about Pippen’s time with the Bulls is how underpaid he was as a player and the conflict that came along with it during their final season together, known as the Last Dance.

 

There was a sadness that radiated from the television screen as Pippen shared his story, and it was a feeling that most of us know well. It’s the feeling of knowing you deserved better but was dealt a bad hand or lead astray. Pay disparities are a real problem in America. His journey to getting fair pay reminded me of all the stories I hear from people on when they discovered they were underpaid and the obstacles they faced to get back what was lost. I think about my journey that I shared with CNBC on how my job search ultimately impacted my pay and resulted in a challenging climb to catch up to my peers. Back then, people were not open about discussing money, but today we can learn a lot about what Pippen experienced and come to the negotiating table better equipped to get what we deserve. Here are a few takeaways from Last Dance that we can apply when it’s time to ask for more:

 

Despite adversity, but your best foot forward
If you watched the docuseries, there’s a scene where Michael Jordan was referring to Pippen’s decision to get surgery before the season started and not during the summer as selfish. In the series, Pippen decided to wait to get surgery because he knew he was underpaid, and he was in the middle of negotiations to get more money. To showcase his impact on the Bulls, he felt like his absence would help prove his case to get the pay he wanted. His decision also displayed his lack of desire to put in more work if the organization doesn’t appreciate it. That’s what happens when employees feel and are underpaid. Productivity and interest start to decline when employees feel undervalued. Some will test the waters to see if their absence or lack of work will negatively affect the business to prove their case for a raise. However, Pippen could of went about campaigning for a better contract in a better way. Burning bridges won’t help your case for better pay, so before campaigning for better pay come up with a strategy that does not negatively impact the company to prove your point. Instead, keep track of your accomplishments by using data to reflect how your contributions to the organization helped increase revenue, efficiencies in workflow, and other tasks that you manage. Find allies at work who can sponsor you and validate you as an asset to the company.

 
Always negotiate for your future
Pippen shared that when he signed his rookie contract that he was thinking about his family’s current financial situation and how he could offer relief at that moment. Pippen signed an $18 million 5-year deal with the Bulls in 1991. The Bulls’ owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, shared, “I said to Scottie the same thing I said to Michael: If I were you, I wouldn’t sign this contract. You may be selling yourself too short. It’s too long a contract you’re locking yourself in for.” However, the “black tax,” the additional costs that a black family member who reaches a certain level of financial security carries to provide for the rest of their family or community, weighted the decision to sign that deal. Taking a shorter deal was a gamble for Pippen because he thought the negativity that comes with losing it all, and when you grow up impoverished, you make decisions from a place of lack. But it’s essential to prepare for the future. An opportunity to negotiate doesn’t always come around, so how do you maximize it. Dr. Ashley Williams, a co-founder of Coins Over Gossip, shared at the Black Women’s Equal Pay #L2LMixer that we should negotiate for what we want 3 to 5 years from now. “The biggest myth that I had to learn about for myself was that I should only be asking for what I financially wanted for my right now. Even if it’s not in terms of a dollar amount, we can ask for things like company stock, which is so beneficial long term or even PTO or more job flexibility. We need to set ourselves up for long term financial stability as well as establish a work-life balance,” she explained.

 

 

Explore your options
As Pippen became increasingly frustrated with the contract negotiation process and openly shared with the media that he was exploring opportunities with other basketball teams. When your current company is not giving you what you need, it’s okay to start looking for different roles. By entering the job market, you can see what salary ranges are available for what you want to do. You can also use job offers as leverage during your bi-annual reviews to see if your company will match the offer and much more. Just don’t announce your plans to leave until you have an offer on the table from a different employer.

 

 

Asking for more is selfish, but oh well
Some people interpreted MJ’s comment as Pippen being called selfish for wanting more money. Asking for more money is selfish because everyone is looking out for their self-interest. A company will lay you off without batting an eye, so what’s wrong with keeping your bank account intact? One thing many of us get wrong is when we take one for the team. We think about everyone but ourselves. Was Pippen’s timing inconvenient to his teammates? Yes, it was, but none of them were advocating for him to get his fair share, so he did what he thought was best. Jordan didn’t take a pay cut to help pay Pippen, nor did he slide him a check after each game. It’s time to put yourself first and ask for more.

 

 

What are some career lessons you learned from ESPN’s Last Dance?