‘I’ll see you tomorrow’: What Michael Jordan’s trainer learned from the 1995 loss—and his three-tier test for winners | Fortune

Michael Jordan’s longtime trainer Tim Grover said the Bulls’ 1995 playoff elimination by the Orlando Magic became a defining lesson in resilience and accountability, with Jordan telling him “I’ll see you tomorrow” and returning to training immediately rather than dwelling on the loss. Grover, who worked with Jordan for more than 15 years, distilled the response into a three-tier test for winners: owning the outcome, refusing to make excuses, and resuming work without delay. He said the same framework applies to executives and entrepreneurs, arguing that how leaders respond to public failure matters more than the failure itself. Grover’s comments come as businesses face heightened scrutiny over performance and accountability, with investors and boards increasingly focused on management’s ability to adapt after setbacks. The takeaway for leaders is to watch how teams respond in the days after a loss, since that behavior often predicts the next season’s results.