IS YOUR TEAM READY FOR THE BIG LEAGUES?
Your Organization is like a team. How are you developing your players?
There is something great about going to a Minor League game, especially in your hometown. You are in an intimate setting, you can almost touch the players, and you frequently see your friends and neighbors in the stadium. The players are often headed for the “Big Leagues,” yet they still have some skill development before they get called up. Do you ever notice that the most productive players are the ones who consistently hit the ball and put the ball in play? It is great when someone swings for the fences and crushes the ball for a homer. Those players strike out a lot, too. Babe Ruth had almost twice as many strikeouts as he did homers. As a leader, would you rather have people who consistently put the ball in play or swing for the fences? Part of a minor league skipper’s job is to teach players to play smart ball, like knowing that winning games comes down to small ball and a series of base hits. The manager’s job is to help the players focus on developing the skills to string those hits together and become consistent performers so they can rise to the next level.
DEVELOPING THE TALENT
Every player who walks onto that field has talent and potential; otherwise, they would not be there. The manager and coaching staff are there to develop that talent and help it mold the players into a high-performing team. How different is that from where you work? Business owners and managers are responsible for developing their employees into a high-performing team. The people on your team would not be there if they did not have any potential or talent. The way you build that team is by coaching your employees and teaching them to work smartly. A good skipper does not simply find superstars. They build their roster by coaching and focusing on the details that make the difference between average and great players. What are you doing as a business leader to coach your team? Are you investing in their development? Are you throwing the lineup together before each game and hoping for the best, or are you managing to each player's strengths to create a team that wins game after game?
GETTING EVERYONE TO PLAY
Have you ever seen a team where there’s one standout player, and everyone else puts in a half-hearted effort? What happens to that standout player? They become burned out, frustrated, and they look for a way to move to another team, and no one wins. Everyone puts their hope of winning on the standout player. A great coach knows how to spread the work among all the players, to ensure THE TEAM makes the effort, and shares in the success. The best coaches know that some players need a break and others need challenges to help them develop. The best teams know that no single player wins the game and no single player loses the game. Everyone shares in the responsibility. Business teams are no different. As a business owner or manager, are you setting the conditions and expectations for everyone to contribute?
SHAKING OFF MISTAKES
Coaches play a vital role in how players handle mistakes. Do you ever see a ball game without any mistakes? Mistakes happen all the time. People miss signals and opportunities every day. Pitchers throw a bad pitch and either give up a hit or let a runner advance. Hitters miss that ball by just a hair or fly out. The critical thing about mistakes is what you do about them. Have you seen a struggling pitcher in a game give up walks, and the skipper lets them take on another batter or two? Why does a skipper do that? Players never learn to deal with pressure if they are not exposed to it. There are lessons to be learned in failure, and the best leaders look at those events as opportunities to learn composure, focus, and problem-solving skills. The same is true for your office. What would happen if you pulled your employee off the job as soon as they made a mistake? How much better would it be if the employee had an opportunity to work through correcting that mistake (within reason) and became better at experiencing and recovering from failure?
NEXT STEPS
Baseball teams have a staff of coaches to help the players improve in all aspects of the game and create a winning team. As a business owner, manager, or emerging leader, you are responsible for growing your own skills and the skills of your team in much the same way. Credentialed leadership coaches have the training and skills to help you grow personally and to assist you in turning your team into a high-performing organization. When you get back to your office, ask yourself what can I improve, and who am I coaching to get to the big leagues? Schedule a discovery call, and see where coaching can help you and your team. Click the link below and schedule your free discovery call today.