Workscape Institute

Looking back on my first season as Head Coach of my kids’ T-Ball team, I now realize that while teaching the game of baseball to a group of eleven five-year-olds may seem far removed from corporate America, there are numerous effective leadership parallels between the two.

Follow up:

Cross training
In T-Ball, players rotate positions each inning.  Sometimes they play the infield, other times they play the outfield.  There are often fewer fielding opportunities for the right fielder compared to the pitcher or shortstop.  Regardless of position, however, each opportunity should provide players with a new perspective on how the team functions as a whole, and how each specific role aligns to the broader strategy (in this case, get three batters out). 

How often are you exposing your employees to “a day in the life” of other key positions?  If the Legal department understood the end of quarter demands that are placed on accountants, or if engineers understood the hectic pace that normally precipitates Marketing preparing for a trade show, would these departments or individuals work better together?

Look in the Mirror
During our first practice, the other coaches and I taught the kids how to run from home to first base.  During the second practice, we taught the kids how to hit.  During the first game, however, half of the kids stood still at home plate after they hit the ball, despite our urgent pleas for them to run to first.  Although we had taught them how to hit the ball and how to run to first as distinct actions, we had never taught them to run to first as a response to hitting the ball!

Are you doing all you can to guide your employees?  If employees make mistakes, are you looking in the mirror first?  What more could you have done to prepare your employees for success?  Is the big picture clearly communicated?  Business is more complicated – in most cases – than hitting the ball and running to first, but there are still opportunities to ensure that all team members understand how their specific responsibilities advance the company’s goals.

Be Flexible with the Height of the T
If a child on your team is struggling to hit the ball, lowering or raising the height of the T might just be the key to improving their swing.  That and making sure the child is properly transferring their weight from the back foot to the front foot as they swing.  I’m not quite sure what this has to do with corporate America, but I thought T-Ball coaches might appreciate it.  Alright, back to the true purpose of this blog…

Critique some, but praise more
From a coach’s perspective, the main goal of T-Ball is not winning the games (we don’t even keep score), but rather ensuring that the kids enjoy the experience enough to continue playing.  Most T-Ball coaches realize early on that yelling and screaming will only get them so far.  Rather than critique every wrong move by the player, look for the positives, and add some selective constructive criticism:  “Nice job.  You were in great position to make the play.  Next time, remember to keep the glove down, and you’ll do just fine.” 

What’s your management tone?  Are you first to critique, or first to praise?  Criticism may serve to motivate employees in the short-term, but over time, it becomes more discouraging than encouraging.  Remember, you want your employees to continue playing for you.