Originally published June 27, 2014
I’m not athletic. In fact, the closest I’ve come to active participation in sports is that one basketball game I played in high school. That was the first game I allowed myself to be coaxed into playing and the last time the rest of the team cared to lose that badly. Yet all these years after that one game, sports have still found a way to influence my thinking about where I am professionally and where I want to go. Keep reading to learn how the least sports-oriented person in the world draws analogies from the world to which I’m clearly averse.
In this post, let’s explore what a recent baseball game taught me. I was privileged to attend a Peanut League game in April, at the invitation of a friend who coaches for one of the league’s teams. Here’s what I picked up from watching these squirts play their game together:
Sportsmanship: Win or lose, both teams played fairly, followed the rules, accepted penalties when they broke the rules, and congratulated each other on a game well played. There were no hissy fits, outrage, or disgruntlement. There was a lot of support among the players and between coaches and players.
My takeaway: Sometimes we’re winning at work, and it’s important to congratulate the winners for a job well done without losing sight of the end goal, whatever that may be. Other times, we’re off our game, and it is equally important not to let losses or mistakes to wear us thin. Again, it’s about keeping an eye on the prize.
Perseverance: Each team played through their hour-long game without missing a beat. They kept going despite the amount of work and effort required to complete each inning.
My takeaway: It’s easy to watch a goal slip from from our fingers at work. We sometimes see others push past us, and we see our own position as failing or falling. This is not the time to give in to pressures and stress; instead, use this opportunity to gain new perspective, regain focus, and step up our game at work.
Teamwork: Beside being gracious toward the opposing team, coaches and players on each team were encouraging, supportive, and helpful. I heard the phrases “way to wait for a good one” and “don’t be afraid to wait for a good one” many times over the course of that game. I overheard bits and pieces of the coaches words to the players, and I watched the players dust themselves off and try again when they made mistakes.
My takeaway: There will be times that our work isn’t happening in a vacuum. When we’re not working independently – and sometimes even when we are – we must remember that there are many moving parts in an organization, and our role lends itself to others from time to time. We’re none of us more important than another, and it is our team that wins or loses, not just us. Be a team player. Share the victories and the setbacks together.