Spring is upon us, and professional baseball is about to get into full swing. Spring training began a month ago and in about a week Major League Baseball will have its opening day. The energy you feel in the dugout on opening day at any level of baseball is hard to describe. It’s a mixture of anticipation and relief that you get to go out and perform after a long off-season of training. Now you have the opportunity to show everyone what you can do and that all of the hard work you put in has paid off.

I am entering my 3^rd year managing in the Pioneer League and the players in our league typically have less than three years of professional playing experience. Some come straight out of college. Many of them remind me of the players I coached in Rookie Ball when I was with the San Francisco Giants. All the players are looking for an edge and there is an old saying I hear every year that I absolutely can’t stand, “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin.” Well, I say that is false.

One baseball skill that is undertaught in my opinion is base running. Too many coaches assume that players know how to run the bases, especially the fast ones, so they just focus on hitting and defense. That is a mistake. For everyone out there who has coached, think of a time when you gave a base runner the steal sign and they do one of two things: (1) they get a bigger lead, or (2) they try and leave early. That’s when I came up with the saying “Fast guys don’t cheat.” If we do a better job of teaching them how to read a pitcher and pick up his tendencies, they won’t do these things, especially if they’re fast.

I believe you can also apply this phrase to life. If we are always trying to look for the easy way out or getting an edge by being dishonest, the feeling you end up with at the end is never the same as when you earn something by doing it the right way. When you’re a leader it’s not just about you, and you need to find ways for your team to get better with integrity and honesty. Here are 3 things to consider when you are leading a group of people, and you want to do it with excellence.

“Likewise, a competitor does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.”– 2 Timothy 2:5, BSB

Communication and Connection

Coaching is about teaching, and teaching is about communication, but you can’t teach everyone the same way. We are all wired differently, so as a coach I need to find a way to connect with each individual, so they understand what I am trying to communicate to them. I want to put each player in a position to succeed, so I might need to find new ways to connect with each one of them. The days of “do it my way because I said so” are dead. 

The ultimate goal is team success, so if that means I have to work harder to find a way to connect with an individual player then that’s what I do. Search for ways to connect with your team at work or on the field and see what works for each one of them. Acknowledge their strengths and tap into them instead of just pointing out their weaknesses. Anyone can be a critic, but it takes a special person to lead. When it comes down to it, you’re in charge, but it won’t matter if no one is listening.

Survey and Study

As a coach I am always studying the opposition and pouring over scouting reports to find a way to expose the other team’s weakness. I am looking at their physical mechanics and mannerisms to see what they do in certain situations. I survey the field to see if opposing players or coaches are getting lazy or if they fall into patterns. Then when the opportunity presents itself, I attack.

Spend time observing the people you work with. Find out what motivates them and create an environment where they feel like they can grow and develop. Having a “growth mindset” is one where a person is always trying to learn and improve themself. Remember, you have 2 eyes, 2 ears, and 1 mouth. Maybe if you watch and listen twice as much as you speak, you will learn twice as much about those around you. Leaders are always trying to improve themselves and their team. 

Respond and React

A thermostat and a thermometer have similar characteristics in that they both deal with temperature, but they work in very different ways. The thermostat controls the temperature in a room, while a thermometer just tells you what the temperature is. This is similar with how you control your emotions as a leader. It comes down to responding vs reacting.

Thermostat leaders help control the work environment by setting the standard. They respond well with thought and calculated decisions versus reacting emotionally to a situation. It’s about putting things into perspective when the crap hits the fan. Sure, it’s easy to be calm when things are going well, but it’s more difficult when pressure is applied. The more you work on controlling your emotions as a leader, the better your gut reaction will be in tense situations. 

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”– Proverbs 15:1

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• The cover photo for this blog was taken by Penny P. Collins