CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Baseball has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. Growing up, I cheered on my brothers' little league teams until I was old enough to play myself. In high school I was a "Diamond Darling" for the baseball team (that is a cross between a batboy and a cheerleader). My first date with my husband was going to a Los Angeles Angels game -- we would go on to marry a few years later, and have taken in many minor and major league games since then. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I took our kids out to watch the Charleston RiverDogs. As the innings went on, I began to reflect on baseball and all the lessons that can be gleaned from this great American pastime.
Here are 10 lessons baseball has taught me about leadership:
Lesson 1: Recruiting. Without talented players, it will be difficult to succeed. In the Air Force, you don't always get to choose who joins your unit. Sometimes you must build your own talent through on-the-job training, professional military education and mentoring. Keep in mind, skill mix is essential. You might have the most brilliant pilots to fly an aircraft but without an equally skilled maintenance team to keep that jet in top condition, it won't get off the ground.
Lesson 2: You must bring the team together physically and mentally. They must work together like a well-oiled machine. An Air Force leader must make sure the entire team understands the mission, its priorities and the unit strategy to get the job done.
Lesson 3: Each player must know their role and how they can work with others to win. If the medical technician doesn't take an accurate medical history or set of vital signs, the physician may misdiagnose a patient or prescribe the wrong treatment.
Lesson 4: Hire special assistants who can mentor and refine the players' critical skills. Every college and professional team has a batting coach and pitching coach. Our seasoned NCOs are a prime example of these special assistants. They provide daily oversight and mentoring for the most inexperienced Airman. They can share valuable insight that takes years to learn firsthand.
Lesson 5: Everyone has a slump now and again. This has never been more apparent than in this current environment of high operations tempo and force-shaping. Stress can take a toll on many individuals, their families and units. Be supportive of your players; get them through the crisis. Regardless of whether it is mental health counseling, fitness training or financial guidance, get outside help if necessary -- that Airman, NCO or officer is worth it.
Lesson 6: Stand up for your players. Fight for the close calls and challenge the bad calls. If an Airman or a mission fails, find out why. Sometimes it is the system that has failed, and as leaders, we must engage to change the system.
Lesson 7: Don't forget about the fans. Your public pays your salary and you owe them your best. We must continue to be good stewards of government property and funding. We also must support our local community as they support us behind the scenes.
Lesson 8: Sportsmanship speaks volumes about your organization. Are you professional or not? Customer service is your frontline and external and internal agencies will potentially judge your entire organization by their interaction with one member of your team. Make sure everyone is a professional on and off the job.
Lesson 9: Know when to cut your losses. If your player isn't willing to commit to the team effort and is costing you games, it's in your best interest, and probably theirs, to let them go, you are better off without them. That leader who doesn't want to step up and lead owes it to the organization to retire to make way for our upcoming leaders. Sometimes it is difficult to say goodbye to the nice guy who cannot pass Air Force standards with today's demanding mission.
Lesson 10: You can't win all the games, but you have to keep your eye on the pennant. Each unit will have challenges and even failures, but the unit must learn from them, adjust and move on.
Regardless of where you are in life, these are wonderful lessons that can help you succeed on the baseball field or in the workplace. Next time you sit down to watch a game, think about other lessons you might learn. Play ball!