I know that all three of you who read this are eager to discover what the second secret to successful team building is. Ok I won't waste any time. Every player must know his role.
Here's a simple illustration. Almost everyday I ask McKim (our pitching coach) when I'm going to get my debut on the mound. His typical response is to laugh and walk away. Ok it hurts my feelings sometimes (completely sarcastic) but one day I'll get my shot to prove myself as a hurler. Everyone wanted to pitch growing up because it's where the limelight is. That's who controls the game.
You think coach will ever put me on the mound? HECK NO! Everyone knows that I can't pitch! That's definitely not what I do! Would I like to? Sure, maybe for my own enjoyment, but for the sake of the team, I wouldn't get 3 miles from the mound.
Just because it's something that I want to do doesn't mean it's something that I should do. Every team member from the backup pinch runner to the starting pitcher has to know that his role is vital to the success of the team. Why do you think business have job descriptions? So that all the members can carry out a vital role in the most efficient manner. Enough said.
We're leaving for Florida tomorrow morning to open up our season. I'm pumped! But I think this trip will tell a lot for our team in dictating how we're going to achieve our goals this season. My only warning. Never underachieve. On the field, or off the field. Hopefully I'll be able to keep everyone updated on our progress in the great Sunshine state. Until then . . .
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Team Component #1
Ok so how is a team successful? There are so many characteristics of successful teams but I believe there are certain components that are a "must have." Many people would say you have to have team chemistry. I don't really agree with that. I've been on successful teams that don't necessarily have team chemistry, but they were successful. Now does that mean team chemistry is not important - absolutely not. Team chemistry is definitely an important aspect of most successful teams. But there are so many successful business teams out there that hate each other's guts outside of work but between 9-5 they strap in and work their tails off because they have the same end goal in mind.
Every team member MUST be looking at the same goal and striving to achieve that goal. At the end of the day the team doesn't necessarily have to like each other, as long as the team is all pushing and pulling in the same direction. Fortunately for us, SWU Baseball has incredible team chemistry. There is hardly anyone that doesn't like or respect someone else on the team. I've talked to several of our transfers who have played on several different teams and they have told me that this is THE closest knit team they have ever played on.
But what about our goal? Are we all on the same page trying to accomplish the same thing? Most of the time I think we are. But striving toward our goal ON THE FIELD is directly affected by what we are striving for OFF THE FIELD - academically, socially, spiritually, etc. A successful team locates the obstacles that could potentially get in the way and they either avoid them or confront them. Either way, successful teams let nothing drag them off course.
I talked to a couple guys yesterday who were part of a ministry team in Seneca, SC but after 9 years their team crumbled. The only thing they could attribute it to was that they lost sight of the goal, and when they tried to correct the steering wheel, it was too late. My heart grieves for them. Here are three or four guys who have invested their entire lives into a dream and it's all come crashing down leaving them with nothing.
It is imperative that teams have the same goal in mind and do whatever it takes (within ethical constraints) to accomplish that goal.
Every team member MUST be looking at the same goal and striving to achieve that goal. At the end of the day the team doesn't necessarily have to like each other, as long as the team is all pushing and pulling in the same direction. Fortunately for us, SWU Baseball has incredible team chemistry. There is hardly anyone that doesn't like or respect someone else on the team. I've talked to several of our transfers who have played on several different teams and they have told me that this is THE closest knit team they have ever played on.
But what about our goal? Are we all on the same page trying to accomplish the same thing? Most of the time I think we are. But striving toward our goal ON THE FIELD is directly affected by what we are striving for OFF THE FIELD - academically, socially, spiritually, etc. A successful team locates the obstacles that could potentially get in the way and they either avoid them or confront them. Either way, successful teams let nothing drag them off course.
I talked to a couple guys yesterday who were part of a ministry team in Seneca, SC but after 9 years their team crumbled. The only thing they could attribute it to was that they lost sight of the goal, and when they tried to correct the steering wheel, it was too late. My heart grieves for them. Here are three or four guys who have invested their entire lives into a dream and it's all come crashing down leaving them with nothing.
It is imperative that teams have the same goal in mind and do whatever it takes (within ethical constraints) to accomplish that goal.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Team Work
It's funny . . . we have this motto that all of the guys kind of make fun. It may be because it was the motto of a team some of them played for that was unsuccessful. That motto is "One Team, One Goal." If you ask the coach of that team why they were unsuccessful that year, he would tell you that it consisted of about 20 individuals and no team. No one was on the same page.
Another phrase that some of the guys tend to make fun of is the old Maxwell phrase, "Team work makes the dream work." Until this week I've definitely been up with the head of the pack in making jest of these phrases. But this week I begin to think about team work and I realized that while to a post-modern, anti-cheese culture these phrases only get shot down like a lame duck, they definitely have truth and value to them.
I began thinking about the teams that I've been a part of that were successful and those who weren't successful and the common denominator between all the successful ones. What is it that makes the Patriots go undefeated through an entire NFL season, or that makes a once cursed Boston Red Sox team be hailed as a dynasty? So over the next three days (before we leave for Florida) I'm going to highlight the three characteristics that I, in my limited experience, feel are essential to a successful team (whether it's sports, business, ministry, etc.) and then I'm going to attempt to evaluate Southern Wesleyan Baseball according to these things.
Stay tuned and until tomorrow . . .
Another phrase that some of the guys tend to make fun of is the old Maxwell phrase, "Team work makes the dream work." Until this week I've definitely been up with the head of the pack in making jest of these phrases. But this week I begin to think about team work and I realized that while to a post-modern, anti-cheese culture these phrases only get shot down like a lame duck, they definitely have truth and value to them.
I began thinking about the teams that I've been a part of that were successful and those who weren't successful and the common denominator between all the successful ones. What is it that makes the Patriots go undefeated through an entire NFL season, or that makes a once cursed Boston Red Sox team be hailed as a dynasty? So over the next three days (before we leave for Florida) I'm going to highlight the three characteristics that I, in my limited experience, feel are essential to a successful team (whether it's sports, business, ministry, etc.) and then I'm going to attempt to evaluate Southern Wesleyan Baseball according to these things.
Stay tuned and until tomorrow . . .
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Lead-Off
Well here it is. We have officially joined the ranks as a prominent baseball program and started a blog. I guess you go big-time when you win a national championship. What was once a program that no one had ever heard of is now a program that EVERYONE wants to glean from. Well . . .
Maybe not everyone. But as a representative of the Southern Wesleyan Baseball program I want to convey to everyone who may or may not be reading this that we hope you stop by at sometime and check out this inside look into the lives of college baseball players.
I hope that at some point during this season this blog will serve to inspire, motivate, amuse, or even just entertain all of you who happen to be following our every move. So here it is. I'll be posting probably every Sunday with the first beginning tomorrow night (I can feel the suspense) and you may get lucky enough during the busy weeks to catch two posts in one week. But, until tomorrow . . .I'm out!
Maybe not everyone. But as a representative of the Southern Wesleyan Baseball program I want to convey to everyone who may or may not be reading this that we hope you stop by at sometime and check out this inside look into the lives of college baseball players.
I hope that at some point during this season this blog will serve to inspire, motivate, amuse, or even just entertain all of you who happen to be following our every move. So here it is. I'll be posting probably every Sunday with the first beginning tomorrow night (I can feel the suspense) and you may get lucky enough during the busy weeks to catch two posts in one week. But, until tomorrow . . .I'm out!
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