The Importance of Teamwork - In Sports and Business.....

Watching the baseball playoffs has been an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. You get to see some fantastic players perform in the spotlight. Some shine, and some shrink. People react differently to pressure. Yet, those that are able to keep their wits about them can help in so many ways. That's true in sports and business.

There is no "I" in team.

Players in professional sports are considered the best of the best. Most are well paid. You can go to the best restaurants. You can drive a Bentley. But you can't buy a championship. That's the one thing that is the separator among players. So when playoff time comes - all their skills are on display.

In baseball, even a .300 hitter will fail 7 out of 10 times. But a good player can contribute to the win even without getting a hit. An excellent example of this was evident in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series between the Indians and the Blue Jays. With the score tied at 1, Roberto Perez drew a walk. Now Roberto Perez is not the best hitter around. In fact, he is playing because the Indians starting catcher was injured. However, against one of the best pitchers in the league, Perez was able to draw a walk. Under those circumstances a walk was as good as a smash up the middle. Same result. Runner on first.

Davis recognizes a situation & takes advantage of it.

Next up was Rajai Davis He is a 35 year old veteran whose greatest asset is speed. He can be a disruptive player when on base, and the other team know that. Davis hit a routine ground ball to the shortstop. He flipped to 2nd to get the force out on Perez, but the relay to 1st was too late to get the speedy Davis. Hustle prevented the double play. Davis was then able to steal 2nd base. That's no easy feat against a left handed pitcher. Then the catcher had a passed ball and Davis was able to take 3rd.

Next up was Francisco Lindor, who singled up the middle bringing home Davis with the Indians 2nd run. As it turned out it was the winning run. Indians win 2-1. But who played the most important part?

You could say Lindor had the RBI. The run doesn't score if he doesn't get that hit. But the hustle and base running of Davis was just as responsible. But also remember that if Perez doesn't get that insignificant walk, then nothing happens.

Teamwork can be just as important to all of us in the workplace. Sure everybody has a specific job in a specific department and with specific duties. But if an employee can take that extra step, take extra care, or help another at just the right time, it can make all the difference, It can make the difference between an acceptable workplace and an exceptional workplace.

In any store teamwork is important.

Take an example of a common grocery store. Management can hire, train, and schedule employees. They ensure the proper product is ordered, and coordinate with vendors. Store associates can receive a delivery and stock it in their proper place. They make sure the product is rotated and priced properly. Displays are set up correctly. All the time they can assist customers as needed. The cashier at the checkout may be the tip of the sword. They might be the only associate of that corporation that the customer is guaranteed to interact with. Plus they take the customers money. They can leave the customer with a smile and a good experience, or grumpy and sour.

In baseball or the workplace, a veterans experience is valuable. A veteran has seen a situation before. They don't have to be told what to do. They can prioritize tasks by importance. They can help others as needed because they probably know that persons job too.

It takes a family.

A corporation can have thousands of supporting employees from CEO's to marketing and facilities experts, They can have warehouse staff, buyers, truck drivers, and middle managers that can point out the smallest detail. But all of it can fall apart if an inexperienced high school aged kid is rude at the checkout.

So who is the most important in a corporation? Everyone has a job to do. If one person does not do their job properly, it can adversely affect the next person, and in the end affect the business itself. A customer han hate going to a store because the store may have a reputation for being a mess and rude employees. Employees caring about their job make the difference.

In sports and life, people that can recognize a situation and know what to do can make the difference. There is only one champion, or market leader. But everyone can play a part of it.