If it's April it must be the start of the baseball season; I love the game and have been a life-long fan (which can be very trying as a member of the Red Sox Nation). But I have to admit I have mixed feelings about America's favorite pastime.
I love the dynamics of the game; the duel between pitcher and batter; the strategy involved, and the fact that is is the only major league sport where you work your way up from the minors. No automatic, multi-million dollar contracts for players who are drafted. It is a blue-collar, working man's sport in the early days. You start at the bottom, get paid little, ride buses to games and stay in cheap hotels. You work your way up, learn your craft and prove your value. Only then do you get called up to "The Bigs" - in many ways a parallel for climbing the corporate ladder.
But with all the recent scandals, high-paid, low-performing players, and the influx of corporate sponsorships on everything from ballparks to pitching changes, I have become disillusioned and miss the simplicity and humility of the game I grew up with.
Regardless, I am still fascinated with the skill it takes to hit a speeding sphere, buzzing by in front of you at 90+ miles per hour, and that a batting average of .300 is considered exceptional. So an exceptional player strikes out - literally fails - 7 times out of 10.
I can't remember the last time I heard a corporate leader proclaim proudly that he failed 7 times out of 10; that he took enough risks to fail that often; that he was continually looking for opportunities to innovate, to explore new ideas, knowing that the odds were against him, And, probably most importantly, that he was encouraging everyone in his organization to do the same without fear of the consequences.
Where are the inspiring, authentic and courageous leaders who everyone in corporate America is seeking to follow?
I understand the many reasons why corporate leaders are risk-averse, betting on sure things, playing it safe to satisfy stockholders and protect their position. I just wish they would take a little inspiration from the batter's box - confidently step up, assess the situation, take the calculated risk and swing for the fences - just for a change.
