Spring Training For Everybody
by Chris Young, Interactive Director

Spring training probably doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. It’s actually a key to the season that goes largely unnoticed by many fans. Yet the pros don’t overlook it. Each February, every MLB team opens up shop for spring training because March preparation pays off in September. I’ve always felt that many of the strategies of spring training can be applied in other aspects of life – especially business.

Spring training is a funny thing: Winning or losing doesn’t count. Yet, earlier this year in an article on the website of The Sporting News, New York Yankees’ manager Lou Piniella, said, “Spring training is a special thing. It sets the tone for a championship year.” 

I’d suggest that just like the MLB, every organization should consider putting together its own “spring training”.

Here are some ideas on how spring training might be applied to business. 

Set Aside Time – Even teams from areas with moderate winters head to a different location in the spring. Why? It separates them from the day-to-day. That time is set aside, providing focus.

Look for opportunities to do the same thing within your organization. Pulling your team away from the daily routine underlines the importance of what you’re doing, and creates a sense of specific mission that helps everyone to focus.

Evaluate and nurture talent – Of the players brought into camp, a few are let go, while some make the big leagues and others are assigned to the minors. Those that head to the minor leagues may not be seasoned enough for “the bigs” yet, but they’re important to the future of the organization. Management continually introduces and nurtures fresh talent.

Let’s apply this to business. Though we’ll assume that the star players in your business will last longer than the typical big league career, it’s always important to evaluate talent and prepare younger “players” to step up and take on additional responsibilities. So keep your eyes open for opportunities to enhance the skills of your employees within your organization. It could be that it’s time to move your 3rd baseman to 1st base, or give that utility player an opportunity to pitch-hit.

Work on fundamentals – “Routine” ground balls are routine only after a player learns the proper method of fielding them, then handles grounder after grounder until it becomes second nature. Even then, every team continues to work on fundamentals not only during spring training, but also prior to each of their 162 regular season games. Managers and players understand that it is easier to lose a game with an untimely error than it is to win a game with a timely home run.

Just as in baseball, solid fundamentals minimize errors. Of course, you are always watching for, if not dealing with, errors. But by designating specific time to review basic skills, processes, and procedures, you’ll find that you can identify areas of weakness and implement training practices to avoid the error before it happens.  Don’t turn ground balls into adventures. Employees with sound fundamentals translate to a business that handles routine ground balls and avoids unnecessary losses.

Create a Vision.  A vision is a prerequisite for developing a team made of “team players”. Teamwork is critical to baseball success. Catchers must know their pitchers.  Batters must understand the importance of a successful sacrifice bunt. And nothing in baseball is prettier than watching a 2nd baseman hold his ground to turn a double play as the opponent slides into him. When players look beyond individual goals to focus on the team, amazing things can happen, and a vision of the future – of where the team is headed – is required to get them there.

The same thing can be said for an organization. Have you laid out a clear vision for your organization or department? Has everyone bought in? If not, “spring training” is a great time to create that vision, so that everyone can understand their important role on the team as you work to achieve success.

Consider taking some time this spring to have your own “spring training”. Set aside time to evaluate talent, work on fundamentals, and create and maintain that vision. As Lou Piniella said, spring training “sets the tone for a championship year”. Play ball!