Spring training is here! Each year we look forward to the way Florida comes to life as the Grapefruit League takes up residence across the state. The energy of spring training is contagious as players hone their skills and eager fans turn out to watch. Through Fawley Bryant Architecture’s work in stadiums, we’ve learned that spring training brings more than a perfect afternoon in the sunshine, it also harbors key lessons for workplace success. We’ve translated three lessons from baseball that strengthen our professional life:
- Data reveals realities. The game of baseball has been transformed by the way analytics illuminate trends and indicate performance. Skillful coaches understand that data is a tool that enables them to focus their training and deploy their players strategically. Likewise, professionals use evidence-based practices and allow metrics to quantify and inform their approach.
- Teams win–or lose–together. Egos are caustic. The reason coaches begin teaching players that “there is no I in team” in T-ball is that it takes us decades to internalize this lesson. The relief pitcher being called in is not a loss for the starting pitcher, it’s a win for the team. If we are more committed to our own stats than the good of the team, our career and that of our organization will suffer.
- Every season is a new opportunity. Baseball brings unparalleled drama. On opening day there’s no telling the story lines that will unfold. The air crackles with possibility. The odds-on-favorite might make a smug mistake while the underdog may come out on top. Dedication drives results. Spring training reminds us that by responding to the opportunities in front of us with determination, we can achieve great things.
