- July 10, 2012
- 10:13 am
- no comments
World Series-Worthy Leadership?
In a recent interview on Bloomberg TV, Chicago Cubs’ new President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein (of Boston Red Sox World Series fame) was asked “How long will it take for the Cubs to win a World Series [under your leadership]?” Adding to the pressure of a World Series win, Bloomberg host Rick Horrow says that turning around the Cubs would be “an executive achievement for the ages.”
When pressed with such high expectations, you might expect a baseball manager – or any other leader for that matter – to take the softball question and simply say, “Sure, we have what it takes to win it all this year.”
Epstein’s response, however, lends some insight into his leadership approach as he takes over for the struggling, World Series-starved Cubs. “If you start focusing on the end result too much, you lose your way. The most important thing is for everyone to know what our mission is.” Epstein’s suggestion: first analyze the problem, put a plan in place, and then work toward it. “At the end of the day it comes down to people and processes. Culture change involves values and communication. You have to set out a vision, plan how you’re going to get there, have good communication and then follow up.” The recipe also includes patience. “There are no shortcuts,” says Epstein.
When pressed on the weight of the Cubs’ World Series drought, Cubs’ owner Tom Ricketts (who made billions in the bond market) adds, “You can’t change history. Our message to our organization is ‘embrace the challenge.’” What’s the similarity between the bond market and baseball? “They’re both people businesses,” says Ricketts.
Asked to describe Epstein’s leadership style, Ricketts outlines it in this way:
- He focuses on player development early in players’ careers
- He focuses on analytics and metrics
- He builds the right team around him – on and off the field
When watching this interview, I was struck by the parallels between managing a Major League baseball team and the challenges most managers face in leading their own organizations. The similarities are striking. For all the talk about “Moneyball,” high-priced athletes and statistical analysis, the leadership challenge remains amazingly straightforward: put the right team and plan in place, focus on individual and team development, communicate values and mission with clarity, and the results will follow.
Ricketts is right – the bond market and baseball are both people businesses – but it doesn’t stop there. Leadership itself is a people business. Regardless of the industry or size of the organization, the same basics of effective leadership apply.
Feel free to check out the full interview. Can you see the leadership parallels? Do you think Epstein has the leadership skills to hit this challenge out of the park? Do you agree that the same challenges apply across industries and organizations? Let us know what you think.