Standing Alone on a Team
Not sure about you, but I have heard on many a podcast, in plenty of writings, and in conversations that leadership is lonely. Rather than contending to an emotional side, I have been thinking about the positional nature of that idea.
In my life, some of the most alone moments that I can vividly remember took place at the center of a baseball diamond. When my stuff wasn’t good, or my location was garbage, or if they were just hitting everything I threw even if it was commanded and dirty, that wait for a pitching coach or manager to anger storm-walk to the mound was a pretty alone place. In those moments it was easy to be focused on myself and forget the bigger picture of the team and concentrate on what that outing meant to my record, ERA, and even at times, the effect that last pitch would have on my career.
But the truth is, I was never alone. I was on a team with 25 dudes as soon as we walked into that clubhouse, regardless of our history or background or anything else, we were mission-aligned after the same goal. And to actually achieve it, we needed everyone performing at their individual best which built in supporting one another to do their best and allowing the preparation, intent, and purpose to drive results. My job just put me on a small hill in high-impact situations: plenty of times I succeeded but those are easy to forget in losing effort.
On top of that, what drew me to the idea of pitching, more than anything, was the idea that the entire game, much less our team, was reliant on my timing to initiate any action. The idea of being alone as part of the team was part of the draw, so it was unfair to focus on that as a negative when things didn’t go my way. Plus, the truth was, for me to get a win as a pitcher I was fully reliant on at least 8 other dudes to be great that night.
Well, we find the same thing as leaders. Whether your context is leading a family, an organization, or any kind of project with other people and objectives, you need to embrace the alone side of the team. For you to be great, as much as the focus should be on honing your skills and creating a great plan, your TEAM has to be great. Forgetting that can give you a false sense of importance and a fear of failure that is counterproductive. Part of embracing the alone as an instigator of movement and success is the investment into the team and recognizing their contribution. Sure, you may get the accolades for all those strikeouts and wins, but mixed in there was probably a defensive gem or two from a shortstop or left fielder. And for sure a catcher that saved you more than you would ever care to admit.
When you find wins as a leader, use that time to celebrate your team. When things go wrong, remember that you want to have the ball in your hand in big moments, own the outcome, and get back to work by leading the charge with your own work ethic and willingness to grind and serve.
Keep taking the mound, encourage your team to work their best as individuals and as a group to accomplish the united goal, and embrace the positives and negatives that come with standing alone as a leader.
