Watching a kids’ ball game can provide a mini life lesson for observers. The takeaway also applies to business. Astute observers can learn a lot by watching kids play.
My Chief of Staff Greg Bailey told me about his granddaughter’s machine-pitch softball team for seven- and eight- year-olds. He cheered them on for two months, ignoring the fact that they weren’t very good. They didn’t even score a run until the final two weeks of the season.
Then came the state tournament, where they won their first game – by forfeit – when the other team didn’t show up for an early morning game. They took full advantage of the extra practice time, with a six-on-six scrimmage.
They lost their next game by a single run which sent them to the consolation round of the tournament. The next day, they shocked everyone and won 6-0. In the consolation championship game, they were behind 4-1 and somehow came back to win 5-4. Truly unbelievable!
This team that struggled mightily all season had won three out of four games in a state tournament – their only victories all summer. Or were they a struggling team?