I LOVE baseball, in fact, I’m just a sports “nut.” You hit a home run with your analogy!! In today’s business climate and for that matter, in inter-personal relationships, it all comes down to one person interacting with another!! Truly, the basis of all skills. We learn that at an early age or NOT. And, if you haven’t developed basic communication skills along the way, you’re out in left field, as the saying goes.With all the technology at our disposal, ie., email, txt messaging, voice mail, video blogs/live streaming blog casts, Twitter, FaceBook, Blackberry’s, to help us “get our message out” to our customers and/or family/friends…we can still strike out! The skills of listening and engaging another face to face are taking a back seat to “techie things.” I believe, in order to make it in today’s world, you need great listening skills, be able to clearly and effectively state your position, build trust through actions and follow through. I prefer, face to face, one-on -one conversations, whenever possible. And I’d much rather give MORE to the relationship and watch it blossom over time, regardless of the outcome. You don’t need to hit a home run every time you’re at bat!! …..just sayin’

Thanks for your blog post…Go Marlins!! …(and L.S.U.!!!)
deb

Joe, thank you; that’s a great look at how people can take the basics of a sport and apply them to business. I love it! Also reminds me of the story that Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame Coach of the Green Bay Packers used to being his initial pre-season address to his championship ballplayers by holding up an object in his hand and saying, “Gentlemen…this is a football.” Joe, it’s no wonder you and Renee have such a hugely successful business.

Jennifer and Joe, thanks again!

I used to be a huge baseball fan, until the strike that canceled the World Series, now I’m just a passive fan. However I understand what your talking about. I am now helping to coach youth football, where the “Basics” are just as important.

1. You must know the plays: In business this may mean that you need to understand how to perform your service or what you product actually does for people.

2. You must recognize the plays: In business this may mean that you need to recognize what your clients and prospects will pay for.

3. You must have perfect execution, blocking and tackling are a good start but #1 & 2 are vital to the desired result: In business this may mean that with the focus on #1 & 2, you must take appropriate action to accomplish a gain. Like blocking; you must initiate contact with your prospects & clients, they wont come to you. Passing is like asking for the sale. Tackling is a businesses way of keeping clients and attracting more by delivering on your promise and “Giving” more than what they expect.

I could go on but I need to execute the very first basic…to show up for the game!

Joe

First, I am not a baseball fan (basketball is my game), but the point is loud and clear (smiles).

In training anyone on my team, and especially when they are stuck and start complaining about “no one picking them”, I take them back to some basics that I have learned from my 3 most cherished mentors: (Michael Dlouhy, Tom Schrieter and of course YOU) …
1. To earn more you must become more.
2. Focus on what you can give rather than what you can get from the relationship.
3. Let go of the emotional attachment to the outcome.
Those are the basics that I keep going back to over and over myself, as well as remind my team when they get frustrated. Usually, if one takes 5 minutes of self-observation, it is easy to spot which basic is missing in the equation.

Jennifer