(Pictured: Our Bad News Bears, 2010)

In 1976, actor Walter Matthau, aka, Morris Buttermaker, was the alcoholic, pool cleaner and former minor league baseball player, coaching a group of misfit Little League players in the movie, Bad News Bears. For those who did not see the original, a “modern’ version was created in 2005 with Billy Bob Thornton.

If you remember the movie, you probably just had a hearty chuckle. Here’s a trailer from the movie with Morris coaching the kids with a PBR and cigarette in hand. Wow, things have changed.

What was not originally funny, was my version coaching the Bad News Bears, in Junior Baseball, in 2010. No, I was not carrying around a PBR and smoking a cigarette, but I also had not played baseball since I was in the 6th grade. And on the field, our results looked like it.

In our first preseason game, we lost 18-1. 

We were the Bad News Bears.

So instead of packing it in, and finishing the 6-pack of PBR and carton of cigarettes, I analyzed the game scorecard.

Why we were so bad and how does this apply to company communication? 

Frankly, there were a lot of reasons, but one of the core reasons is that our fielding was terrible. We overthrew balls, balls went through our legs, and we could not catch consistently. We had some talent, but as a team, we were collectively awful. No one trusted each other.

So, we had to get back to the fundamentals, throwing the ball and catching the ball.

See, some of our kids had great arms, and threw the ball fast, but the poor kid on the other side couldn’t catch the ball. Other kids had bad arms, and the fielder would not be close enough to catch the ball. Or they were bored, because they were just waiting to throw the ball fast again.

How does baseball apply to business?

In business, that ball is the leadership’s message. It’s the vision, strategy, and execution. If we throw out that message too fast, the message will not be heard. When we are too far away, we will not be heard. If we don’t throw it enough, we will not get good at it. The problem is that our team will not trust us, and they will not know what game we are playing.

Bad News Bears examples in Business for Strategic Planning and Execution:

You have only one meeting to discuss your Company Vision.

Only discuss your quarterly initiatives (OKRs) at the end of the quarter.

You only track and reward outcomes.

How did we solve the baseball problem? 

We put in a simple drill. We lined up half the team about 20 feet apart. One side had the ball, and they would throw the ball together to the other side. If everyone caught the ball, that would count as one.

Initially, this took nearly 20 minutes for everyone to throw and catch the ball together. It was frustrating. Johnny, don’t throw the ball so fast…Sam, this is how you hold the glove, etc. We had 2-3 coaches, giving fundamental tips. We would do this at the beginning of every practice. 

It took time, but we started to get good at it. Three, four, five, six…ten. The kids would get excited. Every practice, we would try to beat the previous practice record. We added challenges by taking a step back after each catch. By the end of the season, we build trust, and confidence with each other. 

And that same Bad News Bears team, who lost 18-1 in the pre-season, finished 4th in State.

(Pictured: Winning, 2013)

Let’s get back to business.

This same exercise can be applied in business. 

Vision – Your Vision should be clear and repeated frequently. Everyone in the company should be able to say your vision statement and understand your Envisioned Future.

Strategic Initiatives – Great organizations, track strategies on a weekly basis.

Outcomes – You track and reward leading indicators, as well as, lagging indicators.

When, we work with companies, to develop these fundamentals, we create championship teams.

Measure Success Podcast 

Branden Cobb | Strategic Marketing for Growth with Branden Cobb

In next week’s episode of the Measure Success Podcast, where host Carl J. Cox sits down with Branden Cobb, a renowned fractional Chief Marketing Officer. This episode is packed with actionable insights and effective strategies tailored for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to boost profitability and growth.

Key Highlights from This Episode:

• Targeted Marketing Strategies for SMEs: Branden discusses the unique challenges faced by smaller businesses compared to large corporations and shares specific strategies that have led to measurable success.
• Transitioning Marketing Efforts In-House: Learn about the benefits of shifting from outsourced marketing services to building an in-house team, as Branden explains the process and its impact on a company’s bottom line.

Addison Adams | Mastering M&A: Legal Tips from Addison Adams

Next week we’re excited to have Addison Adams with us. Addison is a top expert in helping companies join together or buy one another, and he is the founder of Adams Corporate Law.

You’ll Learn About:

• The Basics of Mergers: What you need to know before you start.
• Common Mistakes: How to avoid the usual pitfalls.
• Making the Deal Work: How to make sure everyone benefits.

Tune in to gain valuable insights that could help you make smarter decisions in your business dealings.

 

Have you heard? We are launching a new Mini-cast series in June called $4M Strategies!

Read more about the $4M Strategies mini-cast here.

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