Keep your eye on the ball!

Growing up, I loved playing baseball. Hanging out with my teammates, chewing huge amounts of bubble gum, and hearing the fans cheering for each team from the dugout. My Dad and I would often play for hours at home or at a nearby park. Dad spent most of his time "coaching" and helping me learn America's greatest game. No matter what I was doing, he stressed to "always keep your eye on the ball", especially while at bat! One of the most anticipated parts of playing the game of baseball as a kid, was getting a chance to hit the ball! EVERYONE wanted their chance to envision themselves as the next Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Micky Mantle, or Willie Mays (the list could go on but you get my point). It was one of the most anticipated moments that I can remember. Just thinking about it still brings butterflies to my stomach. Walking up to the plate, I could hear my Dad say, "Son, keep your eye on the ball and swing away". Those days have sense passed and I am passing on the same advice to my kids. I learned a lot about the sport of baseball and I have my Dad to thank for that.  

Today, Dad is still coaching me and I am thankful for that. I consider it a privilege to work under him and continue to learn from my best friend, my hero, my mentor...my Dad. Some say I would have been better off going in my own direction or that I only work there because "the boss is my dad".  Some say I took the easy road by working at the same organization he has been a CEO at going on 30 years. Obviously, all of these people have no clue what they are talking about. I did and will continue to do what my Dad taught me, "keep my eye on the ball" and don't let outside distractions pull me away from what I love, what I am most passionate about, and what I WANT to do! 

Over the past few years, Dad has also taught me the importance of keeping an eye on the "business ball". Perhaps one of the most challenging and under-appreciated challenges a growing business will face is that of attention. Most business leaders underestimate the amount of management and staff time that is required for growth. They expect to simply operate as always but just “do more of it”. This is often not the reality. The reality is that a growing business is distracting, handling new clients and partnerships efficiently is difficult, processing more goods in a timely manner is challenging, managing a growing team can be hard, increasing server capacity and software support can be complicated, finding the right new person for the job can be frustrating. It’s not just business as usual; it’s a lot of new distractions and struggles for your management team. Don’t under-estimate them and like my Dad always says, "Keep your eye on the ball"! Work hard, pay attention to the details and support your team!