You know the story. After being down three games to one in the 2016 World Series versus Cleveland, the Chicago Cubs force a Game 7. One hundred and eight years of disappointment and frustration hang in the balance. They’ve already blown a couple of leads during the contest, yet find themselves up 8 to 7 in the 10th inning, still in a position to win it all. They need one. More. Out.
Gone would be the lovable loser tag. Gone would be the ghosts that have haunted this team for so long. Just one more out. The pressure to execute couldn’t have been any greater.
With a runner on first base, Chicago Cubs pitcher Mike Montgomery released the 0-1 pitch to Cleveland’s Michael Martinez. He hit a fast chopper toward Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant. Broadcaster Joe Buck had the call: “This is gonna be a tough play. Bryant. The Cubs… Win the World Series! Bryant makes the play. It’s over!”
Shortly thereafter, with the celebration on the field in full swing, the obligatory replays of the final out began to play on Fox. Something stood out almost immediately. As the camera zoomed in on Bryant, you couldn’t miss the huge smile forming across his face as the ball hopped in his direction. The smile stayed as he scooped it up. It stayed while he tried to plant for the throw to first, even though he began to lose his footing. And it stayed as his rocket throw to first began to sail a little.
On the biggest night of his career, with millions watching around the world, with the hopes and dreams of an entire franchise, city, and a legion of fans riding on one tough play, the guy tasked with making the play is…smiling?
Bryant knew exactly what was going to happen the minute the ball was hit in his direction. He knew he would make the final play. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t shrink. No amount of pressure could wipe the look of pure bliss off his face. He knew what to do because he had practiced it a thousand times.
If you would have predicted to a Cubs fan that Kris Bryant would be the 10th inning hero for a Cubbies Game 7 World Series victory in 2016, they likely wouldn’t be surprised. They probably would have asked how long his home run ball traveled. Let’s face it, Kris Bryant is known as a hitter.
It’s not that he was horrible on the defensive end, but he needed some work. Back in the spring of 2015, his manager Joe Maddon created a daily fielding drill for Bryant with infield coach Gary Jones. Maddon was patient and knew Bryant would work to get better, stating at the time, “It’s like anything else. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
As my friend Justin Maust likes to say, “Victory loves preparation!” Great performers know this.
Perhaps Vince Lombardi put it best, “The will to win is not nearly so important as the will to prepare to win.” Everybody loves playing in the game, but very few people love the grind and hard work that a commitment to excellence requires. Many competitions aren’t all that close. It can be difficult to see the difference between those with just a will to win and those with a will to prepare to win. But when the pressure is on, when a final out is needed, those who have prepared are revealed and often rewarded.
What’s The Risk?
The risk for businesses is no different. Many in your organization are talented enough to go through the motions and still achieve a decent degree of success. They have enough wins against average competition to mask over the ones they don’t get (but should have).
Think about it:
- As a leader, a little more preparation before the meeting would have demonstrated how much you care and generated greater buy-in from your team.
- As a manager, rehearsing a tough conversation would have positioned you for a better outcome with a struggling employee.
- As a salesperson, better research would have allowed you to skip the meaningless small talk and provide real value to a person generously giving you their time.
The question to ask yourself is this: Are you like Kris Bryant, smiling when the big play comes your way, knowing you’ve practiced for this moment? Or, do you get that sad feeling of regret, knowing you weren’t ready?
While I don’t know Kris Bryant’s practice routine nor the exact work he’s put in to make himself a better defensive player, I’d bet on his smile. It’s the look only someone who has prepared for that moment could so joyously exude.
