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REAL Teamwork: A Leadership Lesson from the Dugout

Written by: Sandy R. Lawrence

Article Overview: How can you avoid exhausting attitudes that drain mental energy and sour workplace successes? What's one simple analogy that can help support collaboration and cooperation? This quick and simple lesson "from the dugout" might help you and your team re-frame the big picture when it comes to accepting the nuances of being a team player.

REAL Teamwork: A Leadership Lesson from the Dugout

Copyright 2008



Are you or your department struggling with recognizing other departments or contractors are a part of 'the home team?'



Do feel uncomfortable or threatened when others seem to be crossing into 'your' territory and working on 'your' projects?



Imagine your workplace is really a baseball or softball game. Put your game cap on. (Being in the Big A, I'm thinking a navy blue Braves cap.)


Let's say at this point you've got one or two of your best hitters already on base. How are you going to get them back to home base? By rotating through the other players on the team and letting them go up to bat.



See those "players" as fresh reinforcements for the long innings ahead. You might be surprised at the blessings that will come from their perspective and the increased manpower.


Deep breath. Put 'em in coach. Entertain new thoughts such as these and the feelings of cooperation and collaboration will follow.

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Article Tags: baseball, blessings, braves, coach, collaboration, cooperation, deep breath, feelings, game cap, manpower, navy blue, new thoughts, perspective, reinforcements



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