Congratulations to Japan for beating California in the 2013 Little League World Series. While I was disappointed that Chula Vista didn't bring the trophy back to our Golden State, I really enjoyed the outstanding performance of these preteens. They played such disciplined baseball, rarely making the wrong play, and often staying cool and coming back even from way behind. These kids showed more grace under pressure than many adults I know.
When I asked my husband Bob, who has played and coached a lot of baseball, why these kids are so good, his answer surprised me. He didn't say that they have great talent, or great size or even great coaching. He said that these kids play about 100 games per season, close to a major league pace.
People often talk about working smarter, not harder. But I think the truth is that to be really successful, you need to work smart AND hard. It seems that as people become more experienced, they become smarter and make wiser decisions much more quickly than more junior people. However, the downside is that they sometimes rest on their laurels, neglecting professional development, not keeping current on business trends, and sometimes just cutting out early.
Brooks Robinson, generally considered to be the greatest defensive third baseman of all time, said "If you're not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he'll be ready to take your job."
The best marketing strategists are always reaching out, listening, trying new things and learning from experience. It's not easy work, but it can make the difference between an organization's success and failure.
