Click here to return to Blog Post Intro
A – Assemble Talent…and Maximize What You Have…
From 2011 through 2013, the Houston Astros endured consecutive 100-loss seasons. On June 30, 2014, Sports Illustrated ran a cover article, proclaiming the Astros as the 2017 World Champions. The article noted how the Astros were assembling talent for the future.
The string of top picks and home grown talent—Jose Altuve (signed in 2007), Dallas Keuchel (2009), George Springer (Astros top pick in 2011), Carlos Correa (MLB’s top overall pick in 2012), Alex Bregman (#2 overall pick in 2015)—had the Astros poised for a competitive run…but the World Series seemed like a bit of a stretch!
We know now how it turned out…and they did indeed assemble talent remarkably well…
For our organizations, we definitely need to focus on “getting the right people on the bus,” as Jim Collins argued in his best-selling business book Good to Great.
If you don’t have the same options to assemble talent—and you face circumstances like the Astros faced from in the early 2010’s—you need to consider how training and development can help. Maximize the talent you have, as you assemble your championship team!
S – Swing for the Fences…Smartly
A big storyline of the 2017 regular season was the record 6,105 home runs that were hit by Major Leaguers, and home runs made a big difference in the World Series too. Fourteen different players hit a total of 24 home runs—a World Series record.
The Astros “swing for the fences” and take risks. George Springer attempted a diving catch in Game 5, missing the ball that led to a triple and easy run scored. He came up in the bottom half of the inning and launched a home run over the left center field fence.
I remember watching the Astros a couple of years back, and they would either hit a home run or strike out. In fact, they led the Major Leagues in strikeout rate a few years ago and were among the worst strike out teams in the big leagues the last few years…that is, until this year. They became the toughest team to strike out, while still hitting the home run ball…
Meanwhile, some of their opposing sluggers were swinging for the fences too recklessly. Aaron Judge (who led the MLB with 52 Home Runs in the regular season) set the record for most strikeouts in a single postseason with 27 as the Yankees were eliminated by the Astros in the AL Championship Series. That record lasted a matter of days, as Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers struck out three times in Game 7 of the World Series to bring his strikeout total to 29 this postseason (17 of those came against the Astros in the World Series).
So, swing for the fences…but don’t be reckless…
Take “smart risks”!
T – Trust Your Teammates
This World Series was definitely a team effort. To get there, Jose Altuve had an incredible Division Series against the Boston Red Sox, batting over .500 and belting 3 Home Runs in one game. Against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, Justin Verlander was a dominating MVP.
While both Altuve and Verlander played well in the World Series, neither was dominant…and each needed help from his teammates.
Josh Reddick, the veteran Outfielder who batted over .300 in his first season with the Astros, struggled in the World Series. In fact, in Game 7, he came up with runners on second and third and no outs and struck out. Fortunately, Lance McCullers followed with a RBI ground out. Each Astro contributed…and each had to show trust in his teammates for the championship.
R – Rally Around Your City (Customers)
The players really rallied around the City of Houston, filling their lockers with pictures of the community during and after Hurricane Harvey. Several of the players set up charitable foundations to help with community recovery.
What does that mean for us? We need to keep customers in mind…and find ways to rally around them…particularly when times are tough…
O – Opportunities…Seize Them!
In the World Series, you couldn’t have drawn a greater contrast in seizing opportunities between Games 6 and 7. In Game 6, the Astros had three consecutive innings with at least two runners on base when they couldn’t score. They ended up losing the game 3-1. Game 7, on the other hand, they found ways to get runners home. It was the Dodgers who ended up leaving 10 runners on base in a 5-1 loss…stranding many of those runners early in the game.
It was good to see the Astros take advantage of this World Series appearance. Every year, there are talks of “dynasty” teams…like last year’s Chicago Cubs, following their World Series victory. I also remember how the Atlanta Braves dominated their Division from 1991-2005, but only won one World Series Championship…
The lesson here is simple, you never know how often you get opportunities to win. Seize them!
S – Stay Calm…
To be effective in baseball or any professional sport, players need to stay calm and keep their heart rates down. You can see when batters step up to the plate, take a deep breath, and try to stay steady. Interestingly, reporters contrasted the Astros locker room—full of young players, who were “unusually loose”—with Yu Darvish, who seemed to be very nervous and hyped up before his start. Clearly, he did not have his best performance in either of his World Series’ starts—both the shortest starts of his career. Previously, as starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers, Darvish had dominated the Astros…and wanted to pitch Game 3 in Houston…
Astros Manager A.J. Hinch is the poster child for the advice to “Stay Calm.” Somehow, he was able to manage the team to success without a clear closer and a tattered bullpen…
The message for us is to be our best, we need to “stay calm” too, even as we shoot for the stars!
To recap our lessons from the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros:
- Assemble Talent…and Maximize What You Have…
- Swing for the Fences…Smartly…
- Trust Your Teammates
- Rally Around Your City (Customers)
- Opportunities…Seize Them!
- Stay Calm…