As a baseball fan, it almost takes my breath away to head past Wrigley Field on the el the morning of a game day during the first week of home games. Heading south, the train takes a right turn and I am struck by the sight of the American flag with the bubbles of lights as a backdrop. I’m on my way into town to meet with a small group for the first time and I think of leaders, teams, and how they win at their games.
The clichés start forming in my head as I roll by. The sky is bright blue and the flag is barely moving, blowing in. Hitters will not get much help today. The blue of Cub t-shirts is not hidden by winter coats, a more common sight for this day on the calendar.
The warmth makes me wonder if global climate change will help or hurt this team’s chances for a pennant. But supernatural forces need not be invoked this early in the season for the Cubbies, because for believers all is not yet lost.
I think of teams forming anew, whether leaders are in their positions by choice or by circumstance, who the designated leader is, who becomes a genuine leader; about how a leader’s approach going into “the game” affects the outcome; how to turn things around when it’s not going well.
In any organized endeavor, the best of circumstances won’t turn a team leader responsible for winning into a success. Critical components also are that leader’s conscious choice to lead and a declaration to commit to the game. Have you and leaders around you done so? How might making that “declairation” help you win?
I’m looking forward to this meeting and to the season of my favorite sport. I genuinely hope sometime soon that circumstances and leadership enable the Cubs to take the pennant. For my Cub fan husband’s sake, not mine. I wear red, Cardinal red.
Thanks for stopping to read. What would you like to declare in a comment?
Cathy
