Five things I learned about real work from fantasy baseball

I am a huge baseball fan.  I consume it, read blog and books about and have been in some sort of fantasy baseball league for over 13 years.  Playing fantasy baseball has taught me a few things that I apply to my work.

1. The focus on what people do on the field and not their perceived value.
Big names may sound sexy on your team but performance is what matters.  A guy hitting 35 homeruns in Kansas City is just as valuable as a guy doing it in New York.

2. Pay for superstars and not for average players.
Talent in baseball is distributed in a bellcurve. There are tons of average players and not many superstars. Superstars make a difference while average players are interchangable and replaceable.. Same goes at work. If you aren’t a superstar, you are replacable.

3. Focus on what players can do, not what they can’t.
Keeping an eye on what skills a player or employee has and not on what they can’t do .  A player who can run but can’t hit has value for stolen bases just like someone who works very fast but not a strategic thinker. You need everyone to win.

4. If a player does something, they own that skill.
If a player steal 50 bases, they own that skill. You should expect or at least be aware they can do it again.  If someone you work with does something remarkable, they can do it again – encourage their new skills.

5. Raw numbers aren’t enough, you need the insights as to why.
Every year fantasy team owners make lists and evaluate players. Looking at the raw stats can be deceptive. True advantage comes from find players who have underlying skills but not the raw stats yet.  Finding breakout players is crucial.  In work, find new talent within your intern army or older workers who have been marginalized is imperative. They may be the key to winning and losing.

If you play fantasy sports, have you learned anything from it that you apply to other areas?

Posted via email from Laurent Courtines Free Online | Comment »