April 14, 2009
Baseball has been a passion for me my entire life. I love the way a solidly hit ball sounds coming off the bat, the smell of a new leather glove, the visual clarity of straight white lines on a well-manicured field of green grass, the sound of a sharp fastball into a catcher’s mitt, and the taste of a ball park hot dog with lots of mustard and ketchup. Oh yea, I am a FAN of the game!
So, what does this love of the game have to do with a business Blog? Being an avid follower of the Atlanta Braves, I confess that I go to their website from time to time to keep up with the Team. During these “fact-finding missions” I have discovered their “Depth Chart.” Their Depth Chart is a graphical layout of a baseball diamond showing the positions on the team and a listing of who is considered the most valuable, second most valuable, third most valuable player, etc. for each position on the team.
Wow, what a valuable management tool this can be. Look at the potential advantages:
- It forces Management to constantly evaluate their players. Almost everything in baseball is measured on every play. How well are you evaluating your “players” (employees)? Have you developed parameters with which to measure your players?
- It informs the players where they stand. There is something empowering about knowing where you stand. What if the economy shrinks and a company has to lay off some people to stay profitable or just “break even”? If you see you are number three and you surmise that your group can only keep two, then you know you must become more valuable, and be perceived to be more valuable, than the person above you on the depth chart. Remember, knowledge is power.
- What if you are listed as being capable of playing two, three or more positions? Then your cumulative value is higher. For example, on the Atlanta Braves, Omar Infante is listed as either second or third on the depth chart in four different positions. His ability to play several different positions is probably what has kept him on the team. If you are able to fulfill several roles for your company, you are perceived to be more valuable than someone who is capable of doing only one thing.
So, what have we learned from this look at Depth Charts?
- Evaluation of talent is essential.
- Knowing where you stand is powerful.
- Being able to do multiple jobs makes you more vaulable.
If you are a company owner or manager, you may not want to use a Depth Chart in your company. It is brutal! To let someone know that they are not as valuable in your organization as someone else is a very hard thing to do. However, if a layoff comes, then you will be telling them in another way, when you keep one and let another go.
If you are an employee, do not be disingenuous with yourself. Whether or not your company has a depth chart, there is one in your manager’s mind. It is your job to become higher on that chart. Do excellent work, be seen coming in early and staying late, learn new skills, be innovative. You are in the driver’s seat for your career, so drive carefully.
That is it for this week, chime in, let everyone know what you think and add to the dialogue.
Thanks,
Ted S. Miller