Andy Neary argues that winning teams in baseball and business need players whose skills complement each other and whose incentives align around one goal. He warns against hiring big names whose self-interest conflicts with the team's objective, and advises recruiting teammates with complementary skills and shared vision instead.
Chapters
Welcome back to striking out the status quo in baseball. A general manager's job is to put together the right mix of players that give his team the best chance to win. His job is to build the right team and to do this, he must go out and find players with the right skill sets that complement each other. In recent years, teams with some of the smallest payrolls in the game have had massive success because they have been able to go out and find the right players with the right skill sets and the right mix of speed, power, pitching and defense. It's not about signing the biggest names or the most well known names in the game because that often comes with misaligned incentives. Players put their own self interest above the one statistic that matters most. Winning. You see, the most successful teams understand it's about finding the right players who have aligned goals and a clear vision. So this year, as you look to build a massive year for you and your organization, think about the team you're building. Are you trying to align with the biggest partners, the most well known vendors in the industry? Because that often comes with misaligned incentives. They're placing their own self interest above the one statistic that matters most, helping you win. If you're truly invested in making 2019 the best year you and your organization have ever had, here's my advice. Go out and build a team with the right mix of players with the right mix of skill sets that have a clear vision and one aligned goal. And that's to help you win. Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Till next week. Bear down, focus on the target and strike out the status quo.
