“I love playing. I relish every opportunity I get to put the uniform on, go out and play. It’s really a special opportunity I get to play baseball as a job, so I take pride in that, not just for the team and organization, but for my teammates and the fans as well.”
That quote from Pete Alonso to Tyler Kepner of The Athletic last week at Citifield after he hit his 300th career home run got me thinking…and reminded me again…of the little things that can be done to bring us joy in our workplace. While Alonso’s homer was no small thing, what he did afterwards with the guys who caught the ball…telling them to ask for free beer and more when all they wanted was a chance to meet their hero…was a great example of little things that can go bigger.
As we were on the road last weekend watching big things…MLB games, Ohio State football, I kept marveling in the little things that exist around us that make live events, and trips, special.
There was the usher in Ohio Stadium who high fived EVERYONE in the section after a Buckeyes score, and another who, during the band playing…came down to offer a small child ear plugs because she could see the child was struggling with sound. She didn’t have to do it, she did it because she was looking for ways just to help.
There was also the usher at the Columbus Clippers game, who found his way to make sure he emptied his bag of small items to everyone who had come, so that they could take home a memory. The customer service people at Progressive Field who, when I told them it was my first time there, immediately smiled and printed out a certificate for me and asked me how I was enjoying the trip. They didn’t have to do that.
In a wonderful bookstore in Columbus…The Book Loft… where we waited out a downpour, staffers milled about offering drenched people towels and finding them books by asking questions of what they liked and where they were from. They could have skulked off worrying about the dripping of water damaging the miles of paperbacks, but they were more concerned about the customer and the experience.
It’s a Pirates employee manning the pin trading booth telling us how and where to get a pin to make a trade and take something home special when he could have just stood there, or displays in Columbus that tied sports to science in simple ways, as an opportunity to grow a partnership the Clippers have with Nationwide.
Then there was John Kendle, the VP of Archives at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who came into the Hall on a rainy Sunday morning to show some strangers with a mutual friend around so that we could enjoy the moment like he does. He had a quote that really stuck with me.
‘I’ve had many jobs, but only one career.”
Lastly, for now, an image from yesterday as the Tigers future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander wrapped his career. The memory of hugging his young daughter as she came out to walk off the field with him for the last time was priceless. Also, it didn’t just happen. It took time and thought on how to be impactful by the Tigers staff. No one got credit publicly, but it was priceless joy, a little thing with a big impact.
They all enjoy their jobs not for what they do, but for who they are.
Joy. It doesn’t happen with everyone in celebration. Many times the pressure brings relief and overwhelming emotions, not just joy. But amidst the chaos, as we start to get back on the road, we see it more.
It’s the same in the business we are in, or probably I would hope, in any profession, or in any relationship. When you are in it for so long, you get lost in the weeds and forget how much fun things can be, or how much joy an industry like sports and entertainment can bring to others.
I wrote this a few times before, but my old friend and longtime coach Brendan Suhr always said the same thing, and was surprised at how little some of the greatest professional athletes appeared to enjoy what they were doing. No matter how driven you are, you should be able to convey the good to others. I have never been known for being the most outwardly happy of people, but I am convinced that a smile and more importantly, positive passion and enthusiasm are invaluable, whether you are a third grade teacher or Aaron Judge. There is too much sadness in the world, if you love what you do convey that publicly.
Often times people may seek you out for career advice or some counsel which has nothing to do with the day to day duties of work. Some are young people starting out, others are in the midst of career change or are going through some unusual episodes, and sadly even more are people who have lost their way and are struggling to find a new fit. I certainly don’t have all or sometimes most of the answers, but I do know that as I have said before, a job does not define you, just like a University or a high school does not define a teacher or a student. You help define it, and that’s how you make your impact. Finding that little bit of joy in all is what makes this ride so special.
No one said it was going to be easy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the ride right? Whether we are high school students or award winning artists, we only get one shot at this, so let’s not miss the opportunity. We are all in it together.
That’s what I think, these amazing people bring to those around them. A great sense of who they are, and the awareness that maybe, just maybe, it could all vanish in a cynical and fate twisting cloud.
Hey, am I always the happiest of people? Ha, that’s funny. However I do find joy in something, anything every day, and I’m hoping that joy is conveyed to others we pass along the road. It has certainly been conveyed back to me in some notes and emails I have received from folks who I tried to help, or just listen to for a few minutes.
The pleasure to all…was mine. Being able to help, for me, even a little but, is very joyous.
The Power of Storytelling and Showing Up: Rick Allesandri, Stan Van Gundy, and Having A Seat At The Table as Capo Verde Took On The World…
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