This is a follow-up blog to Opening Day at Fenway: Are you an Engaged or Disengaged Fan-and How Does this Relate to Work? To read my original blog, Click Here.
The obvious answer is: Yes, we are Engaged Red Sox fans. Last season, the Red Sox lost 93 games and acted like spoiled, overpaid brats. Chicken and beer never sounded so unappetizing. They turned it around from last place to World Series champs. How can this happen? It is a mixture of their organization, leadership and players’ engagement. Let me explain…
1.) Hiring: Ben Cherington, executive vice president and general manager of the Red Sox traded several expensive players (Crawford, Beckett, Gonzalez, Punto) for lower-priced players, and other players like Gomes, Victorino, Uehara and Drew. It was clearly a contributing factor to their World Series win. Paying for Beckett to seek out the “chicken and beer” snitch was destructive. Good riddens-welcome new players.
2.) Leadership: After a dismal, embarrassing season with Valentine, Cherington hired Farrell, who led this team to a complete overhaul. The players respected Farrell-something they didn’t have for Valentine. Your leadership team sets the tone, and clearly Farrell succeeded.
3.) Red Sox players were engaged: Throughout the season, players asked fans to stick with them. Seven months ago, Pedroia tweeted, “Only thing I ask is u believe now ! Don’t jump on later . Boston doesn’t have bandwagon fans ! It’s going to be special and we want the city to make a huge advantage all year for us . Get loud ! Thx everyone lets go”. How about shortstop, Drew’s thoughts on their engagement?
“It started from Day One. We knew we had something special. I can’t say enough about the guys that’s in this clubhouse that were here every day. It started from the top. (General manager) Ben (Cherington) doing his job and bringing guys in, and then (manager) John (Farrell) coming in and doing his job. It’s just magical.”
4.) A commitment to erase the past: Lackey was booed off the mound 2 years ago, fans wondered if Ortiz was past his prime with his heel injury and progressing age. Ross came back after 2 concussions which could have ended his career, and the “Flyin Hawaiian” overcame hamstring, hip and back injuries even in the World Series to drive in 4 runs in Game 6.
As Farrell eloquently said, “People were motivated to rewrite their own story,” manager John Farrell confirmed. “There was a tremendous amount of embarrassment last year.”
At The Employee Engagement Group, we came into the office, giddy and bleary eyed with the late games, excitement for the ALCS win, and of course, the World Series. There is no denying there is a strong correlation between performance and employee engagement. You need both. If you organization isn’t performing, it will degrade employee engagement. Who wants to work for Larry Loser? If you have disengagement, it will erode performance. Don’t believe me? Watch our YouTube video, Who’s Sinking Your Boat?
We are proud to be a Boston-based company, and that our Red Sox turned around their engagement and performance. GO SOX!
-Steph. Mello-
Sources:
ESPN Boston, October 31, 2013, Red Sox Cap Total Turnaround, Jackie MacMullan
USA Today, Red Sox Savor Title, and Comfort of Home, October 31, 2013, Bob Nightengale
Boston Herald, 10/31/2013, Scott Lauber, Johnny Gomes: From Day 1, Red Sox Knew They Had Something Special
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