CBS Consulting Asks: Does Your Business Need Spring Training?

The pop of a baseball smacking into a catcher’s mitt. The crack of a bat sending a line drive into the outfield. The grunt of men doing wind sprints…

These sounds are a definite sign that spring is just around the corner!

Sites, in both Florida and Arizona, host the thirty Major League baseball teams’ Spring Training. This annual event is both highly practical as well as significantly symbolic.

Every spring, hundreds of hopeful young ball players are given the opportunity to participate in the training camps of these major league teams. They have the chance to “show their stuff” to the parent team managers in hopes of snagging a spot on the big league roster, or, at least, land a contract with a top minor league team.

Which new player has that unexpected lively zip in his arm? Whose bat is alive with exceptional power?   Whose sprint can beat out a weak grounder or track down a long fly ball in the gap? Careers are launched or sunk during this special time.

Managers have the opportunity to evaluate their entire roster as well as new additions to the team. They’ll see where the players’ strengths and weaknesses are and determine what kind of team that they will, ultimately, field. They’ll see what part of the team is strong, where added talent is needed, who the team leaders are, and how the roster will fulfill their team’s plan.

Daily drills will bring everyone’s physical conditioning into top shape.

Fundamental skills are practiced, over and over, until they become second nature. Hitting and fielding skills are honed, while pitching arms are nurtured into full strength and effectiveness. Players become teammates and learn what it is going to take to win together. It’s the big rehearsal for the big show. After six weeks of intense work, the teams are set, and they are now ready for the 162 game season. If everything is done, properly and thoroughly, a team can expect a successful season. If weaknesses are not resolved before the team breaks for the season, problems will manifest themselves once the season starts.

Baseball Spring Training takes place in February and March. This is the tail end of winter. In Northern cities, snow may still be piled high and temperatures may still be plunging to ridiculous lows, when the first players report. By the time that training is over, thaw should have occurred up North and greenery should be poking its nose up, everywhere. New life abounds around every corner. A brand new start.

Why can’t businesses take a page from this wonderful ritual?

After all, high hopes and unlimited aspirations are at their peak, during this period of rebirth. What better time to review and assess the people, tools, and strategies that you have in place to take you to your planned goals? Wouldn’t it be wise to find out what innovative ideas that your competition may be launching? All employees need periodic rejuvenation as do the tools that they use in their daily work.

Nature uses spring to transform the latent seeds of winter to new life and vigor. Soil is prepared; the melting snows provide needed moisture; the shifting sunlight gives the warmth needed to have new life bursting out from dormancy.

Last December, an awful lot of businesses were singing a very tired and over used song, “Wait Till Next Year.” Next year, is now! Let’s have a great Spring Training.