Leadership advice for the new year from a former pro baseball player
Creativity, accountability and trust are key ingredients for growing as a leader and building a successful team.
Listen—I’m a Michigander who happens to like the Yankees thanks to a fondness for Yogi-isms and a family connection to Mickey Mantle-era second baseman Bobby Richardson. It wasn’t going to take much for Olympian and former Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott to win me over, even if he rose to fame a little before my time.
Still, you might ask what wisdom a pro athlete has to offer the credit union industry. Last month, Abbott closed out Directors Conference in Las Vegas with a keynote on the importance of creativity, accountability and trust. According to Abbott, these factors play major roles in the process of personal and career growth, especially when building and leading a team. While Abbott used his time on the field to illustrate their impact, the lessons he shared translate to any credit union board room or back office.
Creativity
Abbott, who was born without his right hand, learned about creativity and toughness early in life. “I knew what it was like to be different,” he said. But he wanted to prove himself. That included playing sports, despite having what most would consider a distinct physical disadvantage.
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