How about those Nats, huh? I mean, what an exciting World Series! Game 6 in particular was full of drama and sweet, sweet teamwork. When Turner was called out on a controversial play in the top of the 7th, emotions were running high. Martinez was ejected, Turner was robbed, and Twitter pretty much melted down.
And then….
Rendon stepped up, answering the drama with a seemingly effortless home run, making the score 5-2. He blasted the ball, ran the bases, and watched the runs add up for his team. Strasburg pitched consistently throughout, reading each batter like a dime novel. Curve ball. Fast ball. Who knew what was coming next? Soto’s solid performance contributed to the team’s success, despite his bat carry to 1st base, mimicking Houston’s Bergman’s cheeky message to the Nationals in an earlier play.
Being the road team in the World Series and being challenged by an obscure controversial call was an uphill battle. But the Nats hunkered down and did what resilient teams always do. Rally. They put their heads down, knocked the dust off their spikes, and played with excellence and class. Their resilience and steadfast commitment to rise above the drama paid off big time with an astounding, record-setting win for the Series in game 7.
I can’t help but make the parallel to our teams on the job. Of course, many challenges are outside of our control and yet a great deal remains within our influence. Although our cumulative progress may not seem obvious in the day to day, stepping back and considering our resilience as teams may be worth pondering:
- What successes can our team celebrate?
- What is possible when we collectively commit to overcoming obstacles?
- How can we have some fun in the process? (Has your team tried dancing it out yet?)
Resilient teams – thriving culture.
Congratulations, Washington Nationals and thanks for inspiring us all!
