Yes, I am a Cubs fan and I am very excited about the Cubs in the World Series! The Chicago Cubs have demonstrated a team effort from Players, Operations, and Front office. The leadership and baseball savvy that is on public display on a daily basis is viewable in Joe Maddon. Don’t by distracted by the sideshow of crazy outfits or magicians in the clubhouse. Joe Maddon is a model for key leadership traits.

Process vs People – In sports (as well as the workplace) the W is what we want. Joe is opposed to outcome thinking, rather we should focus on the process. Our focus should be to Refine, Repeat, and Reduce variation. We should manage in the same way. Don’t play the blame game (those guys…), rather what needs to be addressed in the process to drive improvement and innovation.

Humility – Do you speak openly about your failures? We normally don’t talk about mistakes because it is an embarrassment and we want people (the boss) to believe we are crushing it. Humility is not just about being nice (BTW being humble will increase your likability). Being a humble team member means that you and others you work with are comfortable discussing what went wrong. A baseball manager's jobs rotate faster than a duck-duck-goose game. If the Cubs skipper can do it, what is stopping you?

Trust – Which came first humility or trust?  It doesn’t matter. To his players Joe is seen as having Integrity, Knowledge, and Dependability. This makes the tough conversations easier, “Sorry Jason! You were important to us this season, but you are not starting in this World Series game.” That conversation is not just for Jason, but directly has effect on the entire team in being fair and accountable.

Being Present – This comes from a personal moment that I experienced with Joe. We celebrated my son’s 30th birthday at Wrigley field back in 2015. It was the White Sox vs. Cubs and we had on-field passes prior to the game. It was a big game covered by the national press and emotions in Chicago run high when these teams meet. Joe was talking with someone next to where we were standing and my wife reached out to Joe and asked him to take a picture with my son. Joe calmly said, “Just a moment Dear.” He finished his conversation and then posed with my son. He could have quickly walked away and we would have been thrilled. Not Joe Maddon, he engaged my son in a short conversation about how now my son Danny was old enough to “know better” to not do something irresponsible on his big birthday. Being present is a gift for ourselves to enjoy the moments we share, but also can leave a lasting impression on others.

Joe Maddon is a Hall of Fame leader we can all learn from.

If you share my affection and appreciation for Joe Maddon, you can pick up his “Maddonisms” at http://www.korkedbaseball.com.

Jim Mayer will be launching (2017) Maxer Solutions Inc., a consulting practice focused on Supply Chain Management, Operational Excellence, and Staff Development. He can be contacted via email at jim.mayer@maxersolutions.com