The 2021 Atlanta Braves Won the World Series Exhibiting Some of Rushmore’s Core Values
If you’re a baseball fan like me, you might have heard the comments made last week by the game’s most powerful player agent, Scott Boras. He claimed that the Atlanta Braves won the World Series only because many other teams “tanked” – or gave up – in the middle of the season by trading away their best and most expensive players.
As owner of a minor league baseball team that knows how hard it is to win a championship, and as the leader of an organization that prides itself on being scrappy, embracing challenges, and doing whatever it takes to succeed, I can only celebrate and admire the Braves first world championship in 26 years.
The Braves Almost Won a Year Ago
By way of some background, last season the Braves held a three games to one lead in the National League Championship Series and were one game away from playing in the World Series. But they lost the next three games to the eventual World Series champion, the Los Angeles Dodgers. This year, the Braves lost their best hitter and best pitcher to season-ending injuries. In late July, the team had lost more games than it had won. Despite the adversity and widespread belief that they had no chance to make the playoffs, much less win their division, the Braves didn’t give up. Instead, they made a collective commitment to winning and traded for several players they thought could help the team.
With renewed focus, from the beginning of August the Braves had the best record in baseball. They came from behind to win their division, and then they convincingly beat three of the best teams in the league to capture the World Series title. It is an incredible and inspirational example of overcoming adversity by not giving up and instead committing to success as a group.
Rushmore and the 2021 Braves Have Much in Common
During the last two years, our team at Rushmore has persevered through unprecedented adversity the same way the Braves did – by remaining faithful to our “All for Won” core value. Leadership made a commitment to fielding its best team and providing them with the resources they needed to continue serving customers with excellence. In turn, our team rewarded that commitment by not shying away from hard work, doing whatever it took to be successful, and supporting one another through the many challenges presented by the pandemic.
The Power of an “All for Won” Mindset
The way Rushmore manifested its “All for Won” core value through the pandemic serves as a great example for how companies can successfully navigate their toughest challenges. Those with a roster of team players who collaborate to prioritize the success of their customers, clients and colleagues are best positioned to overcome any adversity.
As the global pandemic lingers and leaders navigate new challenges – including return-to-office, shifting priorities of the labor force, and a more-polarized social and political environment – I believe all corporate and organization leaders should consider the power of an “All for Won” mindset. Employed appropriately, it can instill common purpose and generate goodwill and accountability among teams and leaders, strengthening any organization, just like the Atlanta Braves.