Below is an email I received from my son’s little league president. I thought it was particularly well done and thought that the lesson was well stated. Might not be such bad advice for the workplace either.
From: llanerch.hills@gmail.com
To: llanerch.hills@yahoo.com
Sent: 5/11/2010 9:01:42 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Please Read:A Message To All Llanerch Hills Parents
Parents,
I am writing this to ask you to please refrain from any negative commentary about players while in the stands or at the field during,before and after games. We have had several incidents where parents heard things being said about their children’s play while they were watching the game. There are also children in the league facing challenges that you may not be aware of. We are at heart an instructional league and not everyone can be at the same talent level. On the whole,being positive goes much further than being negative.It is the job of the coaches to point out and correct faults,not the spectators. We want all of our players to feel like they are a valuable part of our league,because they are.Thank you for your cooperation.
Pat Wagner
President
–
Llanerch Hills Baseball And Softball Association
www.llanerchhills.org
www.llanerchhills.com
llanerch.hills@gmail.com
I get that people are paid to perform in the workplace. However, we might get better performance if we were a bit more “instructional”. Play ball.
4 Comments, Comment or Ping
Really good advice. Encouraging works. We need to listen to kids and coaches more often.
May 11th, 2010
Amen.
May 11th, 2010
Having been through over a decade of inappropriate parent behaviors at kid sporting events, I can only echo the “Amen” to this letter. I have spoken out to several parents during a game or even a practice to remind them that there are fundemental differences between professional players and these kids. I have often wanted to seek out the parents of these parents to shame them for the way they raised their offspring.
I also believe that more positive feedback in the workplace leads to a more productive group. Even providing feedback to those underperforming can be done in positive to neutral ways— certainly these approaches I have found to be more effective than the alternative. However, with the exception of a small group of employees, these people are no longer in the instructional league. They are in the pro ranks. Every once in awhile a good figurative kick in the pants works well.
May 11th, 2010
This sort of things doesn’t happen in the Drexel Hill Little League. You’re playing on the wrong side of the complex
May 17th, 2010
Reply to “…Because They Are.”