What my son's baseball season taught me about leadership

As a mom of an athlete, I have lost track of how many sports my kid plays. Baseball, football, basketball, hockey—the calendar fills up quickly. Between all his practices, games, and the emotional energy that comes with watching him compete, I sometimes wonder what my son will carry with him after the season ends.

A recent baseball season gave me an answer.

My then-11-year-old struggled with his confidence. He had an unusually hard time at the plate and on the pitching mound. Baseball meant everything to him. He was an amazing pitcher, but sometimes just struggled.

As a mom, I lost sleep over it. I worried about what the struggles were doing to his confidence and thought maybe it was time to move from baseball.

But he kept showing up.

He cheered for his teammates. He shared his Big League bubble gum—lots of it! He played with his heart, even when his performance did not reflect how much he cared. He had one particular coach who saw something special in him: He saw him as a mentor to the others. He recognized his ability and perseverance and allowed him to be a role model.

Contribution takes many forms

In sports, it is easy to focus on the players who have the best stats. At work, we often do the same with the person who wins the new account, delivers the best presentation, or gets the highest sales.

I believe a great team also depends on people who keep others motivated, take their role to heart, and remain invested when things get tough. My son backed his team and showed up even when he didn't want to.

That is a useful lesson for managers. Results matter, and so does recognizing the behaviors that help other people perform. Who follows through? Who shares their knowledge? Who helps a colleague after a big setback?

Confidence needs room to grow

Although my son was known for his pitching skill, he wasn't always the best hitter. My very first instinct was to protect him from feeling discouraged with his hitting. I had to take a step back, let things play out, and trust the process.

Leaders face a similar responsibility when an employee struggles. A missed target, in my opinion, should lead to a conversation about what happened and how the employee needs better support next time to reach that goal.

Giving someone room to grow takes patience, which can be hard to give. It also requires paying attention to progress that may come before a visible result.

Leadership is practiced every day

Team sports like baseball can give kids repeated opportunities to practice accountability. They have teammates depending on them, coaching feedback, and quick decisions to make at the plate. They can learn when to ask questions, when to listen, and when someone else is better positioned to lead.

Playing a sport does not automatically make someone a strong leader. For my son, that particular season offered practice in staying committed, accepting help, and finding his place on a team during a difficult stretch. There were days he just wanted to sit out, but his teammates made it fun and cheered him on.

When I think about that season, I think about a great boy who struggled and kept caring. He kept showing up for people who mattered to him. That is something I hope he carries into every team he joins.