Are you a 5-Tool Player?
Brad
Reeves
Divisional Loss Prevention Manager
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
One of the ways I try to influence others is through analogies. Many of the
analogies I use are sports related. For one, I grew up playing organized sports,
which taught me many lessons I use to this day, but also I have found that many
people can relate. Hopefully I can do that with this thought.
On the way home from work one day I was listening to my favorite sports talk
radio station and the hosts of the show had an expert on discussing baseball.
Particularly they were discussing the roster of my favorite team; who should
stay, who they should trade and who they should try to sign on. They went on to
discuss attributes of certain players and asking the expert to rate and advise
on whether or not the team should pursue them. That’s when I heard something
that got me thinking. The expert started to discuss what is known in the
baseball world as “5 tool players” and the desire to have them on a team. The 5
tool theory describes the key areas desired for performance. “5 Tool” players
are the most sought after in baseball. Now if you are unfamiliar with what a 5-tool player is, here it is in brief:
1-Hit for Power, 2-Hit for Average, 3-Fielding, 4-Throwing and 5-Running.
In baseball having a 5-tool player is a coach’s dream. These players make a
manager’s job easy. They know they can rely on these players in every situation
and inevitably end up winning championships.
So I thought of some of the teams that either I have been a part of or that I
have lead. Who did I work with that was a 5-tool player? Who have I managed that
was a 5-tool player? How can I find or develop a 5-tool player? Am I even a “5
tool player”? Now you might be thinking what do these “5 tools” I mentioned
above have to do with our profession. This is where I ask that we get a little
creative. The point is that we need to be multi-faceted in our profession. So in
this case perhaps the “5 tools” are something else. One example could be:
1-Shrink, 2-Internals, 3-Externals, 4-Business Acumen and 5-Leadership
Again, this is just one example. Depending on what position you are in and
within what industry, the “5 tools” would change. Being versatile is one of the
keys to success, no matter what level we are at. For example, a Loss Prevention
investigator who is only good at external apprehensions surely is valued,
however a Loss Prevention investigator who is also good at internal
investigations, can present at a monthly shrink meeting, drive Loss Prevention
culture within his or her location and can assist his or her manager with shrink
initiatives adds much more value to the organization. This applies to all of us.
So I pose a few questions. What are your “5 Tools”? They may be personal to you,
or if you manage a team, perhaps they apply to them. Think of the teams you work
on or with. Do your team members have “5 Tools”? Are you able to identify new
candidates with “5 Tools”? Are you developing “5 Tool” players? Are you a “5
Tool” player?
If you are still not convinced, think of the people who get results within your
industry, a valued team member or anyone you know who is successful. I guarantee
they are a “5 tool” player.
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