Good Morning,

It is easy to think of this saying as it pertains to sports. In fact Googling it brings up numerous images of golf, baseball, basketball and tennis. Today, I am thinking of our own personal, organization or business lives. There are many areas where because of lack of knowledge, interest, or time, we give the responsibility to others to complete.  In the world of business, this is known as delegation.

Delegation allows us to get more done and, hopefully, better. To be successful, it can’t be just delegated and walked away from, assuming things will be handled in our best interest with the results we desire being achieved.

To achieve the results we desire, we need to make our expectations clear. Get it done without making “IT” clear can easily lead to failure. Equally and maybe, more importantly, it requires regular follow-up. How are things going? What is going well? What is not going well?  What needs to change for us to succeed? Responses like things are going great, don’t worry, it’s handled, and other responses seeming to dodge the issues should be a red flag.

This is what is meant by keeping our eyes on the ball. No, it is not micromanaging. It is making sure all players on are on the team, playing the same game and, equally as important, executing the same play per plan. If the plan changes, all need to know it.

What is the ball you need to keep your eyes on? This week, determine what your ball is. Focus on it, connect with it, score a home run and win the game.

Jim