5 Types of Pro Players

I will never not get emotional about the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. So you can bet the farm system that I'm listening to the 10 year reunion podcast, The Lovable Reunion. And in the 2nd episode, you will find leadership gold you can share with your team.

Your one message to the team isn't resonating with everyone. It never will. When you have a high performing team of more than 5 people, they're all at different stages. To keep everyone progressing towards the common goal, you have to meet them where they are.

In that episode: Joe Maddon shared his timeless philosophy on the 5 Levels of a Big Leaguer. Here are the stages and my notes on the various versions I've heard on this over the years.

If you really want to get to know where your teammates are on in their journey, place each member of your team within this framework.

Stage 1 - Happy to Be Here

These are the people who are new to the field and really excited. This was their dream. You'll hear them say things like "I've always wanted to be..." Unfortunately, many get so caught up in the excitement of the possibility, they don't put in the work to make it past stage 2. This is a very brief stage. Your job is to help them start the work now before the excitement wears off in a week or two.

Stage 2 - Survival Mode

Now that they've gotten a taste of what it is like here, you'll find them thinking: "I really like this, I want to stay here." The challenge? You're looking at a teammate who has the blinders off and they start to see everything happening. They know that your organization isn't perfect and that their performance so far isn't perfect.

This is a very dangerous spot to stay in. You will see them overanalyzing everything and magnifying every mistake. They think that everything is their fault, and they just beat themselves up. They don't want to lose their place on your team or in your organization. Your coaching must be lifting them up and focus on their progress.

Stage 3 - I belong here, I can do this.

You can see them exhale and relax. This is where you want to get to as a player.  When you can look around at your peers, and you can say you feel like you're as good as everyone else here. You can trust this group to have a bad appointment or a deal fall through and realize it's not the end of the world. This group will put in the the work everyday and know the results will show.

Stage 4 - I want to make as much money as possible.

Every role on the team is temporary. No one lasts forever. And this moment of realization can be a double edged sword. When someone is succeeding, people don't typically want to fall off from their achievements.

Some people will start to see many external rewards of what they're doing. Things like recognition, top ranked in this or that, being asked to teach or share, or looking at the money rolling in. When too much focus is on these external parts of their career, these validations create unnecessary distractions. Don't let those "about me moments" turn them into a selfish player.

Stage 5 - All I want to do is win.

The team members that get to this rare air, have realized that when the team succeeds, they succeed. Results through people. They know that when they consistently do everything to help the team win, they will be more happy to be here. They know they'll be able to stay, so their confidence in their skill and belonging gets stronger, and their opportunity to make more money increases.

Not everyone gets to see each stage in their time on your team. And these stages don't happen in order, and players can bounce around as the seasons and years unfold. Understanding where your players are will impact how they need to be coached to help reach the common goal. And if you're looking to put together a championship team, this is an essential skill: customize the path to success for each person.

Where are you right now?