5 Ways to Zig While Everyone Zags

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers on reaching the World Series. The Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball while the Rays have one of the lowest.

The Rays decided a few years back that if they were going to compete for any titles, they needed to zig when everyone else zagged. Their ownership group knew they could not compete financially for players and overspend in free-agent pursuits, so they formulated a strategy that ran counter to many traditional baseball methods. During the 2018 season, they began having a hard-throwing pitcher, not normally a starter, face the top of the opposing team’s batting order, a strategy they called "the opener." He is often a hard-throwing specialist and can be called in to face the most dangerous hitters, usually near the top of the batting order, the first time they come to bat. If the opener is successful, the next pitcher's job is easier since he will start with less-dangerous hitters. The strategy also throws off the opposing hitters' timing because they’re not used to seeing different pitchers each time they come to bat. Financially, this strategy allows the team to use relief pitchers who are normally playing under a reduced contract — zigging when others zag.

This method of leaders deciding to go with the market or against it with their overall strategy is often referred to as positioning strategy. Because of all the financial restraints and limitations most programs endure, you might think zigging when you need to zag would occur more often.

However, one of the reasons it doesn't lie with the fear of failure. People would rather lose doing what everyone else has done in the past than break away and find new methods to succeed. Change is hard for most people, even harder when you go against the norms. The Rays had no choice, but we do. We can continue to try and compete with better-financed groups or we can spend time thinking outside the box. Here are five ways to learn to zig when everyone else zags:

1. Send out a questionnaire asking those you lead for suggestions on how they would alter a procedure within your organization that has become a routine. Engage the audience.

2. Ask: “How can we do this better?” Seek ideas on everything from the coffee to the creamer.

3. Have an idea meeting once a month and start formulating plans. And don't forget not all ideas are good ideas.

4. Cut off resources. Any problem area you should immediately stop funding. Money never solved a problem, but thinking has.

5. Don't be scared to make a mistake. You will make plenty, but you will also find a new answer.

Don't watch the World Series and simply hope your organization can become like the Rays — instead, do something about it.

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