The Bob Gibson Gene

The baseball world lost a legend on Friday when former St. Louis Cardinal Hall-of-Fame pitcher Bob Gibson passed away from pancreatic cancer. Gibson was one of the most talented athletes of his era, who not only dominated as a hard-throwing right-hander, but also played for the Harlem Globetrotters before focusing on baseball.

Besides the incredible fastball, the nasty curveball, Gibson was a passionate competitor. He was born with a unique gene of self competitiveness, which manifested itself into his life on and off the field. His competitiveness and his will to excel made him legendary amongst his peers. Gibson only cared about one thing, being the best version of himself every single day. His focus, his determination, in addition to his incredible talent, made him a legend. When great players have the will to excel, when they have that "Gibson gene," it makes everyone else around them better. Gibson's singleness of purpose is what we all need to teach our students, players and staff.  

Gibson was not phony. He was genuine in his demeanor and was committed to never backing down. He never changed. He never allowed his teammates to alter his determination or focus. What many did not understand with Gibson's behavior was that he was ALWAYS competing against himself. The standard he set for himself was the driving force behind his daily determination. When we want our players to raise the level of competitiveness within our team, we must get them to understand it all starts from within. 

Rachel Bitte, Chief People Officer at Jobvite, wrote for career development site The Muse, "Rather than thinking 'I'm going to beat so-and-so,' tell yourself, 'I'm going to set my own career goals, and then work to achieve and surpass them.'...And instead of comparing yourself to others, you'll be focused on building yourself up — which will lead to much more positive and enjoyable time spent at work."

Most of us feel we’re competitive. Most players/staff feel they're doing their best each day to help the team win. In reality, most are falling short — not intentionally, but because they don't have the "Gibson gene" for demanding more of themselves. Most don't understand the battle lies within, not on the scoreboard — and we must show them how. When we want more from them, it's all coaching, not being critical. We must fuel the fire to want the internal flame to burn within. That flame never had to be lit for Gibson, and so many others could benefit from understanding his unique makeup. 

The development of our inner competitiveness is the surest way we, as leaders, can build a highly competitive team. Work on spreading the Gibson gene with yours. It will help.

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