Leading in business is hard. So is hitting a baseball. In fact, some say it's the hardest thing to do in all of sports. How would you like to make your living being responsible for how a dozen different hitters fare against the best pitchers on the planet? Being a hitting coach is a tough gig. Here are some lessons that business leaders can draw from the good ones...

Like with most things, it's about balance. Culture will rarely be enough to put you over the top. You need talent, strategy, and execution. Similarly, relying solely on skill often won't cut it either. There are a lot of talented people and organizations out there. What's going to separate you?

Whether it's now or later, there's a symbiotic relationship between winning and culture. Without enough of one, you won't have enough of either.

Resiliency is relatable because it's tied to adversity, which is universal. We appreciate how hard it can be to rebound from failure, and that sometimes, we simply can't (or don't). But what is often underappreciated is the fact that the very act of getting back up is a win. I love the Japanese proverb "Nana korobi, ya oki", which translates to "fall seven times, stand up eight". Stay in the fight. Get back at it tomorrow. The ability to show up every day, rain or shine, is an incredible asset. It's more powerful than we give it credit for. It's more than grit or perseverance. It can portend remarkable success.

I do believe in the "Five People" philosophy. I just think it's more nuanced and fragmented, which is a good thing. It gives us freedom. It allows us to diversify. I can embrace something similar to language immersion and surround myself with cutthroat corporate lawyers if I want to sharpen my negotiation skills, then hit the gym after work for a high intensity class workout with a bunch of fitness nuts, before meeting up with a group of dads to volunteer at my local church. Three different peer groups, three different areas of my life where I want to grow.

When most of us can be dissuaded by peer pressure, self-doubt, or social norms, those with Asperger's (or at least traits consistent with the syndrome), aren't phased and soldier on. It's like wearing an invisible cloak that insulates you from societal pressures.

Tolerance. The notion that we need to be accepting of other people and their perspective. Tolerance says "come as you are" and "all are welcome here". I say no. I say put up the velvet rope, close the door and require a password to get in. I say tolerance is for losers.

Just like a pitcher's pace and strike-throwing can help his defense perform better, a pitcher needs help to maximize his performance, too. His catcher needs to be in sync with him and call a good game. His defense needs to make plays behind him. Sometimes even the weather needs to cooperate. Ultimately, though, no one can execute for you. No one can come out on that mound and help you throw the next pitch. You have to do that yourself.

In a world obsessed with productivity hacks, streamlined processes, and multi-tasking, we've developed a dangerous obsession with efficiency. Constantly hearing that we need to "do more with less" and "work on the margins", we're in a never-ending sprint toward optimization. But is this relentless pursuit of efficiency is actually stifling our creativity and hindering innovation?

Their equipment may be unflatteringly dubbed the Tools of Ignorance, but there's wisdom behind the facemask. Here are some lessons from catchers that you can apply to leading your own organization…

I spent 15 years in Major League Baseball evaluating talent, negotiating contracts, and building teams on & off the field; all toward one goal: winning the World Series. When I pivoted away from sports, I entered the dynamic and frenzied world of startups, joining an early-stage company that two years later earned a $1B valuation and officially became a Unicorn. Both environments were fast, furious, competitive, and fun. Here are some of the parallels of, and lessons learned from those two experiences:

If left unchecked, ego can spell the demise of careers, relationships, even entire empires. It's been the driving force behind scandal, war, treason, and murder, to name a few.

Then again...ever meet a really successful person who has no ego at all? …anyone who's ever been really good at something definitely has an ego. In some sense, they have to in order to be driven to do great things.

Everyone wants passive income, right? Mailbox money. You put in some work up front, lay the foundation to create cash flow, then kick back and reap the rewards.

In the world of leadership, there is a similar opportunity to build a self-sustaining, perpetual cycle of value: the self-policing culture.

We love new beginnings. The rejuvenation, the optimism, the seductive uncertainty of what the day may bring. "This could be our year." Well, today could be your day. Embrace it with the same enthusiasm.

He was also an accomplished general, skilled statesman, and national hero, but what made him great in the moment--not in hindsight and through the lens of history--was the manner in which Washington carried himself. The kind of person he was. He was admired by both rivals and supporters for being forthright, honest, respectful, and sober. He was a humble man of moderation, with sound judgement and highly-tuned emotional intelligence, reading people brilliantly in both his personal and political life.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm sure your colleagues have opinions about you. Doesn't mean you're going to listen to them, does it? You know what is right for you, not them. It's your pillow you need to lay your head on at the end of the day, not theirs. Same goes for professional athletes. We all get one trip around this merry-go-round. Who am I to tell someone else when to get off? 

I wasn’t a big reader as a kid. I was a good student and diligent worker, but never much of a pleasure reader. I more or less viewed reading as a means to an end. If there was something specific I needed to know, or a school assignment I had to prepare for, sure, I’d read. But, outside of that, reading wasn’t high on my list of things to do in my free time.

Ever see those contestants on American Idol who clearly didn’t have that person telling them no? Or heard the stories of the athlete or celebrity who gets real rich, real fast, only to lose it all a few years later because they had a bunch of people telling them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear? Maybe you’ve encountered a parent or two who has trouble telling their kid no. They’re not doing them any favors.

Paul Goldschmidt is as humble and grounded a superstar as you will meet. He leads by example, with remarkable consistency. He is the baseball equivalent of a self-made, grinding entrepreneur. Showing up, day after day, getting a little bit better each time, and before you know it, you have something special.

Parenting is incredibly hard. Anyone who has done it knows it is all-consuming, requires a wealth of patience, and can leave you exasperated. It’s also the most important and rewarding job in the world, bar none. There is no handbook, no shortcuts, no hacks. You have to put in the work, the time, and the love. And you’re still going to screw up.

By humbly appealing to a higher power for wisdom, forgiveness, strength, or patience, we acknowledge that we’re lacking it. That self-awareness, humility, and desire to do good is ultimately what can form the foundation for greatness down the road.