I’ve read Bob Burg’s The Go Giver and have been reading Give to Grow by Mo Bunnell. The message of both resonates deeply as I wrap up my 18th season broadcasting Royals baseball. The grind is real, but what I’ll remember more than the innings played or miles traveled are the people who gave something of themselves along the way. Because in the end, the real wins come from the relationships we invest in and the spirit we bring to others, inside and Out of the Park.

I’ve long believed that the secret to influence is giving to grow.  And when you offer value with intention instead of expectation, you set a cycle into motion that I have found returns far more than you ever imagined. It’s a concept that changed the life of one recent guest on my podcast who believes every one of us can master the art of sales, whether we carry a quota or not. Her name is Dr. Cindy McGovern, a two-time bestselling author, founder of Orange Leaf Consulting and an international authority known around the world as the First Lady of Sales. With a dynamic energy and practical approach, she has inspired thousands to see sales not as a transaction, but as an opportunity to give.

Talent matters, but consistency and daily effort set you apart.

In a world with so much dissension, I witnessed a moment in Philadelphia that truly warmed the heart.

We all drive home some nights beating ourselves up over a meeting, a mistake, or something out of our control.

Instead of giving up, he let that rejection fuel him.

As we head into a weekend-long celebration of workers across the nation, this month’s newsletter turns the focus to the people with one specific job to do. In baseball we call them role players. And though they may not take the field every game, the value they add makes them critical to the success of the team. It’s a lesson that teams anywhere can learn from. Not everyone can be a superstar, but they can be ready to step in - and up - when their number is called. And sometimes that’s the difference between winning and losing, inside and Out of the Park.

When teams succeed, it’s rarely due to raw talent alone. Instead, they reach peak performance when every player knows their role and plays it well. Just like in baseball you wouldn’t want your closer batting cleanup, in a corporate setting, you wouldn’t want your top performing salesperson in the mailroom. Teams win when people step into the roles that fit them best.  That lesson came through out and clear during a recent interview with Lindsay Howerton, a fractional COO who gets results where they matter most.

One has a booming voice. The other is losing hers. But both are loud in their impact.

That’s what makes Pawol’s debut so meaningful. She didn’t just break a barrier, she stepped in prepared and embraced.

This wasn’t just a whirlwind travel story. It was a window into how quickly someone can find their footing not just on the field, but in a new culture.

Baseball doesn’t pause for much. With so much going on before and after the recent All Star Break, sometimes you have to remind yourself to stop and look up. That’s what I did earlier this month, when I noticed all the still photographers walking onto the field in between innings, cameras aimed skyward. Charlie Riedel of the AP caught me in the foreground of his shot and it’s one I will carry with me as a reminder that even in the chaos, there’s still something wonderful to be found. The challenge is pausing long enough to experience it, inside and Out of the Park. 

I’ve been a sports broadcaster for decades, and have watched hundreds of players step into pressure-packed situations. Bases loaded, full count, crowd roaring…even high-stakes World Series games with and championships on the line. But I’ve also come to realize that many of those moments are actually defined before the play.  Over the recent All Star Break, I was joined on my podcast by a guest who reframed growth not as a constant climb, but a process that requires pause as much as it does push.

I watched baseball history earlier this week at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Nothing ever goes exactly according to plan. Not in life, not in baseball, and definitely not on live TV. But when you’re ready for the moment, those unexpected curveballs become easier to hit. This month’s newsletter is all about being ready for the moment. Not those we planned perfectly, but the ones we were steady enough to deliver on anyway. It’s what happens when you show up prepared to take on whatever comes your way, inside and Out of the Park.

I’ve spent more than 25 years with a microphone in my hand. Whether it’s baseball or business, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t control the timing of your opportunity…only your preparation. In a recent episode of my podcast Rounding the Bases, I sat down with a guest who doesn’t just talk about change, she’s at the forefront of disruption. And her readiness to adapt to the unexpected things that come her way has been the key to her massive success.

Baseball may be built on numbers, but the soul of the game lives in the people. That’s why investing in relationships is such an important part of what I do. You don’t always know when or how the returns will come. But when you invest in people the right way - with curiosity, consistency and care - it always does. It’s a reminder I carry with me always, inside and Out of the Park.

Business and baseball are all about metrics. From batting averages and ERAs to profit margins and ROIs, we live in a world where numbers rule. But here’s a thought. What if the most important number you’re not measuring is your return on relationships? It’s an asset that compounds over time, often yielding dividends that no spreadsheet can fully capture, and one recent podcast guest illustrated just how powerful they can be. 

Baseball is a game of moments, but more often it's the small ball that swings a season. Game after game, the real story stays the same: the little things always matter. If April taught us anything, it's that details can always change the outcome. Whether you are in the dugout or watching from home, that is a reminder worth carrying with you, inside and Out of the Park.

Small ball is about the little things that add up to big results. In concept, it originated on the diamond but in practice, the impact goes well beyond. And one recent guest found a way to leverage the little things for even bigger results.