Saturday, December 13, 2008

What is My Value to a Company?

While I was employed with the GreenJackets, I was given a copy of Cal Ripken Jr.’s book, Get into the Game. I actually started reading it at the start of the season when riding on the bus. However, as the season went on, I decided to use my time on the bus to catch up on sleep.

I finally finished it after picking it up again. The book itself draws upon many thoughts of Ripken and relates his playing career to working in the business world. It also has a lot of historical tie-ins to his playing days and Lou Gehrig's career. It really is a good book.

As soon as I picked the book back up again though, I started reading a chapter about how Ripken always wanted to make sure he had a job. He always wanted to make sure he was valuable to the team and organization, that way he would always get to play. He found the best way to do that is to make sure to do other things to stay in the lineup.

Ripken knew that he couldn’t be in the lineup because of just his hitting; he also had to develop his defense. What you might lose at the plate, you still have that sure thing out on the diamond at defense. Ripken also talked about how he would work with the pitchers and catchers on pitch selection during the game. It was all geared toward making himself more valuable and in return, harder to be taken out of the lineup.

He draws on that idea and applies it to the business world. The more valuable you make yourself to a company and the more you can do, the more likely you will have a job.

I always felt the same way too. I always felt that as long as I could do something other than just “one thing” then I would be too valuable of a guy to pass up on. I know I can broadcast a game, I know I can do it well too because I have stacks of emails from fans and people in the business telling me how good of a job I do.

However, just being able to broadcast is not good enough in this world of Minor League Baseball. That is why I also worked on making sure I knew how to design web sites. I know how to manipulate the code to make things work the way I want them to work.

I got a copy of Photoshop editing software and learned how to do graphic design. I know how to put graphics together that look sharp and can be placed as advertisements on the web and in other forms of print media.

I also got a copy of Quark Express and learned how to do print layout. I successful put together a media guide from start to finish and also used Quark to produce the game notes on a nightly bases along with press releases.

While working in radio, I learned how to edit audio and purchased an audio editing program so that I can edit spots and promos. I also edited game highlights on the fly for post game use.

My time in radio was also spent working in production and traffic scheduling spots to be played so I know the way spots should be run and the most effective percentages for rotation.

I also worked in television and learned how to edit video and have a video editing program.

All of these programs are on my laptop, so I can use my own personal computer for not only broadcasting games, but also web design, graphic design, audio editing, video editing and radio programming.

That’s six different jobs rolled up into one that I can do!

Not to mention all the writing I can do as well.

I have also heard that while Minor League Baseball is fun, it’s also a business. Sales are important.

I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I earned my MBA and I have a background in sales as well because I owned my own business selling web and graphic design. I did that for four years making a living doing sales on my own. That is 100% commission, no paycheck each week for just showing up. I made what I sold.

Make that seven different jobs rolled up into one.

If that is not making you more valuable to the company, then I don’t know what is.

How much do seven employees cost a company?

How much does one employee cost a company that can do all seven jobs?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I work for a company and knowing how to do several different things is very important. Usually the more you know the more money you can make, at least that is the way it is in my business.

I like your blog, keep up the good work.

JP